Although solid-state drives (SSDs) have seen rapid development in performance and capacity over the years, and the presence of mechanical hard drives (HDDs) has been diminishing, the cost and total capacity advantages of HDDs over SSDs remain very significant. Hard drive giant Seagate also frequently releases updates, sharing the latest product roadmaps and development progress of new products.
In 2022, Seagate CEO David Mosley stated, “We are developing HDDs based on HAMR technology with capacities over 30TB, and we expect to begin shipping to customers around this time next year.”
Unfortunately, this promise was not fulfilled on schedule. However, there is finally good news: Seagate has kept its word and officially released a 32TB mechanical hard drive based on the latest HAMR technology.
Please note: this is not a rumor or an unverified piece of news. The 32TB (and also 30TB versions) mechanical hard drive has been officially listed on Seagate’s website, with the product name “Exos M 32TB” and model number “ST32000NM003K,” as shown in the image below.
Seagate states that the Exos M 32TB hard drive uses a 3TB disk platter density, allowing massive storage capacity in the same space, while still using the standard 3.5-inch form factor. Improvements have also been made in terms of power consumption and energy efficiency, with the Exos M 32TB delivering three times the energy efficiency per terabyte compared to traditional hard drives, helping customers reduce energy consumption and operating costs. Additionally, more renewable energy and recycled materials have been used, making it more environmentally friendly.
Of course, when it comes to hard drives, the public is most concerned with its read and write performance, lifespan, and reference price. As of now, Seagate has not officially disclosed this information, and there is no content available to share at the moment. Please stay tuned.
When it comes to large-capacity hard drives, some people may be very concerned about their reliability. There have been rumors circulating, claiming that the technology is immature, the failure rate is high, and that they are prone to damage.
However, for the Exos M 32TB, this issue is virtually nonexistent. Strictly speaking, the Exos M 32TB has only been officially released recently, but before this, Seagate had already manufactured small batches and delivered them to specific enterprise customers. While the exact product names and some details may differ, the overall product has been trusted by customers.
Additionally, when talking about Seagate, one must mention its long-time competitor Western Digital. Western Digital released ePMR-based hard drives in October 2024, including a 32TB version. Although the capacities are the same, the technical details and implementation paths of the two companies’ products differ greatly. Which is superior is a question worth paying attention to, and related reviews are expected to be released soon.
Currently, the main customer base for the 32TB mechanical hard drive is enterprises, not ordinary consumers. However, this is also good news for general consumers. There is no need to worry about technical or capacity bottlenecks in mechanical hard drives, as such concerns are unfounded. It is expected that for at least the next ten years, mechanical hard drives will continue to evolve rapidly and steadily.
I will share more related updates and leaks as soon as possible. Stay tuned.
Related:
- $40B Hard Drives Battle: When Will HDDs Disappear?
- Choosing the Best HDD in 2025 – Avoid Common Mistakes!
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