Seagate enterprise storage authority
Seagate Exos is a large enterprise-drive family, not one interchangeable hard drive. This guide separates generations, SATA and SAS interfaces, sector formats, security variants and exact models before comparing current offers.
Quick answer
For a normal SATA NAS or home server, begin with an exact SATA model and confirm that the enclosure supports its capacity and 512e sector format. Use SAS only with a compatible HBA or backplane. Exos X24 is the established 12TB-to-24TB channel generation, while Exos M carries the newer 24TB-to-32TB HAMR-CMR models.
Exact model data
Representative Exos generations and exact models
| Capacity | Model | Generation | Interface | Sector format | Security | Recording | Cache | Max sustained | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16TB | ST16000NM001G | Exos X16 | SATA | 512e/4Kn FastFormat | Standard | CMR | 256MB | 261MB/s | Older generation |
| 18TB | ST18000NM000J | Exos X18 | SATA | 512e/4Kn FastFormat | Standard | CMR | 256MB | 270MB/s | Older generation |
| 20TB | ST20000NM007D | Exos X20 | SATA | 512e/4Kn FastFormat | Standard | CMR | 256MB | 285MB/s | Older generation |
| 22TB | ST22000NM001E | Exos X22 | SATA | 512e/4Kn FastFormat | Standard | CMR | 512MB | 285MB/s | Older generation |
| 24TB | ST24000NM002H | Exos X24 | SATA | 512e/4Kn FastFormat | ISE | CMR | 512MB | 285MB/s | Current channel generation |
| 32TB | ST32000NM004K | Exos M | SATA | 512e/4Kn FastFormat | ISE | HAMR-CMR | 512MB | 285MB/s | Current Mozaic generation |
A capacity alone does not identify an Exos drive. Confirm the entire model number because generation, interface and security configuration can change at the same capacity.
Interactive decision tool
Find the right Exos starting point
Use the workload, enclosure and interface inputs to identify a sensible Exos generation and capacity range.
Live catalogue
Current exact-model Seagate Exos offers
Compare exact-model Exos listings by model number, generation, interface, capacity and price per terabyte. Amazon price and availability can change, so confirm the final offer before purchase.
Seagate Enterprise ST18000NM004J Internal Hard Drive 3.5" 18TB SAS
ST18000NM004J · 18TB · Exos X18 · SAS · New
Seagate ST18000NM003D 18TB Exos X20 SATA Hard Drive, 3.5" HDD, SATA 6Gb/s, 7200rpm, 256MB Cache, 512E, 4.16ms, NCQ
ST18000NM003D · 18TB · Exos X20 · SATA · New
Seagate EXOS X20 18TB SAS 3.5IN 7200RPM 6GB/S 512E/4K
ST18000NM000D · 18TB · Exos X20 · SAS · New
Seagate 20TB Exos Enterprise Hard Drive | SATA (ST20000NM002H)
ST20000NM002H · 20TB · Exos X24 · SATA · New
Seagate Exos M 28TB Enterprise Internal Hard Drive HDD - 3.5in 6GB/s SATA 7200RPM 2.5M MTBF (ST28000NM003K)
ST28000NM003K · 28TB · Exos M · SATA · New
Seagate Exos 32TB Enterprise Internal Hard Drive HDD - 3.5in 6GB/s SATA 7200RPM 2.5M MTBF (ST32000NM004K)
ST32000NM004K · 32TB · Exos M · SATA · New
for Enterprise Hard Disk ST18000NM000J 18TB Exos X18 7200 RPM
ST18000NM000J · 18TB · Exos X18 · SATA · New
Seagate Exos X24 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - 12TB, Single, SATA III 6 Gb/s
ST12000NM002H · 12TB · Exos X24 · SATA · New
Seagate Exos X18 Enterprise Class, 16TB, Enterprise Internal Hard Drive, SATA, 3,5" 6Gbit/s, 128MB Cache (ST16000NM000J)
ST16000NM000J · 16TB · Exos X18 · SATA · New
Seagate Technology ST16000NM007H 16TB Exos X24 HDD 3.5 SAS 7200 ISE Bare Hard Drive
ST16000NM007H · 16TB · Exos X24 · SAS · New
Seagate Exos X18 3.5" 16000 GB SAS
ST16000NM004J · 16TB · Exos X18 · SAS · New
Seagate Exos X20 ST20000NM007D 20TB 7.2K RPM SATA 6Gb/s 3.5in Hard Drive
ST20000NM007D · 20TB · Exos X20 · SATA · New
12 exact products shown. Prices and availability can change; confirm the final Amazon offer before purchase.
Detailed buying guide
Seagate Exos buying guide: models, interfaces and deployment choices
Why exact Exos models matter
The same capacity can appear in several Exos generations and in both SATA and SAS. A listing that says only “Exos 20TB” does not tell you whether it is X20, X22 or X24, whether it uses SATA or SAS, or whether it is a standard, ISE or SED variant.Choose the controller interface first
SATA models work with ordinary SATA controllers and most NAS appliances. SAS models require a SAS HBA, RAID controller or compatible backplane. A passive cable cannot make a SATA-only controller communicate with a SAS drive.Understand generation overlap
X16, X18, X20 and X22 remain widely available even though X24 and Exos M are newer. Older does not automatically mean unsuitable, but comparisons must use the exact model, warranty source and current price.Sector format can affect compatibility
Many Exos drives support FastFormat between 512e and 4Kn. The host, operating system and storage appliance must support the selected format. Changing format is destructive and should never be attempted without a verified backup.Security variants are not interchangeable labels
ISE, SED and FIPS-capable models use different exact model numbers. A self-encrypting drive may also require controller or management support before its security features provide operational value.Enterprise acoustics and cooling
Exos drives are designed for dense enterprise environments. They can be louder and may have different power and vibration characteristics than consumer or NAS-focused drives. Cooling and chassis isolation matter in a home installation.New versus recertified listings
This commercial authority catalogue accepts only new single internal drives. Factory-recertified and seller-refurbished Exos products belong in a separate buying-risk guide because their warranty length and seller responsibility differ.Use the existing Exos price engine
Cloudzat’s existing Seagate Exos prices page remains the central live price-per-terabyte resource. These authority pages add generation, interface and exact-model context around that price data.How Cloudzat evaluates Exos drives
Cloudzat attaches generation, interface, sector format, security class, recording technology, cache, transfer rate and warranty only to an exact model. Exos X16, X18, X20, X22, X24 and Exos M remain separate, as do IronWolf Pro and WD Gold comparison products. This prevents a SATA listing from inheriting SAS specifications or an Exos M drive from inheriting X24 data.
Live offers are screened for new single internal 3.5-inch drives and matched to an exact model. SATA and SAS are kept separate. SSDs, external drives, accessories, enclosures, servers, multipacks, MACH.2, Exos Xz host-managed SMR, other drive families and non-new listings are rejected. Warranty source and delivered-label verification remain essential.
Frequently asked questions
Seagate Exos buying questions
Can I use a Seagate Exos drive in a NAS?
Is Exos always SATA?
Is every Exos drive CMR?
Why are some Exos drives cheaper than NAS drives?
Does Exos include Rescue Data Recovery Services?
What should I verify on delivery?
Primary sources
Cloudzat may earn a commission from qualifying purchases. Product availability, pricing and specifications can change. Confirm the exact Exos model, generation, interface, sector format, security variant, seller, condition and regional warranty route before buying.