Surveillance HDD Model List: WD Purple and SkyHawk AI

Looking for a 1TB surveillance hard drive? The WD Purple datasheet issued on 11 November 2025 lists WD11PURZ and WD10PURZ at that capacity ^[source]. Start with your recorder’s supported-drive list, then check retention and compare the exact model’s delivered price and warranty. The larger SkyHawk AI models below come from a September 2022 sheet; use its specifications as a dated reference.

Is a 1TB surveillance hard drive enough?

Choose capacity from recording settings rather than the number of sockets on the recorder. More cameras, higher bitrate or longer retention generally require more storage; scheduled or event recording can change the requirement. Use the actual settings in the HDD retention calculator, allowing for usable capacity and recording overhead. If the result exceeds 1TB, compare supported larger drives instead of expecting a 1TB model to meet an arbitrary number of days.

For the same-capacity purchase, ask for the full model number, new or used condition, delivered total, and written warranty or return terms. The manufacturer’s published warranty does not establish the local seller’s coverage. See the capacity and price guide for dated price context.

Which WD Purple models are in the November 2025 datasheet?

Two printed notes accompany the list: the datasheet states workload “up to 180TB/yr”, MTBF “up to 1 million hours” (printed in Indian digit grouping, transcribed verbatim in the datasheet def), limited 3-year warranty, and “up to 16 drive bays”; and there is NO 500GB model in the list ^[source] — a “WD Purple 500GB” offer should be re-checked.

What is the SkyHawk AI model list?

“Current” and “legacy” in this table describe the generations in Seagate’s September 2022 sheet, not today’s range or stock.

Seagate’s cited sheet describes NVR and AI-NVR use, support for up to 64 HD video streams and 32 AI streams, ImagePerfect AI firmware with a zero-dropped-frame claim, an always-on workload of 550TB a year, SkyHawk Health Management, and 3-year Rescue Data Recovery Services with a stated 95% in-house success rate ^[source]. These are manufacturer specifications and service claims; they do not guarantee recording or recovery results for your installation.

SkyHawk AI or WD Purple for my NVR?

Brand and class selection belong to the surveillance HDD comparison page (BM) — it holds the drive-to-recorder matching method. In the cited sheets, WD Purple models reach 8TB with a workload rating up to 180TB/year ^[source]; SkyHawk AI models reach 20TB with a 550TB/year rating ^[source]. Compare the workload class as well as capacity; these dated lists do not describe every model sold today.

Why does the full model number matter at purchase time?

The cited 2022 sheet lists two “SkyHawk AI 10TB” generations: ST10000VE001 (legacy, 2 million hours MTBF) and ST10000VE0008 (2.5 million hours MTBF) ^[source]. Prices and warranties can differ between them; a purchase that says only “10TB SkyHawk” has not identified the exact drive. For WD Purple, match the full PURZ number against the recorder’s list too.

What separates a datasheet’s ‘up to’ from your unit?

Datasheets print top-of-range figures (“up to 8TB”, “up to 180TB/yr”, “up to 16 drive bays”) — the unit you buy carries one value inside that range, not the range ^[source]. The workload and video-stream figures depend on the manufacturer’s own test settings and cannot be converted into a retention-days estimate; the retention-days arithmetic lives on the HDD sizing page (BM).

How much does a CCTV hard disk cost?

The 1TB-8TB price ladder with the storage calculator belongs to the capacity-price ladder page (BM) — this page deliberately prints no prices. The correct buying sequence: verify the recorder supports the full model (the lists above), then price that exact SKU across sellers. Buying the reverse way — price first, model later — is the classic cause of incompatible drives.

Which model for an 8-channel home recorder?

For an 8-channel home recorder, first record how many cameras are actually active, their recording settings and the required retention period. A 2TB or 4TB model may be a useful candidate if the sizing result and recorder support fit; channel count alone cannot establish that it is enough. Separately compare the estimated annual recording workload with the drive’s rating: the cited WD Purple sheet states up to 180TB/year and SkyHawk AI states 550TB/year ^{[source] [source]}. Workload rating concerns data written over time; it is not storage capacity or a guarantee of drive life.

What should you check before paying?

The full model number matches the list (not “Purple/SkyHawk only”); CMR stated ^[source]; capacity within the recorder’s supported limit; the manufacturer’s 3-year warranty with local support; and an invoice that prints the full model. Those five checks turn an HDD purchase from a label gamble into an SKU purchase.

Read also: WD Purple vs SkyHawk — the choice (BM) · CCTV HDD capacity-price ladder (BM) · HDD sizing for retention days (BM) · high-endurance SD cards (BM)