Toshiba Takes the Lead in 2.5-Inch HDD

Toshiba Corporation announced two additions to its 5,400 RPM line of 2.5-inch HDDs featuring leading storage capacities. In the standard 9.5 millimeter-high, two-platter design, the MK7559GSXP HDD incorporates both the industry’s highest areal density and capacity at 750GB. Sample shipments will start from April, 2010.

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The MK7559GSXP HDD features an areal density of 839.1M bit/mm², making it ideal for mobile applications in which capacity is key, including notebook computers and external HDDs. This HDD is well-suited for devices that value high capacity in a smaller footprint with improved acoustic performance and lower power operation compared to larger form factor HDDs. Those applications include all-in-one desktops, televisions and set top boxes.

Toshiba also introduced a new three-platter 12.5-millimeter-high platform with the MK1059GSM with 1TB of storage. This capacity point was predominantly supported by larger form factor 3.5-inch HDDs until the introduction of high-end 2.5-inch solutions, providing low-power, space-saving opportunities to system manufacturers looking to differentiate or update their products.

The MK7559GSXP energy consumption efficiency is about 14% less than the previous generation (MK6465GSX, 640GB). These products also adhere to Toshiba’s environmental initiatives in their use of power efficiency techniques and components that reduce reliance on harmful chemicals, materials and compounds.

The new products offerings expand Toshiba’s mobile HDD product line into the highest-capacity segment of the 2.5-inch HDD market and represent the company’s first mobile HDD platforms developed with the combined engineering resources from the integration of Fujitsu’s HDD business, which Toshiba acquired last fall.

Key Features

Industry’s largest areal density of 839.1 Mbit/mm² (541.4G bit/in²) and 750GB capacity (MK7559GSXP)
MK7559GSXP uses Toshiba technology to improve the perpendicular magnetic recording technology head and disk and realize the industry’s highest areal density of 839.1 Mbit/mm² (541.4G bit/in²) and a capacity of 750GB, the industry’s largest for a double platter 2.5-inch HDD.

Improved energy consumption efficiency (MK7559GSXP)
Compared to the 640GB (MK6465GSX), the new 750GB HDD model (MK7559GSXP) improves energy consumption efficiency, as defined under the Japanese legal standard; about 14% improvement.

Environmentally Conscious products

Halogen-Free Product [The new drives achieve chlorine and bromine concentrations below 900ppm, and a combined overall total below 1,500ppm, achieving the standard required for recognition as Toshiba environmentally conscious products (ECP)] – The new drives achieve chlorine and bromine concentrations below 900ppm, and a combined overall total below 1,500ppm.
Decreased CO² amount during lifecycle [Comparison based on MK2016GAP (Year 2000 model). Based on Toshiba’s evaluation method of LCA (Life Cycle Assesment)] – MK7559GSXP decreases CO2 emissions across the product lifecycle by 280g per year, by decreasing product power consumption and environmental burdens from the raw materials stage.
RoHS compliant – The new drives comply with the European Union’s RoHS directive on the elimination of six hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment.

Product Specifications
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Comments

Seagate and WD are beaten by Toshiba, being the first HDD manufacturer to announce notebook unit at 750GB into a standard 9.5mm-height form factor. The competition is now at a maximum of 640GB in this volume.

Compared to 640GB, 750GB is only a 17% increase in capacity, less than the 28% from the former step - 500GB to 640GB. It's more and more difficult to get better areal density on disk platters with current GMR technology.

Will Toshiba be the first one to ship this 750GB model in April? Wait for the prompt reaction of Seagate and WD, generally launching products when they are immediately available.

It's always an advantage to have even a small better capacity than rivals because you are alone and can sell the device at a price with better margin. But it generally doesn't last a long time. Then, when the same units are produced by competitors, the price war begins... And probably you will see in the next future 750GB drives at the same actual price than 640G ones as both of them contains the same numbers of disks and heads, the more expansive components into a disk drive.

After 750GB, what could be the next step? 850GB, only a 13% improvement? The magic figure will be one terabyte in a 9.5mm z-height device but it's a 33% increase that seems difficult to reach before the end of the year.

Seagate and WD also already have 1TB 2.5-inch HDDs with 3 platters but with a 15mm height vs. 12.5mm here for the Toshiba's unit.

Both new Toshiba's HDDs include Advanced Sector Format technology that can run on Windows 7 and is based on the new industry standard 4K byte-per-sector configuration - also used by WD - and improved error-correcting code functionality to enhance data integrity while making more efficient use of the storage surface area.