Seagate ST3450857SS 450GB Cheetah SAS 15K RPM Hard Drive

Name: Seagate ST3450857SS 450GB Cheetah SAS 15K RPM Hard Drive
Brand: Seagate
SKU: ST3450857SS

Overview

The Seagate ST3450857SS Cheetah 15K.7 is a 450GB enterprise hard drive built for mission-critical servers, storage arrays, and high-performance computing environments that demand the lowest possible access latency from mechanical storage. Spinning at 15,000 RPM with a SAS 6Gb/s interface, it delivers sustained data transfer rates of up to 204 MB/s and an average latency of just 2.0 ms. Its third-generation perpendicular recording technology maximizes areal density, while the 16MB cache helps smooth burst operations during intensive read/write workloads.

Reliability is central to the Cheetah 15K.7's design. Seagate rates it at 1.6 million hours MTBF with an unrecoverable read error rate of 1 sector per 10^16 bits read, figures that place it at the top of the 3.5-inch enterprise drive class. The drive also incorporates PowerTrim technology, which dynamically adjusts power draw based on workload intensity, achieving a 62 percent improvement in gigabytes per watt at idle over conventional 3.5-inch hard drives. For data centers still operating SAS-based storage infrastructure, the Cheetah 15K.7 provides a proven combination of speed, endurance, and energy efficiency.

Key Features

Third-generation perpendicular recording delivers up to 600 GB

Unprecedented performance with sustained data rate of up to 204 MB/s - a 16 percent increase over last generation

Industry's highest 3.5-inch drive reliability at 1.6-million-hours MTBF

Seagate Power Trim technology provides a 62 percent improvement in GBs/W at idle over typical 3.5-inch hard drives

Read/write advances deliver no recoverable error rate of 1 x 10E16

The Seagate Cheetah 15K.

Drive power consumption is dynamically optimized at all levels of activity with Seagate's exclusive PowerTrim technology.

Specifications

Brand

Seagate

Model

ST3450857SS

Series

Cheetah 15K.7

Capacity

450GB

Interface

SAS 6Gb/s

Spindle Speed

15,000 RPM

Cache

16MB

Form Factor

3.5-Inch

Average Latency

2.0 ms

Sustained Transfer Rate

Up to 204 MB/s

MTBF

1.6 million hours

Annualized Failure Rate

0.55%

Error Rate

1 x 10^16

Similar Products

Other products from the same family that visitors often consider:

✓ Available

Pros & Cons

👍 Pros

15,000 RPM spindle speed provides very low access latency for mission-critical workloads
Sustained transfer rate of up to 204 MB/s is strong for a mechanical enterprise drive
1.6 million hours MTBF offers exceptional long-term reliability
PowerTrim technology reduces idle power consumption significantly
Unrecoverable error rate of 1 in 10^16 bits ensures high data integrity

👎 Cons

450GB capacity is small relative to modern SSDs and high-capacity nearline drives
SAS interface limits compatibility to enterprise servers and controllers, not consumer PCs
15,000 RPM operation generates more heat and noise than lower-speed drives
Mechanical hard drive technology is substantially slower than current SSD alternatives
3.5-inch form factor does not fit 2.5-inch drive bays without an adapter

Frequently Asked Questions

What interface does this drive use?

The ST3450857SS uses a SAS (Serial Attached SCSI) 6Gb/s interface, which is standard in enterprise servers and storage arrays.

What is the spindle speed, and why does it matter?

This drive spins at 15,000 RPM, which significantly reduces seek times and latency compared to 7,200 or 10,000 RPM drives, making it ideal for transaction-heavy and latency-sensitive workloads.

What is the drive's reliability rating?

Seagate rates the Cheetah 15K.7 at 1.6 million hours MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures), which is among the highest reliability ratings for 3.5-inch enterprise hard drives.

What is the sustained data transfer rate?

The drive achieves a sustained data rate of up to 204 MB/s, representing a 16 percent increase over the previous Cheetah generation.

Does this drive include any power-saving features?

Yes, Seagate's PowerTrim technology dynamically optimizes power consumption at all activity levels, delivering a 62 percent improvement in GB/W at idle compared to typical 3.5-inch drives.