Western Digital Ultrastar DC HC520 12TB
Enterprise HDD
Part number HUH721212ALE600 · Ultrastar DC HC520 series · SATA 6Gb/s (SATA III). If your machine is listed below, this drive is officially supported — not a forum workaround.
Part of the Western Digital Ultrastar DC HC520 series →
Check HUH721212ALE600 price on Amazon partner link
No series-level recording rating is on file for this part number yet — check the exact model for CMR vs SMR before buying it as a large cold copy (SMR is the one trait that makes a 16 TB+ backup copy painfully slow). The 3-2-1 guide and the backup tools encyclopedia cover what to schedule it with.
Compatibility verdict
It appears on the official compatibility lists of 287 machines and series — 279 QNAP, 8 Asustor. This is a Enterprise-class drive: rated for heavier sustained workloads than desktop drives. It is a strong pick for a NAS running 24/7, large-array rebuilds or camera workloads, and enterprise lines are also the drives most widely listed across all five vendors' HCLs. No series-level recording rating is on file for this part number yet, so check CMR vs SMR on the exact model before buying for an array.
Compatible NAS models
Same-capacity alternatives
Other drives listed at 12 TB capacity, ranked by how many machines list them:
Quick answers
Is the HUH721212ALE600 officially compatible with my NAS?
It appears on the official compatibility lists of 287 machines and series — 279 QNAP, 8 Asustor. Every machine page linked below shows the vendor's own list entry, refreshed daily.
Is the HUH721212ALE600 a good NAS drive?
This is a Enterprise-class drive: rated for heavier sustained workloads than desktop drives. It is a strong pick for a NAS running 24/7, large-array rebuilds or camera workloads, and enterprise lines are also the drives most widely listed across all five vendors' HCLs. No series-level recording rating is on file for this part number yet, so check CMR vs SMR on the exact model before buying for an array.
Can I use the HUH721212ALE600 for a 3-2-1 cold backup copy?
No series-level recording rating is on file for this part number yet — check the exact model for CMR vs SMR before buying it as a large cold copy (SMR is the one trait that makes a 16 TB+ backup copy painfully slow). The 3-2-1 guide and the backup tools encyclopedia cover what to schedule it with.
What are alternatives to the HUH721212ALE600?
At the same capacity, the most widely listed alternatives are Western Digital WD121KRYZ (381 machines), Toshiba MG07ACA12TE (329 machines), Seagate ST12000NM0008 (315 machines). The full ranked list is below.