Western Digital launches massive 26TB drives for pros & NAS users

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in General Discussion edited March 11

The demand for storage just got a major upgrade as Western Digital unveiled new high-capacity HDDs built for creative professionals and NAS environments.

Rectangular, black SanDisk Professional enclosure with ribbed front design, angled sides, and subtle lighting on white background.
SanDisk drive from Western Digital



Western Digital announced its latest expansion in storage solutions, introducing new 26TB HDDs across its professional and NAS product lines. These include the enterprise-class Ultrastar 7200 RPM HDDs integrated into the G-DRIVE and G-RAID portfolios, along with the highest-capacity WD Red Pro hard drive yet.

A sleek, black external hard drive is on a desk beside a computer monitor stand and a keyboard with a large knob.
Western Digital hard drive



The announcement comes as AI, video production, and media workflows drive the need for larger, more efficient storage options.

Bigger storage for creative workflows



Western Digital's new lineup includes several high-capacity solutions designed to support video production, photography, and professional content creation. The company has integrated enterprise-grade drives across its external storage lineup, offering high-speed performance and durability.


  • 208TB G-RAID Shuttle 8 ($8,199.99) - An eight-bay RAID solution for massive storage consolidation, offering speeds up to 1,700MB/s.

  • 104TB G-RAID Shuttle 4 ($4,499.99) - A four-bay RAID system optimized for multi-stream 4K and 8K workflows.

  • 52TB G-RAID Project 2 ($1,699.99) - A two-bay RAID storage with Thunderbolt 3 & USB-C for fast data transfers.

  • 26TB G-Drive Project ($999.99) - A high-capacity external drive with modular SSD expansion via SanDisk Pro-Blade.

  • 26TB G-Drive ($649.99) - A stackable, durable drive designed for professional backups with speeds up to 270MB/s.



Each of these products is designed to handle high-intensity workloads, making them ideal for video editors, photographers, and media professionals who require fast and reliable storage.

26TB WD Red Pro boosts NAS performance



For businesses and home users relying on NAS systems, Western Digital introduced the 26TB WD Red Pro HDD ($569.99). It's not the first 26TB (terabyte) drive on the market. However, this drive is reportedly build for 24/7 multi-user environments, supporting up to 550TB of workloads per year.

With a 2.5 million-hour MTBF rating and RAID optimization, it provides the durability needed for demanding NAS setups.

Red and silver Western Digital 3.5-inch NAS hard drive labeled 26TB with OptiNAND technology.
26TB WD Red Pro



Western Digital's OptiNAND technology enhances efficiency, ensuring better data tracking and longevity. The increased capacity makes it a strong choice for small businesses, IT professionals, and creative teams that need scalable storage without sacrificing performance.

Where to see the new lineup



Western Digital will showcase these new products at the NAB Show in Las Vegas from April 6-9 at booth SL3916. The event will give professionals a closer look at the latest storage innovations for media and entertainment.



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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 5
    RDWrdw Posts: 8member
    Slow and overpriced! 
    williamlondon
     0Likes 1Dislike 0Informatives
  • Reply 2 of 5
    dewmedewme Posts: 5,929member
    The bigger the drive, the more you can lose if the drive fails. I would never consider having a massive storage device unless it was configured for RAID 1 at the very least. 
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 3 of 5
    dewme said:
    The bigger the drive, the more you can lose if the drive fails. I would never consider having a massive storage device unless it was configured for RAID 1 at the very least. 
    Use the massive drive as the backup disk then
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  • Reply 4 of 5
    dewme said:
    The bigger the drive, the more you can lose if the drive fails. I would never consider having a massive storage device unless it was configured for RAID 1 at the very least. 
    Yep.  Or in a NAS
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  • Reply 5 of 5
    m4m40m4m40 Posts: 31member
    Lmao 8 drive RAID 0. What could go wrong.
    williamlondonAlex_V
     1Like 1Dislike 0Informatives
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