WD Ultrastar DC HC550 - 3.5" Enterprise HDD - 14TB SATA SE
WD Ultrastar DC HC550 - 3.5" Enterprise HDD Variants
About WD Ultrastar DC HC550 - 3.5" Enterprise HDD
The Ultrastar DC HC550 is available in 14TB, 16TB, and 18TB capacities. It was WD's 6th-generation HelioSeal platform and the first hard drive to use EAMR (Energy-Assisted Magnetic Recording), which enabled a jump to 9-disk platters and a peak areal density of 1,022 Gbits/sq. in. on the 18TB model.
Enterprise Specs
7,200 RPM, 512MB cache, CMR recording, available in SATA 6Gb/s and SAS 12Gb/s. Workload rating is 550TB/year with a 2.5 million hour MTBF and 5-year warranty. Helium-sealed with a Triple Stage Actuator for improved tracking accuracy. Available in both 4Kn and 512e sector formats.
Sustained transfer rates top out at 269 MB/s (18TB). Idle power is 5.6W on SATA models, giving the 18TB a power efficiency of 0.31 W/TB idle.
The Homelab Sweet Spot
The HC550 18TB is arguably the best used enterprise drive for homelabbers right now. It is plentiful on the secondary market as early datacenter deployments reach their 5-year refresh cycle, the 18TB capacity is large enough to build serious storage pools without filling every bay, and the price per terabyte on used units is typically the best in the Ultrastar lineup.
The 14TB and 16TB variants are the same platform and equally reliable, just lower density. Buy whichever capacity gives the best price per terabyte at the time.
Drive Security Variants
The last character of the model number indicates the security mode:
- ISE (Instant Secure Erase) -- Crypto-erases all data in seconds for fast drive retirement or redeployment. Available on both SATA and SAS.
- SE (Base) -- No encryption, sanitize overwrite only. Available on both SATA and SAS. SATA models include ATA Security Feature Set as standard.
- SED (Self-Encrypting Drive) -- Hardware AES-256 encryption with TCG Enterprise protocol. Available on both SATA and SAS.
- SED-FIPS -- SED with FIPS certification for government and regulated environments. SAS models only.
For homelab use, ISE or SE variants are the most common and least expensive. SED adds no performance penalty but carries a price premium.
Best for: NAS and storage server builds where 14-18TB per slot provides the right balance of density, availability, and used-market pricing.
Avoid if: You need maximum density per slot. The HC580 (22-24TB) packs more storage but commands a premium, especially used.
Market Offers
1 retailer in stock| Merchant | Condition | Availability | Last Checked | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon US | New | In Stock | 5m ago | |
| CDW | New | Out of Stock | 4h ago | — |
| Western Digital | New | Inquiry Only | 4h ago | — |
Prices are not shown for listings out of stock more than 7 days.
Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Homelab Prices participates in merchant affiliate programs and may receive compensation for purchases made through links on this site. These relationships do not affect what products, brands, or prices are displayed or the order in which they appear.
Price & Availability: Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date and time indicated and are subject to change. The price and availability displayed on the merchant's website at the time of purchase will apply.
Product Information: Product descriptions, specifications, and images are provided for informational purposes only and are subject to change without notice by the manufacturer or merchant. Homelab Prices does not guarantee the accuracy of product information displayed. Verify all details with the merchant before purchase.