HGST has started to sample 10TB hard disk drives, 10 months after it introduced the first 6TB hard disk drive. Since then Seagate managed to introduce the first 8TB hard drive and has hinted that it has 10TB models already out in the wild.
HGST's 10TB model combines two different technologies - one based on using helium rather than air and the other, shingled magnetic recording. HGST claims that together they provide the lowest cost and power consumption per TB.
Not much is known about that drive other than the fact that it is a 3.5-inch model to be marketed under the Helioseal banner.
It will target entreprise-class applications (Active Archive, Cool-to-cold storage, Cloud Storage, Internet Media) but HGST hasn't said when it will be formally available.
New 8TB and 6TB models as well
The company also introduced a new 8TB HDD that's part of a new drive family, the Ultrastar He8, one that uses seven platters and uses nearly a quarter less energy than 6TB air-filled hard disk drive at a mere 5.1w (idle), according to HGST.
HGST says that it uses a second generation HelioSeal process (the He6 used the first one); it comes with a number of enterprise features like secure erase, self-encryption, 4Kn/512e modes and a special Rebuilt Assist mode.
The drives have a maximum areal density of 664Gbits/^inch (for the 8TB model) and a whopping 128MB cache. They come with five-year warranty, a MTBF of 2 million hours, a rotational speed of 7200RPM, an average latency of 4.16ms, an average seek time of 8.5ms and a sustained transfer rate of 205MBps.
The first 1GB drive was introduced in 1991 while the first 1TB model arrived early 2007.
