Toshiba Expands 1.8-Inch HDD Family with World’s Highest Capacity for Portable Media Players, Camcorders and Ultra-Mobile PCs

New 120GB-Per-Platter Series Delivers Industry’s Highest Areal Density in 1.8-inch Category for Consumer Electronics and PC Devices

TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Toshiba Corporation, the pioneer in small form factor hard disk drives (HDDs), today announced the world’s first dual-platter 240GB^(a) HDD (MK2431GAH). The new drive delivers the highest capacity^(a) and areal density in the 1.8-inch drive category for integration into portable media players, camcorders and mobile PCs. Toshiba also announced new 120GB (MK1231GAL) and 80GB (MK8031GAL) capacity offerings, rounding out the most complete line of high-capacity 4,200 RPM 1.8-inch HDDs for consumer electronics (CE) and mobile PC system manufacturers.

The new 240GB drive and 80GB drive will enter mass production at the end of September, and the 120GB is now in mass production.

Toshiba's 240GB MK2431GAH and 120GB MK1231GAL achieve an areal density of 344 gigabits per square inch (531.9Mbit/mm²), the industry’s highest areal density^(a) in the 1.8-inch form factor, using perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) technology, which Toshiba introduced and commercialized in 2005. Toshiba's technology leadership in PMR has enabled the company to consistently deliver leading-edge capacities in the 1.8-inch form factor to support growing demand for miniaturization without sacrificing capacity for digital video, photo, audio and computing applications.

The new 1.8-inch HDD series uses a new mechanical and firmware design for enhanced durability, making the 80GB and 120GB single-platter HDDs well suited for slim-line mobile gadgets and PC applications. The new dual-platter 240GB MK2431GAH product is especially suitable for high-end digital video camcorders as well as light-weight mobile PC applications which require high capacity and high shock resistance to protect the users' valuable digital assets.

The new design elements incorporated in the MK2431GAH optimize power efficiency to new levels with a 33 percent overall reduction in energy consumption efficiency^(b) over Toshiba's previous-generation model of MK1626GCB (160GB 3,600 RPM) 1.8-inch HDDs.

Toshiba Group, a Corporate Citizen of the Planet Earth, is committed to realizing a better environment. Guided by "Toshiba Group Environmental Vision 2050" the Group is implementing measures to boost environmental efficiency by 10 times in FY2050, against the benchmark of FY2000. The core target is to reduce projected CO₂ emissions by a total equivalent to 117.7 million tons a year by FY2025, through the development and sales of highly efficient power supply equipment and systems, and the manufacture of environmentally conscious home appliances and office equipment. By working to mitigate global warming, make efficient use of resources and control management of chemicals, Toshiba Group creates value for people and promotes lifestyles in harmony with the Earth.

Key Features of New Products

1. Achieving areal density of 531.9Mbit/mm² (344Gbspi).

MK2431GAH and MK1231GAL achieve an areal density of 531.9Mbit/mm², the result of improving the read-write head and of an enhanced magnetic layer. With the same two platter 1.8-inch design as Toshiba’s current 160GB product, MK2431GAH offers a 240GB capacity, the highest yet achieved.

2. Improved energy consumption efficiency^(b).

Compared to the current 160GB MK1626GCB, the new MK2431GAH improves energy consumption efficiency^(b), as defined under the Japanese legal standard, to 0.0013W/GB, a 33% improvement.

3. Environmentally conscious products

(1) Lower CO₂ emissions during the product lifecycle^(c)

During their lifecycle, the MK1231GAL will lower CO₂ emissions by approximately 54g a year.

(2) RoHS compatible

The new drives comply with the European Union’s RoHS directive^(d) for eliminating use of six hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment.

(3) All new products meets standards for certification as a standout Toshiba ECP

Toshiba promotes an “Excellent ECP” program to stimulate creation of high value products offering exceptional environmental friendliness. For more information, visit http://www.toshiba.co.jp/env/en/products/index.htm

^(a) The industry’s largest commercially available capacity in 1.8-inch hard disk drive, as of Sept 10, 2008 (source: Toshiba)

^(b) Energy consumption efficiency is calculated based on power consumption divided by formatted capacity, as defined by Japanese law.

^(c) Comparison based on MK6015MAP (Year 2000 model). Based on Toshiba’s evaluation method of LCA (Life Cycle Assesment).

^(d) The RoHS Directive, which came into effect in July 2006, is a European Union directive that eliminates the use of six hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment.

Product Specifications
		MK2431GAH	MK1231GAL	MK8031GAL
Capacity		240GB	120GB	80GB
Number of disks		2	1
Number of heads		4	2
Average seek time		15msec
Interface		PATA
Interface speed		100MB/s
Rotational speed		4,200rpm
Dimensions		54.0mm (W) 71.0mm (D) 8.0mm (H)	54.0mm (W) 71.0mm (D) 5.0mm (H)
Weight		59g (max.)	48g (max.)
Energy consumption efficiency		0.0013W/GB	0.0025W/GB	0.0038W/GB
Vibration resistance	Operationg	19.6m/s^2 , 2G(15-500Hz)
	Non-operating	49m/s^2 , 5G(15-500Hz)
Shock resistance	Operationg	4,900m/s^2 (500G,2msec)	5,880m/s^2(600G,2msec)
	Non-operating	14,700m/s^2 (1,500G,1msec)
^*60GB is also available as a customer option. Note: Hard disk capacity is calculated on the basis of 1MB = 1-million bytes, and 1GB = 1-billion bytes.