A Competitive Leap in the Hard Drive Market

Seagate, the renowned data storage company, has unveiled its new roadmap for heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) technology. This innovation propels the company into an exciting and competitive race in the hard drive market.

Seagate's First HAMR Hard Drive: The 32TB Model

The company has announced the groundbreaking 32TB HAMR hard drive, positioning it as a top contender among hard drives. This 32TB model will complement Seagate's existing 24TB HDD, representing the last product in the perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) line.

The Structure and Future of HAMR Hard Drives

The 32TB HAMR HDD will be comprised of ten 3.2TB platters, a platform utilized for Seagate's top-end PMR drives. But Seagate's vision extends further, with plans for:

• 36TB Drive: Featuring 3.6TB platters.
• 40TB Drives: With 4TB media.
• 50TB Version: Showcasing 5TB disks, anticipated for Q3 2023.

During the Bank of America 2023 Global Technology Conference, Seagate's CFO, Gianluca Romano, explained the continuity in HAMR's design, stating, "With HAMR, our 32TB model leverages 10 disks and 20 heads. Even our 50TB model, currently in our lab, will follow this pattern."

HAMR HDDs and Corvault Systems

Seagate has begun shipping HAMR HDDs within its Corvault systems, referencing its 30TB+ platform, with full-scale distribution to follow qualification by hyperscale customers.

Transition from PMR to HAMR Technology

Before fully embracing HAMR, large cloud service providers are expected to deploy Seagate's 24TB and 28TB hard drives based on traditional PMR and shingled magnetic recording technology (SMR). Romano clarified, "We're about to release our 24TB model in the coming months. This will be our last PMR product."

Conclusion: Seagate's Commitment to Innovation

With this new roadmap, Seagate reaffirms its dedication to innovation and maintaining a competitive edge. The company's HAMR technology is poised to shape the future of data storage, driving capacity growth and opening new frontiers for technology enthusiasts.