WD Purple vs WD Black: Which Hard Drives are Better?

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Our PCs handle a huge amount of workload and process tons of data. Recently, we have turned to the digital world more than ever and you might have noticed the additional strain on your electronic devices. From streaming to gaming, security to memories, it’s common to need an internal hard drive to boost performance. Western Digital is known for its reliable storage solutions. We are going to look at two, in particular, the WD Purple vs WD Black.

We will consider all of their features, speed, and value for money. After including a comparison chart and some pros and cons, we will decide which is the best internal hard drive.

We will begin with what the WD Purple and the WD Black have in common.

WD Purple vs WD Black – Similarities

Hard Drive Type

The WD Purple and the WD Black are both SATA 6.0GB/s internal hard drives with a form factor of 3.5 inches. Although there are different storage capacities, we are going to focus on the 4TB.

Appearance

Despite one being purple and the other being black, they are practically identical and not enough of a difference to influence the decision. The WD Purple is 5.70 x 4 x 1.03 inches and weighs 1.5 pounds. The WD Black is the same size but weighs 1.66 pounds.

Compatibility

You can use the WD Purple and the WD Black with PCs. If you have a Mac, they are still compatible, but you will need to reformat them.

Side by Side Comparison

Below we have all of the specifications sides by side.

	WD Purple	WD Black
Image
Size	5.79 x 4 x 1.03 inches	5.79 x 4 x 1.03 inches
Weight	1.5lbs	1.66lbs
Storage Capacity	4TB	4TB
Other Capacities	500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 3TB, 6TB, 8TB, 10TB	500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 6TB, 8TB, 10TB
Form Factor	3.5 inches	3.5 inches
Compatibility	Windows and Mac with reformatting	Windows and Mac with reformatting
Uses	Surveillance- up to 64 cameras, up to 8 bays, home or small businesses	PC enthusiasts, gaming, system builders
Technology	AllFrame 4K	StableTrac and Acronis True Image WD Edition
Cache	64MB	X2 DRAM 256MB
Revolutions per minute	5,400RPM	7,200RPM
Transfer Rate	Up to 150MB/s	Up to 256MB/s
SATA 6.0 GB/s	Yes	Yes
MTBF	1.5 million hours	Not stated
Workload	180TB/year	Not stated
Warranty	3-year limited warranty	5-year limited warranty
Price	Check price on Amazon	Check price on Amazon

Differences Between WD Purple and WD Black

Those are the only similarities, so we will now move on to how the WD Purple and the WD Black differ.

Other Storage Capacities

These internal hard drives can be found in a range of capacities from 500GB to 10TB.

WD Purple

Apart from the 4TB, you can choose from 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 3TB, 6TB, 8TB and 10TB.

WD Black

You have one less option here. You can buy all of the same capacities with the exception of the 3TB.

The Winner Is- The WD Purple

Ideal Uses

For some, the decision will be easy depending on the intended use of the internal hard drive.

WD Purple

This is a surveillance hard drive. It has been designed to work 24/7 to ensure that your security system is constantly running at peak performance. It supports up to 8 bays and 64 cameras and is ideal for homes and small businesses.

WD Black

This is a great choice for PC enthusiasts, professional digital editors, system builders and gamers.

The Winner Is- A Tie

Technology

Because of the specific uses, the hard drives have different technology.

WD Purple

All of the WD Purple hard drives have AllFrame 4k technology. This helps to improve the quality of video playback and reduce frame loss. This makes them ideal for more bays and NVR systems.

WD Black

StableTrac and Dynamic Cache technology improves the reliability of the hard drive. Acronis True Image enables you to backup all of your data.

The Winner Is- A Tie

Speed

We considered the cache size and the revolutions per minute to determine which hard drive was faster.

WD Purple

The cache is 64MB and the RPM is 5,400, both are average ratings for an internal hard drive. Transfer speeds are up to 150MB/s.

WD Black

You will notice a difference in speed with a 2 DRAM 256MB cache and 7,200RPM. The transfer speeds are up to 256MB/s.

The Winner Is- The WD Black

Workload

We are lacking product information, which is a shame.

WD Purple

It can handle up to 180TB per year and has a mean time before failure (MTBF) of 1.5 million hours.

WD Black

There is no product information about the workload.

The Winner Is- The WD Purple

Value for Money

For the quality of the internal hard drives, both are excellent value for money.

WD Purple

It’s cheaper but the warranty is a little shorter. Still, it comes with a 3-year limited warranty.

WD Black

You might be able to find different offers but it’s about $50 more expensive. The warranty here is 5-years limited.

The Winner Is- A Tie

Pros and Cons

Before our final verdict, here are some pros and cons of the WD Purple and the WD Black.

WD Purple

Pros:

There is no overheating
It runs quietly
It is easy to install

Cons:

There have been a few problems with reliability

Check price on Amazon

WD Black

Pros:

It’s fast with transfer speeds as advertised
You can use it with a USB 3.0 docking station
Excellent reliability

Cons:

It can be noisy

Check price on Amazon

The Final Verdict

If you are looking for an internal hard drive for your surveillance system, the WD Purple is the way to go. It’s not designed for speed; it’s designed for 24-hour use. If you are looking for an internal hard drive for general use, we felt the WD Black was far superior. You have a good range of storage capacities and all are easy to install and use. The transfer speeds were excellent, which makes it ideal for the transfer of larger files. Although it is more expensive, the increased performance was worth it. Plus, the longer warranty is a sign that Western Digital stands by the longevity of the hard drive.