Western Digital Introduces ePMR HDDs

Western Digital has introduced its latest lineup of hard disk drives (HDDs) aimed at meeting the increasing storage needs of hyperscale, cloud and enterprise data centre customers. The new drives include the UltraSMR HDD with capacities of up to 32TB and CMR HDDs reaching up to 26TB.

The 32TB Ultrastar DC HC690 UltraSMR HDD utilises energy-assisted PMR technology, making it suitable for cost-effective deep content storage. It offers a sequential performance of up to 257 MiB/s and consumes as little as 5.5W while idle. Meanwhile, the 26TB Ultrastar DC HC590 CMR HDD serves as a drop-in replacement for existing systems, featuring a sustained transfer rate of up to 288 MiB/s and an idle power consumption of approximately 5.6W.

Both models incorporate multiple technological innovations, including OptiNAND, ArmorCache and a triple-stage actuator (TSA). These enhancements aim to improve storage efficiency and reliability in data center environments.

Along with the new HDDs, Western Digital has updated its Ultrastar Data60 and Data102 hybrid storage platforms, which accommodate up to 60 or 102 HDDs and can deliver up to 3.26PB of raw capacity. Key technologies in these platforms, such as IsoVibe and ArcticFlow, help reduce vibration and optimise cooling.

Western Digital has also released 26TB WD Gold SATA HDDs tailored for system integrators and resellers. These drives leverage Ultrastar technology and are designed to handle heavy read-write workloads. They come with a five-year limited warranty and a projected MTBF of up to 2.5 million hours.

With the growing importance of AI, edge computing and large-scale data centers, Western Digital aims to provide solutions that enhance storage density while minimizing total cost of ownership (TCO).