Toshiba Releases 2.5'' HDD with 7,200 RPM

Toshiba is launching three new 2.5-inch HDDs spinning at 7,200 RPM.

Monday Toshiba Storage Device Division revealed its new family of 7,200 RPM 2.5-inch SATA drives, optimized for "demanding performance, power consumption, and durability requirements." The new line also means that Toshiba has now caught up with HDD rival Samsung by launching a 640GB notebook drive spinning at 7,200 RPM--the latter company announced its SpinPoint MP4 back in April.

According to Toshiba, the new family consists of three models: the MKxx61GSY geared for high-end notebook PCs, gaming laptops, and mobile workstations; the highly durable MKxx61GSYB built for 24x7 applications such as blade servers and network routers; and the Self-Encrypting Drive (SED) which adheres to the TCG Opal Specification and offers government-grade security features.

"With this family, Toshiba is addressing the high-performance 2.5-inch market and enabling system differentiation in the fiercely competitive notebook PC market," said Maciek Brzeski, vice president of marketing at Toshiba Storage Device Division. "The MKxx61GSY is designed for speed, with a balanced approach to storage capacity, durability, power consumption, and acoustics, compared to 5,400 RPM mobile and 3.5-inch desktop drives."

Toshiba's MKxx61GSY ranges in capacities depending on the interface, offering 160GB to 640GB. The same applies to the MKxx61GSYB, ranging from 80GB to 500GB. The former drive will be available in Q3 2010, whereas the MKxx61GSYB will arrive in Q4 2010. The SED models will be announced at a later date, Toshiba said.