The WD Ultrastar DC HC690 32TB is WD's highest-density Ultrastar model in this batch, but it is not a universal 32TB enterprise disk. It is an UltraSMR product for environments that can manage shingled/zoned write behavior.
For hyperscale and bulk-storage teams, that density can change rack economics. For normal NAS, workstation and unqualified RAID environments, the same recording architecture can be the reason not to buy it.
Choose HC690 32TB when your storage stack is already qualified for UltraSMR/host-managed SMR and rack density is the binding constraint. Choose a CMR 32TB drive, such as Seagate Exos or IronWolf Pro, when the host expects conventional random-write block behavior.
Manufacturer-published values for the exact product family. Retail listings can collapse these details, so match the part number before ordering.
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Model number | WSH723220AL4201, WSH723220AL4204, WSH723220ALN601, WSH723220ALN604, WSH723220ALN6L1, WSH723220ALN6L4 |
| Capacity | 32TB decimal marketed capacity |
| Recording technology | UltraSMR / host-managed SMR |
| Platform | 11-disk OptiNAND and UltraSMR generation |
| Interface | SATA 6Gb/s and SAS 12Gb/s variants |
| Sector format | 512e/4Kn family variants; interface and format code must match host support |
| Spindle speed | 7200 RPM |
| Cache / buffer | 512MB |
| Maximum sustained transfer rate | 269MB/s maximum sustained transfer rate on 32TB SATA/SAS variants |
| Workload rating | 550TB/year |
| Reliability rating | 2.5M hours projected |
| Warranty | 5-year limited warranty |
| Power | 5.5W idle SATA / 5.8W idle SAS; 9.4W SATA / 9.7W SAS random read 4KB QD=8 at max IOPS |
| Acoustics | 2.5/3.2 Bels idle/operating typical |
| Operating temperature | 5C to 60C operating; -40C to 70C non-operating |
| Compatibility note | Hyperscale and bulk-storage fit where the host stack manages SMR zones deliberately. |
No exact in-stock live row is currently matched for WSH723220AL4201, WSH723220AL4204, WSH723220ALN601, WSH723220ALN604, WSH723220ALN6L1, WSH723220ALN6L4. Relevant live alternatives are shown so the page does not collapse into an empty catalogue.
Live prices · updated every 4-5 hours · last checked 2 min ago · exact model not currently matched in live stock
| Model | Capacity | Recording | RPM | Workload TB/yr | Warranty | $/TB | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3TB HUS724030ALS640REFURB | 3TB | CMR | 7,200 | — | — | $15.13 | $45 | Buy |
| 4TB HUS726040ALS210REFURB | 4TB | CMR | 7,200 | — | — | $16.15 | $65 | Buy |
| 3TB HUS724030ALA640REFURB | 3TB | CMR | 7,200 | — | — | $20.00 | $60 | Buy |
| 10TB HUH721010AL5200REFURB | 10TB | CMR | 7,200 | — | 5 yr | $23.50 | $235 | Buy |
| 14TB WUH721414ALE604REFURB | 14TB | CMR | 7,200 | — | — | $24.29 | $340 | Buy |
| 4TB HMS5C4040ALE640REFURB | 4TB | CMR | 7,200 | — | — | $24.75 | $99 | Buy |
| 14TB WUH721414ALE6L4REFURB | 14TB | CMR | 7,200 | — | — | $25.00 | $350 | Buy |
| 14TB WUH721414ALE604REFURB | 14TB | CMR | 7,200 | — | — | $25.00 | $350 | Buy |
Workload rating is recorded per part number from Seagate's datasheet for that exact model, not blanketed across the line — two drives of the same capacity can differ because they are different generations. A dash means the figure is not stated for that listing. Recording technology comes from the manufacturer's published CMR/SMR list; a model absent from that list is shown as UNVERIFIED rather than guessed. Rows priced above 3× this line's in-stock median are flagged and excluded from the winner callout and from every median we compute.
This table is computed from live DatacenterDisk rows when an exact in-stock match exists. It is intentionally blank for unavailable models rather than filled with stale prices.
| Live model | Drive price | $/TB | 100TB raw target | 500TB raw target | 1PB raw target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No exact in-stock row is available right now. Use the availability table for nearby live alternatives, then re-check the exact model before ordering. | |||||
Raw capacity is not usable capacity. This table shows the slot-level math before filesystem overhead, snapshots, reserved space and vendor-specific parity layouts.
| Drive count | Raw capacity | Single-parity usable | Dual-parity usable |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 bays | 128TB | 96TB | 64TB |
| 6 bays | 192TB | 160TB | 128TB |
| 8 bays | 256TB | 224TB | 192TB |
| 12 bays | 384TB | 352TB | 320TB |
HC690 32TB is about terabytes per slot, per shelf and per rack. In 60 bays it delivers 1.92PB raw before parity and overhead. That can reduce the number of shelves, cables, HBAs and rack units needed for a retention tier.
Those gains matter most where the workload is already aligned: large sequential ingest, append-heavy repositories, object storage and storage software that can direct writes around SMR constraints.
A host-managed SMR environment is not just a drive purchase. The OS, filesystem, block layer, controller path and application must all preserve the rules the media requires. If any layer hides or violates those rules, the drive can be a poor fit even if it enumerates on the bus.
This is the reason CMR drives still exist at 26TB, 30TB and 32TB. They are less dense in some families, but they match the behavior conventional storage stacks expect.
The HC690 sheet lists low idle watts per TB, which is where density helps. Fewer drives and shelves can reduce platform overhead. The drive itself still dissipates heat, and a dense rack full of 32TB disks needs airflow designed for continuous enterprise operation.
Do not evaluate HC690 only by per-drive watts. Model enclosure fans, controller cards, shelves and rebuild windows. The most useful number is cost and watts per protected terabyte delivered by the whole system.
HC690 32TB is a strong hyperscale and enterprise-retention part when the architecture is ready for it. It is weak as a retail substitute for a CMR 32TB drive because the incompatibility risk overwhelms the capacity gain.
If you cannot name the SMR-aware layer in your stack, buy CMR.
No. WD lists the HC690 family as SMR/UltraSMR.
WD lists WSH723220AL4201, WSH723220AL4204, WSH723220ALN601, WSH723220ALN604, WSH723220ALN6L1 and WSH723220ALN6L4 across SAS/SATA, security and power-disable variants.
No. Exos 32TB in DatacenterDisk's tracked row is a CMR Seagate enterprise drive, while HC690 is WD UltraSMR/SMR and needs compatible host behavior.
No. Price per TB is the first screen, not the whole decision. Match recording method, interface, bay count, firmware support, warranty position and rebuild risk before accepting the cheapest row.
Specification claims on this page were checked against the pages below on 1 September 2026. Where a widely-repeated figure did not survive that check, we report what the source says now and say so in the text rather than repeating the familiar number.