Seagate (STX)

Seagate

Seagate was the first to make perpendicular recording a commercial success. This technology allows for greater data capacities and faster access speeds. Seagate currently offers 3.5" drives in capacities up to 750 GB using perpendicular recording, the largest of its kind in the industry. The company is moving to transition all of its products to incorporate the technology.

Perpendicular recording

Perpendicular recording is a data recording technology that allows for greater data densities, which leads to greater drive capacities and faster access speeds. Traditionally, bits of digital data are stored as magnetic information on the hard disk platter with the magnetic poles aligned along the plane of the platter. There is a physical limit to how closely data can be packed while maintaining data stability. However, perpendicular recording technology overcomes this limit by aligning the poles of magnetic information perpendicular to the platter using a different writing mechanism and recording material with higher magnetic fidelity. Whereas traditional longitudinal recording has an estimated limit of 100 to 200 gigabits per square inch, perpendicular recording allows for densities of up to 1000 gigabits per square inch.

Hard drive manufacturers are expected to adopt the technology rapidly because current data densities are near the physical limit. Seagate was the first to successfully implement the technology, and is currently shipping 3.5" drives with capacities up to 750 GB. In comparison, Western Digital's largest 3.5" drive, which uses traditional longitudinal recording, has a maximum capacity of 500 GB. Seagate has announced that it will intend to eventually make perpendicular recording a standard feature in all of its drives.