Faster data transfers and improves usability for mobile PCs

TOKYO--Toshiba Corporation today announced new 1.8-inch hard disk drives (HDD) that integrate a performance enhancing serial ATA interface: the MK1216GSG offers a storage capacity of 120GB, while the MK8016GSG has a capacity of 80GB. Mass production of both drives will start in April.

Toshiba is committed to bringing the highest levels of performance to mobile PCs, and the new drives achieve this goal. These are the first Toshiba 1.8-inch HDD to employ a serial ATA interface, which boosts data transfer rates beyond those achieved by the parallel ATA interface, and also offer a rotation speed of 5,400 rpm, 29% faster than the current generation of Toshiba HDD. Higher rotation speeds support faster data access in reading and writing and enhance overall drive performance.

Alongside high speed data transfer, the new drives offer compact size, high level vibration resistance, and excellent shock resistance. They will support development of light, compact PCs with no compromises in performance. They will also contribute to achievement of environmentally conscious products, thanks to near silent operation and low energy consumption, and full compliance with the EU RoHS directive.

Toshiba will showcase the new drives at Intel Mobility Summit, in Shanghai, China from February 26 to 28.

Toshiba’s cumulative production of HDD now stands at 200 million units since the company entered the business in 1967. Within that total, the company has produced 60 million 1.8-inch HDD since 2000. Building on these achievements, Toshiba will continue efforts to develop innovative products that meet market needs.

Outline of New Models

Background

Hard disk drives for mobile PCs must be small, light and able to withstand vibration and shock. While Toshiba’s 1.8-inch drives are more robust than 2.5-inch HDD, they have not matched the larger drives in data transfer rates. However, the launch of new 1.8-inch drives that combine the use of the serial ATA interface with boosted rotational speed achieves high speed transfer rates. The new drives also run much more quietly than 2.5-inch HDD, close to silent, making the new products much more suited to mobile PC.

Toshiba will continue its efforts to develop and produce high performance 1.8-inch HDD that offer mobile PCs ever higher levels of performance.

Key Features of New Products

1. Serial ATA interface with high transfer rate
Adoption of the serial ATA interface takes data transfer speeds beyond that of the parallel ATA interface and achieves high performance specs for mobile PCs.

2. High rotational speed
The drives operate at a maximum rotation speed of 5,400 rpm, 29% faster than Toshiba’s current 120GB 1.8-inch HDD (MK1214GAH), supporting much faster data transfers.
 
3. Compact and light
The new drives are compact and light compared to 2.5-inch HDD with the same formatted capacity, and optimized for mobile PC applications.

4. High vibration and shock resistance
Compared to a 2.5-inch HDD with the same formatted capacity, the new drives offer the higher levels of vibration and shock resistance needed in mobile PCs.

5. Environmentally conscious products offering efficient power consumption
Alongside capacity improvement, Toshiba has also achieved power consumption efficiency of 0.00375W/GB for the MK1216GSG, as defined in the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's Energy Conservation Law, assuring a more environmentally friendly design. The new drives also comply with the EU's RoHS directive.

Main Specifications

Note: Hard disk capacity is calculated on the basis of 1MB = 1-million bytes, and 1GB = 1-billion bytes.