Western Digital (WD) Hard drive model numbers format

Western Digital (WD) Hard drive model numbers format

This is an extract from WD’s own “Model Number Format for OEM and Distribution Channels” document – describing what each letter/number of a WD hard drive model number refers to.

Base Model Number

The base model number is composed of six codes:

  1. Company initials (WD)
  2. Capacity (GB/TB)
  3. Capacity unit/form factor
  4. Business unit/brand
  5. RPM/buffer size or attribute
  6. Interface/connector

Model Number Codes

1. Company Initials

WD

2. Capacity

  • Two, three, or four digits, supports up to 999.9.
  • For 1 TB and larger WD Black™ and enterprise drives, the decimal follows the first digit (e.g., WD1000FYPS is a 1 TB capacity drive). These drives also use the last digit of the capacity number as a product code (e.g., WD2003FYYS).
  • This digit does not translate to additional capacity/LBAs.

3. Capacity Unit/Form Factor

  • A GB/3.5-inch
  • B GB/2.5-inch
  • C TB/2.5-inch
  • D TB/2.5- to 3.5-inch backplane adapter
  • E TB/3.5-inch
  • F TB/3.5-inch (new format)
  • G GB/2.5- to 3.5-inch adapter
  • H GB/2.5- to 3.5-inch backplane adapter
  • J TB/2.5-inch
  • K GB/2.5-inch (12.5 mm z-height)
  • L GB/2.5-inch (7 mm z-height)
  • N TB/2.5-inch (15.0 mm z-height)
  • S TB/2.5-inch (7 mm z-height)
  • T TB/2.5-inch (12.5 mm z-height)

4. Business Unit/Brand

  • A Desktop/WD Blue™; WD Green™; WD Black; WD Caviar®
  • B Enterprise/WD RE drive families (3-platter)
  • D Enterprise/WD Raptor®
  • E Mobile/WD Blue; WD Green; WD Black; WD Scorpio®
  • F Desktop NAS/WD Red™
  • H Enthusiast/WD VelociRaptor®
  • K Enterprise/WD XE; WD S25
  • L Enterprise/WD VelociRaptor
  • M Branded/WD Branded
  • N Branded Advanced Format/WD Branded
  • P Mobile Advanced Format/WD Blue; WD Green; WD Black; WD Scorpio
  • R Enterprise Advanced Format/WD RE drive families
  • U Audio/Video Advanced Format – WD AV
  • V Audio/Video – WD AV
  • W Enterprise Advanced Format/WD VelociRaptor
  • Y Enterprise/WD RE drive families (4-platter)
  • Z Desktop Advanced Format/WD Blue; WD Black; WD Green; WD Caviar

5. RPM/Buffer Size or Attribute

  • A 5400 RPM with 2 MB cache
  • B 7200 RPM with 2 MB cache
  • C 5400 RPM with 16 MB cache
  • D 5400 RPM with 32 MB cache
  • E 7200 RPM with 64 MB cache (<2 TB)
  • F 10,000 RPM with 16 MB cache
  • G 10,000 RPM with 8 MB cache
  • H 10,000 RPM with 32 MB cache
  • J 7200 RPM with 8 MB cache
  • K 7200 RPM with 16 MB cache
  • L 7200 RPM with 32 MB cache
  • P IntelliPower™/EM (maximum buffer size offered by product)
  • R 5400 RPM with 64 MB cache
  • S 7200 RPM with 64 MB cache (2 TB)
  • T 10,000 RPM/EM (maximum buffer size offered by product)
  • V 5400 RPM with 8 MB cache (Mobile)
  • Y 7200 RPM/EM (maximum buffer size offered by product)

6. Interface/Connector

  • A ATA/66 with 40-pin IDE connector
  • B ATA/100 with 40-pin IDE connector
  • C ATA with 33-pin connector (zero insertion force—ZIF)
  • D SATA 1.5 Gb/s with 22-pin SATA connector
  • E ATA/133 with 40-pin IDE connector
  • F SAS-3 with 29-pin connector
  • G SAS-6 with 29-pin connector
  • S SATA 3 Gb/s with 22-pin SATA connector / SATA 1.5 Gb/s with 22-pin SATA connector (Mobile)
  • T SATA 3 Gb/s with 22-pin SATA connector (Mobile)
  • X SATA 3 Gb/s, 6 Gb/s capable with 22-pin SATA connector
  • Z SATA 6 Gb/s with 22-pin SATA connector

 

This information was up to date as of July 2012.

The original PDF document is also available for download.

 

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