How to Choose Hard Drives for Your UniFi Protect System

[@AnthonyHartwig]

What a great tool. Definitely helping me figure out what I'm going to need for my home setup.

[@2glennyt]

Great resource, Is there any way you could update the calculator to include the G5 models? :)

[@narnol02]

Any chance of this getting updated with newer AI Theta cameras? Or possibly larger drives now that Seagate has Mosaic 3+ 30TB drives.

[@kelemvor3333]

Is this based on Constant Recording? Any way to estimate similar things with Motion Recording on some of the cameras?

[@zufallcommunications1033]

It's based on constant recording. Every location is going to have different amounts of motion so there's really no way to calculate that.

[@thx.11380]

Nice tool - can you add the G5 Turret Ultra to the lineup? Thanks,

[@papajoe5331]

i just replace my system to a Dream machine pro.. I am NOT a tech guy.... When I purchased this unit no one told me I needed a hard drive ... again not a tech guy.... So do I need a hard drive?

[@EnhanceDontDistract]

Have you found that drive capasity isnt the issue and that drive size is the only limit?

[@chrishagner]

For the UCK-G2-PLUS, it looks like you're recommending an SMR drive that's not surveillance-rated. Is this correct? If so, I'd love to know why (since I concur with your assessment that it's just asking for trouble to not). Thanks!

[@zufallcommunications1033]

I'm not aware of any surveillance-grade 2.5" drives.

[@mattk.5258]

FYI, the Skyhawk AI drives, 10tb and up (not sure about below that) don't fit in the UDM pro drive tray. Ubnt lists the 10tb drive as incompatible and i've tried the 18tb, which doesn't fit. Should probably remove those.

[@zufallcommunications1033]

Looked into this. The drive that Ubiquiti lists as incompatible is the ST10000VX0004. My tool references the ST10000VE0008. The 18TB model isn't included in the calculator, and there are reports from others on the UI forums that they've had other Skyhawk AI drives work in the UDM-Pro with no issues - community.ui.com/questions/UDM-Pro-and-16TB-SkyHawk-AI-are-compatible-ST16000VEZ00/d67843a1-058b-487d-8cdb-da83bcf42b94

[@TrigoteryX]

*which one is noisy?*

[@jaxx-_-123]

WD Purple 64mb cache or 256mb?

[@ls1powered240sx]

More is better I'd reckon