Western Digital Enterprise 320GB
Enterprise HDD
Part number WD3201ABYS · Enterprise series · SATA 3Gb/s (SATA II). If your machine is listed below, this drive is officially supported — not a forum workaround.
Part of the Western Digital Enterprise series →
Check WD3201ABYS 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 40 machines and series — 40 QNAP. 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 320 GB capacity, ranked by how many machines list them:
Quick answers
Is the WD3201ABYS officially compatible with my NAS?
It appears on the official compatibility lists of 40 machines and series — 40 QNAP. Every machine page linked below shows the vendor's own list entry, refreshed daily.
Is the WD3201ABYS 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 WD3201ABYS 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 WD3201ABYS?
At the same capacity, the most widely listed alternatives are Western Digital WD3200AAKS (80 machines), Seagate ST3320613AS (80 machines), Seagate ST3320418AS (80 machines). The full ranked list is below.