Overview
The Western Digital WD5000AAKS is a 500GB 3.5-inch internal hard drive from Western Digital’s Caviar Blue product family. This SATA-based drive combines 7200 RPM rotational speed with a 16MB buffer for balanced performance in desktop and consumer computing applications. The WD5000AAKS operates at SATA 3 Gb/s (300 Mb/s) bandwidth, making it suitable for standard SATA motherboards and storage controllers.
Key Features
- 500GB Capacity – Ample storage for applications, media, and documents
- 7200 RPM Performance – Faster data access and transfer compared to 5400 RPM drives
- 16MB Cache Buffer – Reduces latency and improves throughput for frequently accessed data
- SATA 3 Gb/s Interface – Native SATA (Serial ATA-300) connector with backward compatibility to SATA II motherboards
- IntelliSeek Technology – Reduces power consumption and operating temperature
- Data Lifeguard & Shock Guard – Built-in data protection and physical drop-protection features
Technical Specifications
- Formatted Capacity: 500GB (500,107 MB)
- Form Factor: 3.5-inch
- Interface: SATA 3 Gb/s
- Rotational Speed: 7200 RPM
- Buffer: 16MB
- Data Transfer Rate (max): 126 MB/s sustained
- Average Latency: 4.20 ms
- Dimensions (approx): 4.0″ W × 5.8″ D × 1.0″ H
- Weight: 1.4 lbs
- RoHS Compliant: Yes
Typical Applications
The WD5000AAKS is designed for family and business computing environments where reliable, affordable storage is needed. Common applications include:
- Desktop PC primary or secondary storage
- Consumer-grade RAID systems (RAID-0, RAID-1)
- Media and file archival
- General-purpose computing and office workstations
Note: This drive is not recommended for enterprise RAID arrays or 24/7 server environments; WD recommends their enterprise-class drives for such applications.
Compatibility & Replacements
Compatible With
- Any motherboard with a SATA 3 Gb/s (SATA II) or SATA 6 Gb/s (SATA III) connector
- 3.5-inch internal hard drive bays in standard desktop cases
- Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10 and Linux operating systems
- Consumer RAID controllers and enclosures supporting 3.5″ SATA drives
Replaces / Drop-In Replacement For
- WD5000AAKB (Caviar Blue variant)
- Other 500GB 3.5″ SATA 7200 RPM drives requiring pin-compatible SATA connectors
Works With
- SATA 3 Gb/s and SATA 6 Gb/s interfaces (backward compatible)
- S.M.A.R.T. monitoring software (e.g., ActiveSMART, HD Sentinel)
- Standard disk cloning and imaging tools (Acronis, Clonezilla, etc.)
- Windows Disk Management and Linux fdisk/parted utilities
