Hitachi next up with 320GB, 7,200RPM drive
updated 08:30 am EDT, Wed May 7, 2008
Hitachi Travelstar 7K320
Hitachi this morning bolstered its drive lineup through the addition of the Travelstar 7K320. Launching shortly after a similar effort by Fujitsu, the hard disk purports to have both large storage and fast transfers with 320GB for holding data and a 7,200RPM disk speed. Despite the speed boost, the drive reportedly consumes no more power than a 5,400RPM equivalent. It also boasts one of the most resilient designs in the category, according to Hitachi: the 7K320 can absorb 400Gs of shock even while in full use.
The two-platter drive is no bigger than standard notebook hard disks at 9.5mm (0.37in) tall and shares the same Serial ATA interface as earlier Travelstars, making it a slot-in replacement for notebooks and other compact systems. Hitachi is already shipping the 7K320 and primarily intends it to be pre-installed in upcoming computers, though the new drive should be available separately at some resellers.
