- Seagate is already testing its 40TB HAMR drives, and Toshiba plans to release them in 2027.
- Toshiba drives use 12-disc stack technology and microwave magnetic recording.
- Seagate is planning 44TB models when Toshiba's 40TB models arrive.
Back in May 2025, we reported that Seagate shipped a limited number of its 40 TB hard drives built on the Mozaic HAMR platform.. These drives use heated magnetic recording to store 4TB per platter across ten platters, setting a new standard at the time for mechanical storage density.
Full-scale production is planned to begin in the first half of 2026, following the completion of extensive customer testing.
At Seagate's recent investor and analyst conference, the company's CEO, Dr. Dave Mosley, explained that the ten-drive configuration provides greater efficiency at the data center fleet level and also serves as the basis for the company's roadmap.
One dozen plates
Seagate then announced that it plans to go beyond 40 TB in the coming years: it plans to release models with a capacity of 44 TB by 2027, and drives with a capacity of 50 TB by 2028.
Fast forward to now, Toshiba announced that it has tested 12-drive stacking technology for hard drives in a first in the storage industry.
Its design combines the company's mechanical engineering expertise with microwave magnetic recording (MAMR) to achieve 40TB capacity in a 3.5-inch format. Toshiba plans to release these drives in 2027.
The new design adds two disks to Nearline's ten-disc format and also replaces aluminum substrates with glass, resulting in thinner wafers, higher precision and greater durability.
It is reported that this can increase storage density without compromising stability and reliability.
Toshiba engineers are also studying how this 12-drive configuration could work together with HAMR, suggesting a hybrid direction for future products.
The company says its ultimate goal is to provide data centers with more power while maintaining a lower total cost of ownership as data needs continue to grow.
However, by the time Toshiba drives hit the market, if Seagate's roadmap is implemented, the competition may already be well beyond 40TB and Toshiba will be playing catch up.
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