Toshiba has debuted a new line of hard drives, the MK5056GSY series, that expands the company's notebook offerings to included a 7200RPM model with 500GB capacity. The drives are claimed to transfer data at 1,255Mb/s, a 23 percent improvement over the earlier versions.

Energy consumption is also said to be reduced, with a 28 percent improvement in overall energy efficiency. The components are also compliant with RoHS standards which set limits for the use of certain hazardous materials.

Toshiba now joins the list of HDD makers offering a 7200RPM drive in a 2.5-inch housing and 500GB capacity. Competing companies with similar products include Samsung, Hitachi and Seagate, among others.

The MK5056GSY drives will be available in 160GB, 250GB, 320GB and 500GB capacities. Pricing and availability information has yet to be announced.