Seagate’s top HDDs are all getting a storage boost

Data storage giant Seagate has announced earnings for its most recent quarter, and things are far from ideal, as overall revenue dropped by almost 40% year-on-year, with a net loss of $33 million.

Even so, the company has some grand plans for its HDDs, which are set to receive some huge storage boosts in the next year – which it hopes will provide enough of a difference to help it report a profit next year.

At some point during the first half of 2023, Seagate hopes to release 22TB CMR and 24TB SMR versions of its flagship HDD, but this is just the start. The momentum is set to continue as the company looks to deliver even larger hard drives.

Seagate HDD sizes

Seagate has already been testing its heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) HDDs with select customers, and it hopes to be able to bring the second generation of this to market later this year.

Company CEO Dave Mosley explained on a conference call that a 30TB version using this latest technology should be launched in the quarter starting June 2023, which places it slightly ahead of schedule.

Initially, HAMR HDDs are likely to be the reserve of higher-end hard drives, but the technology will inevitably trickle down into more affordable options in due course.

Beyond this, Seagate says that it has managed to build a 5TB 3.5-inch disk, which may see the limits raised even higher. A 10-platter HDD, for example, would be able to hold 50TB of data – a target that it has set itself to achieve in 2026, according to its roadmap.

While many individuals and businesses may not be prepared to invest in such high-end (and likely expensive) storage drives, the trickle-down of technology and the potential resulting reduction in costs may be more welcome news.

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