Combines third generation 9-disk helium-sealed design with unique FC-MAMR technology
Toshiba Electronics Europe GmbH has added new 18TB models to its N300 NAS Hard Drive and X300 Performance Hard Drive portfolios. Both new drives incorporate the company’s game-changing Flux Control - Microwave Assisted Magnetic Recording (FC-MAMR) technology, which was announced earlier this year.
With FC-MAMR a Spin Torque Oscillator (STO) is used to better control and effectively focus the magnetic flux generated in the hard disk drives (HDDs) write head. The focused flux allows more accurate writing operation leading to a smaller magnetic area per bit and higher data densities compared to the previous generation of CMR HDDs.
Use of FC-MAMR has led to the drive density being raised by an extra 12.5% - thereby adding 2TB per disk to the capacity of Toshiba’s previous 16TB models.
The new N300 and X300 drives come in an industry-standard 3.5-inch format enclosure but utilise a proprietary 9-disk helium-sealed design. Toshiba Group’s advanced laser welding techniques keep the helium securely sealed inside.
The N300 Series is highly optimised for home office and small business network-attached storage (NAS) and private cloud storage applications, with up to 8 drive bays being accommodated. These drives deliver 7200rpm performance and have integrated RV sensors to compensate for the effects of rotational vibrations. Designed for reliable 24/7 operation and offering a meantime to failure rate (MTTF) of 1.2 million hours, they attain a workload rating of up to 180TB/year.
Intended for PC and high-end desktop workstations, gaming consoles and home media equipment, the X300 Series drives also deliver 7200rpm performance. Their drive stabilisation mechanisms result in improved operational reliability, plus Toshiba Group’s cache technology optimises cache allocation during read/write so as to provide high-level performance in real time.
N300 Series drives all come with a 3-year limited warranty, while the X300 Series drives have a 2-year limited warranty. The new 18TB N300 and X300 models are expected to be available in Q4 2021.