Seagate is getting ready 32TB HAMR laborious drives for subsequent yr, 40TB inside two

One thing to sit up for: Producers have spent years attempting to push spinning disk drives over the 30TB mark, and the objective seems to be imminently inside attain. Seagate’s funding in rising HDD know-how has struggled to succeed in acceptable yields, however the firm stays decided to press onward.

Seagate’s current fiscal assertion confirms their dedication to provoke the manufacturing of 30TB laborious drives in early 2024. Though reaching this capability has been a longstanding problem, the corporate is intent on accelerating its efforts all through the last decade.

The corporate’s newest quarterly report outlines plans to spice up the amount manufacturing of HDDs with a 3TB per platter capability early subsequent yr. Seagate’s largest drives that cater to enterprise purchasers incorporate 10 platters, making up for a 30TB capability. HDDs with fewer platters could quickly be provided to consumer-level customers.

Trade developments counsel that typical magnetic recording methods have plateaued at round two and a half terabytes per platter. Seagate plans to produce 24TB and 28TB drives utilizing the mature know-how by the tip of the yr earlier than fully transitioning to HAMR (Warmth-Assisted Magnetic Recording), which it sees as the longer term, in 2024.

HAMR know-how employs lasers to transiently warmth particular disc segments, enhancing knowledge density whereas preserving thermal stability. Seagate has confronted hurdles in reaching acceptable yields with HAMR for a while however has managed to provide a restricted batch of 32TB drives utilizing second-generation HAMR for launch in late 2023.

Ought to Seagate handle to scale up manufacturing on the onset of subsequent yr, the following milestone can be 4TB per platter, doubtlessly resulting in 40TB HDDs throughout the following two years, as projected of their studies. Drives with a 50TB capability, holding 5TB per platter, are anticipated by 2026, with preliminary roadmaps aiming for 100TB by 2030.

Seagate will not be the only contender within the HAMR house. Western Digital initially guess on microwave-assisted magnetic recording however shifted to HAMR after a number of years. Earlier within the yr, the corporate indicated it was about one to at least one and a half years from quantity manufacturing with HAMR.

Like Seagate, WD acknowledges that typical recording know-how is reaching the tip of the street within the 20s. The corporate, too, aspires to ultimately attain 50TB and presumably past.

Stable-state drives of comparable capacities, such because the 61.44TB Solidigm P5336 geared towards enterprise use, exist already. Nonetheless, some customers could proceed to favor HDDs for his or her significantly decrease value.