Head-to-head · Best Nas Hard Drives

WD Red Plus 14TB vs WD Red Pro 16TB

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

Verdict is reader-supported. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Some links on this page are affiliate links — if you click through and buy, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Our ratings are sourced from independent publications, not sponsors.

The short answer

WD Red Pro 16TB comes out ahead by a clear margin (4.5 vs 4.0). The gap is mostly about Prosumer users needing advanced features — read the strengths below before deciding.

Ranked #4 in Best Nas Hard Drives

WD Red Plus 14TB

4.0

5 sourcesall derived$841.45as of Sep 28

TechRadar reviewed the WD Red Plus 14TB and noted its reliability in NAS environments, though it found the pricing not competitive. The drive features a helium-filled design, 550TB/year workload rating, and delivers read speeds near 265MB/s. While it's built for continuous operation, it runs at 5400 RPM, making it slower than its Red Pro counterpart. This makes it a solid choice for NAS users prioritizing durability over raw performance, but those seeking better value may want to consider alternatives.

Strengths

— Built for 24x7 NAS environments with 550TB/year workload rating
— Helium-filled design for reduced resistance
— Capable of reading speeds close to 265MB/s and writing 250MB/s

Watch-outs

— Not price competitive compared to similar Seagate IronWolf Pro drives
— High price point

$841.45 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Nas Hard Drives

WD Red Pro 16TB

4.5

4 sources3 derived

The review highlighted OptiNAND technology as a key performance feature and praised its suitability for 24x7 NAS deployment. However, the reviewer noted the drive's high price point and acknowledged it's not particularly quiet during active use. The drive carries a 5-year warranty and benefits from Western Digital's strong brand reputation for support and replacements.

Strengths

— OptiNAND technology provides performance and power-loss benefits
— Designed for 24x7 NAS server deployment with solid internal architecture
— 512MB traditional cache buffer at 7200RPM offers good performance

Watch-outs

— Price per TB is quite high compared to alternatives
— Not a quiet drive during random active use

Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Derived means the reviewer published no score, so one was inferred from their written verdict. Everything else is a number the publisher printed. How we rank.

How they stack up

WD Red Plus 14TB

The WD Red Plus 14TB offers a 550TB/year workload rating and helium-filled design, matching the Seagate IronWolf Pro 18TB in durability but at a lower price point.

WD Red Pro 16TB

The WD Red Pro 16TB features OptiNAND technology and a 300TB/year workload rating, making it more advanced than the WD Red Plus 14TB but less expensive than the Seagate IronWolf Pro 18TB and 22TB models.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	WD Red Plus 14TB	WD Red Pro 16TB
Capacity	14TB	16TB
Form Factor	3.5 Inch	3.5"
Spindle Speed	7200 RPM	7200
Cache	512MB	512MB
Interface	SATA 6Gb/s	—
Warranty	3-year limited warranty	5-year limited warranty
Workload Rating	180 TB/yr	300TB
Connectivity	SATA 6Gb/s	—
Drive Support	Up to 8 Bays	—

← See the full ranking of best nas hard drives