Best helium-filled NAS hard drives
Helium-filled drives seal thinner platters in a lighter internal atmosphere: less drag, so they run cooler, quieter and use less power than an air drive of the same size - and the saved space lets makers pack in more platters for higher capacity. Every model here is helium, CMR and in current production, ranked by measured failure rate.
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| Drive | Capacity | Tech | Class | Interface | AFR | €/TB | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
ST16000NM000J Seagate Exos X18
|
16 TB | CMR | Enterprise | SATA | 0.17% | - | - |
| 2 |
MG11ACA24TE Toshiba MG11
|
24 TB | CMR | Enterprise | SATA | 0.42% | €43.71 | €1,049 |
| 3 |
WUH722222ALE6L4 WD Ultrastar DC HC570
|
22 TB | CMR | Enterprise | SATA | 0.45% | €55.09 | €1,212 |
| 4 |
ST16000NM001G Seagate Exos X16
|
16 TB | CMR | Enterprise | SATA | 0.53% | €42.44 | €679 |
| 5 |
WUH722626ALE6L4 WD Ultrastar DC HC590
|
26 TB | CMR | Enterprise | SATA | 0.67% | €54.96 | €1,429 |
| 6 |
MG10ACA20TE Toshiba MG10
|
20 TB | CMR | Enterprise | SATA | 0.68% | €45.75 | €915 |
| 7 |
WUH721414ALE6L4 WD Ultrastar DC HC530
|
14 TB | CMR | Enterprise | SATA | 0.72% | €60.61 | €848 |
| 8 |
WUH721816ALE6Lx WD Ultrastar DC HC550
|
16 TB | CMR | Enterprise | SATA | 0.88% | - | - |
| 9 |
ST12000NM001G Seagate Exos X16
|
12 TB | CMR | Enterprise | SATA | 0.97% | €70.68 | €848 |
| 10 |
MG07ACA14TE Toshiba MG07
|
14 TB | CMR | Enterprise | SATA | 1.16% | - | - |
| 11 |
ST14000NM001G Seagate Exos X16
|
14 TB | CMR | Enterprise | SATA | 1.24% | €71.17 | €996 |
| 12 |
MG08ACA16Tx Toshiba MG08
|
16 TB | CMR | Enterprise | SATA | 1.43% | - | - |
Ranked by measured failure rate (Backblaze AFR). $/TB uses the cheapest live price where available.
Why helium matters above 12TB
Helium is standard from 12TB up: it's the only way to fit seven, nine or ten platters in a 3.5-inch case while keeping power and heat in check. For a multi-bay NAS that runs 24/7, the lower draw and cooler running add up across the array.
It is not a reliability shortcut on its own - rank by failure rate first, then weigh price per TB. The capacity and efficiency are the win; the drive still has to be a low-AFR CMR model to be worth buying.
Frequently asked questions
- Is a helium hard drive better than an air-filled one?
- At high capacities, yes. Helium is far less dense than air, so the platters spin with less drag - that cuts power draw, heat and noise, and lets manufacturers stack more platters. Effectively every drive above 12TB is helium, because air-filled designs can't reach those capacities reliably.
- What happens if the helium leaks out?
- Modern helium drives are hermetically sealed and report internal helium pressure over SMART, so a slow leak shows up long before failure. Large-scale Backblaze data puts their failure rates in line with - often better than - comparable air drives.