Trying to sort out HDD choices for a homelab NAS setup where I really only need about 8-10TB. But I've noticed 14TB or 18TB drives are just a bit pricier than smaller ones, and I'm wondering if there's a downside.
Stuff I'm thinking about: cost per TB makes bigger drives tempting, but what about reliability differences? Like, CMR vs SMR drives and how that plays with RAID configs. Plus, does larger size mean more power draw or heat issues that could mess with a home setup?
What's your take on this? Anyone switched to bigger drives and noticed pros or cons? Share your setups or advice on what works best for similar storage needs.
