Western Digital targets 100TB disk drives with HAMR and HDMR advancements

Western Digital advances HDDs with HAMR and HDMR for 100TB capacity.

: Western Digital is advancing hard disk drive technology with HAMR and HDMR to achieve 100TB capacities. HAMR uses lasers for high storage density, and HDMR combines heat-assisted writing with bit-patterned media. The company plans to release HAMR-based drives in 2026, eventually reaching up to 100TB by 2030.

Western Digital is focusing on the evolution of hard disk drive technology, announcing a roadmap that employs heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) and heat dot magnetic recording (HDMR). These innovations aim to address the growing demand for data storage, driven by artificial intelligence and data lakes.

HAMR technology uses laser diodes to heat the disk precisely, increasing storage density by enabling smaller regions for data writing. Western Digital plans to debut HAMR-based drives with capacities of 36TB to 44TB in 2026, with expectations to reach 100TB by 2030.

Alongside, HDMR technology proposes to combine heat-assisted writing with bit-patterned media for massive areal densities potentially exceeding 8 Tb/inch². Although promising enormous capacity beyond 120TB, the complex manufacturing makes HDMR expensive, necessitating investments in servo-mechanics, thermal management, and magnetic research.

data storageHAMRHDD technology