This article covers Western Digital ウエスタンデジタル WD Blue 内蔵 HDD ハードディスク 6TB CMR 3.5インチ SATA 5400rpm キャッシュ256MB PC WD60EZAX-EC.

Overview

Western Digital's WD Blue series has been a staple internal HDD for desktop PCs for years. The WD60EZAX-EC is a 6TB 3.5-inch model using CMR (Conventional Magnetic Recording) technology, spinning at 5400rpm with a 256MB cache. It offers a dependable balance of capacity, reliability, and quiet operation for everyday storage tasks.
The drive comes with a two-year warranty and is designed for low power consumption. It connects via standard SATA 6Gbps, making it compatible with virtually any desktop motherboard. Whether you need bulk storage for media files or a backup destination, the WD60EZAX-EC delivers trustworthy performance at a reasonable cost per terabyte.

Compatibility Guide

The WD60EZAX-EC is a 3.5-inch SATA internal hard drive. It fits into any desktop case with a 3.5-inch drive bay and connects via a SATA data cable to the motherboard and a SATA power cable from the power supply. Most ATX, MicroATX, and Mini-ITX cases provide adequate bays.
For operating systems, Windows, macOS, and Linux all recognize the drive natively. Note that to use the full 6TB capacity, the disk must be initialized with a GPT partition table; MBR (Legacy BIOS) mode supports only up to 2TB. A modern UEFI-based system is recommended.

Product Info

The WD60EZAX-EC was introduced around 2022 as part of the WD Blue lineup. Its market price typically ranges from ¥20,000 to ¥25,000 (approximately $140–$180), offering strong value per terabyte. The drive uses CMR recording, which avoids the write-performance degradation seen in some SMR drives, especially under sustained write workloads.
Positioned as an entry-to-mid-range bulk storage solution, it is not meant to compete with SSDs for speed but excels in cost-effective capacity. The two-year warranty provides peace of mind for typical desktop use.

Best Use Cases

  • Media Archive Storage: Ideal for storing photo libraries, video projects, and music collections. Use an SSD for active work and offload completed files to this HDD for long-term retention.
  • Secondary Game Library: Keep less-played titles or older games on this drive to free up SSD space. Modern AAA games benefit from SSD speed, so reserve this HDD for games where load times are less critical.
  • Budget NAS Build: The low power draw and reasonable noise make it suitable for a home NAS. However, for 24/7 operation, consider NAS-optimized drives like WD Red.
    This drive is not recommended for users who need fast boot times, application responsiveness, or portable external storage. It is also not ideal for extremely write-intensive tasks due to the 5400rpm spindle speed.

Things to Consider

While the WD60EZAX-EC is CMR-based, its 5400rpm rotational speed means sequential writes are slower than 7200rpm models or any SSD. If you frequently copy large amounts of data, a faster drive may be worth the extra cost.
Because WD Blue drives are designed for general desktop use, they are not warranted for 24/7 operation in NAS or server environments. For always-on applications, consider WD Red or WD Purple series. Competitors like Seagate BarraCuda 6TB (ST6000DM003) exist, but note that some Seagate batches use SMR; always verify the recording technology before purchase.

FAQ

Q: Can I use this HDD internally in a PS4 or PS5?
A: No. The PS4 and PS5 accept only 2.5-inch drives internally. You can place this 3.5-inch drive in an external USB enclosure and connect it via USB for expanded game storage.
Q: Is this drive suitable for real-time video editing?
A: It can be used for reading source footage, but for real-time editing and rendering, an SSD is strongly recommended. Use this HDD as a storage vault for finished projects.
Q: What is the advantage of CMR over SMR?
A: CMR writes data without overlapping tracks, maintaining consistent write speeds even under heavy loads. SMR drives have higher density per platter but can suffer from slow write performance when rewriting data. The WD60EZAX-EC is CMR, making it more suitable for regular write operations.

Product Disclosure (Amazon)

  • Manufacturer: ウエスタンデジタル(Western Digital)
  • ASIN: B0BV2KSJ8C
  • Note: This article covers a manufacturer-made product based on Amazon listing details.