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TOKYO– Toshiba Corporation (TOKYO: 6502), the industry pioneer in small form factor hard disk drives (HDDs), today introduced a new line up of 1.8-inch HDDs with a maximum capacity of 320GB, the highest yet announced by the industry, targeted at thin and light mobile PCs and portable external hard disk drives. The new series delivers three models in 160GB, 250GB and 320GB capacities, and will start mass production from December.

Improvement of the MK3233GSG family's perpendicular magnetic recording head and the disk's magnetic layer secure an areal density of 801Mbit/mm² (516Gbpsi), the industry's highest^[2] for 1.8-inch HDDs. The new drives position Toshiba to provide manufacturers of PCs and peripheral equipment with thin and light solutions offering the industry's largest storage density in a 1.8-inch form factor. They also deliver highly efficient power consumption, high-level durability and quiet seek operation.

Equipped with a serial ATA interface, 5,400 RPM rotational speed and a large capacity 16MB buffer memory, Toshiba's MK3233GSG HDDs are ideal for notebook PC applications that require high storage capacity and high speed processing. The areal density improvement allows MK3233GSG to boost internal data transfer rates by 15% from the MK2529GSG, the company's earlier 250GB 1.8-inch HDD.

The new 250 and 320GB drives, the MK 2533GSG and MK3233GSG, cut acoustic noise during seek to 19dB, a 4dB decrease from the MK2529GSG, the top-end drive in Toshiba's previous generation of 5,400RPM 1.8-inch HDD.

Leveraging Toshiba's long history of expertise in miniaturization and the 1.8-inch HDD form factor, the MK3233GSG family delivers significant environmentally friendly performance improvements from the MK2529GSG generation of 1.8-inch drives, including a 19% improvement in energy consumption efficiency^[3]. The MK3233GSG family is also compliant with the European Union's RoHS directive^[4], halogen-free^[5] and antimony free^[6].

[1]

As of Nov. 5, 2009, for 1.8-inch HDD, source by Toshiba

[2]

As of Nov. 5, 2009, for 1.8-inch HDD, source by Toshiba

[3]

Energy consumption efficiency is calculated based on power consumption divided by formatted capacity, as defined by Japanese law.

[4]

The RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) directive, which came into effect on July 1, 2006 in the European Union, limits the use of various materials including lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) and ploybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) in electronic and electronic equipment.

[5]

The new drives achieve chlorine and bromine concentrations below 900ppm, and a combined overall total below 1,500ppm, achieving the standard required for recognition as Toshiba environmentally conscious products (ECP).

[6]

The new drives have an antimony content below 1,000ppm, achieving the standard required at Toshiba.

Key Features

1.Areal density of 801 Mbit/mm² (516Gbpsi) realizes the industry's largest^[1] capacity 1.8-inch HDD (MK3233GSG)

MK3233GSG uses Toshiba technology to improve the perpendicular magnetic recording technology head and disk and realize the industry's highest areal density of 801 Mbit/mm² (516 Gbpsi) and a capacity of 320GB, the industry's largest for a 1.8-inch HDD.

2.Improved high speed processing (all models)

MK3233GSG applies serial ATA interface which supports a 3.0Gbps data transfer rate, large capacity 16MB buffer memory and realize improved data processing compared to the 250GB MK2529GSG, the highest capacity model in Toshiba's previous series of 1.8-inch HDD. By improved linear recording density, internal data transfer rate is improved by 15%.

3.Improved seek noise (all models)

Toshiba's original advanced acoustic management technology limits acoustic noise during seek to 19dB in the MK3233GSG and MK2533GSG, a 4dB decreased against the previous MK2529GSG model. The MK1633GSG realizes 17dB, a 5dB decrease from the MK1229GSG.

4.Higher durability compared to 2.5-inch HDD

1.8-inch HDD are smaller, lighter, shock and vibration resistant than current 2.5-inch HDD mainly used in notebook PCs. 1.8-inch HDD will meet demand for thin and light mobile PCs and portable HDDs.

5.Environmentally Conscious products

(1) Halogen-Free Product, Antimony controlled

The new drives achieve chlorine and bromine concentrations below 900ppm, and a combined overall total below 1,500ppm. Antimony is also controlled at under 1,000ppm.

(2) Improved energy consumption efficiency (MK3233GSG)

Compared to the 250GB (MK2529GSG), the new 320GB HDD model (MK3233GSG) improves energy consumption efficiency, as defined under the Japanese legal standard; a full 19% improvement.

(3) Decreased CO₂ amount during lifecycle^[7] (MK3233GSG)

MK3233GSG decreases CO₂ emissions across the product lifecycle by 36g per year, by decreasing product power consumption and environmental burdens from the raw materials stage.

(4) RoHS compliant

The new drives comply with the European Union's RoHS directive on the elimination of six hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment.

(5) Meets standards for certification as Toshiba ECP

Toshiba promotes an "Excellent ECP" program to stimulate creation of high value products offering exceptional environmental friendliness. For more information, visit
http://www.toshiba.co.jp/env/en/products/index.htm

Toshiba Group, a corporate citizen of planet Earth, is committed to realizing a better environment. Guided by "Toshiba Group Environmental Vision 2050" the Group is implementing measures to boost environmental efficiency by 10 times in FY2050, against the benchmark of FY2000. The core target is to reduce projected CO₂ emissions by a total equivalent to 117.7 million tons a year by FY2025, through the development and sales of highly efficient power supply equipment and systems, and the manufacture of environmentally conscious home appliances and office equipment. By working to mitigate global warming, make efficient use of resources and control management of chemicals, Toshiba Group creates value for people and promotes lifestyles in harmony with the Earth.

Product Specifications

One Gigabyte (1 GB) means 10⁹ =1,000,000,000 bytes using powers of 10. A computer operating system, however, reports storage capacity using powers of 2 for the definition of 1 GB = 2³⁰= 1,073,741,824 bytes, and therefore shows less storage capacity. Available storage capacity (including examples of various media files) will vary based on file size, formatting, settings, software and operating system. Examples of the number of photos, songs, movies, and any other files that can be stored on a hard drive are provided for illustrative purposes only. Your results will vary based on file size and format, settings, features, operating system, software and other factors.

[7]

Comparison based on MK6008GAH (Year 2005 model). Based on Toshiba's evaluation method of LCA (Life Cycle Assesment).

[8]

Category names defined by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry are applied in the Japanese market.