Small form factor hard disk drives offer numerous benefits for both notebook manufacturers and users. When compared with the more traditional 2.5-inch form factor, 1.8-inch HDDs consume far less power extending battery life and allow for thinner and sleeker chassis – a substantial benefit for consumers who travel frequently with their notebook PCs. Toshiba’s Storage Device Division pioneered the 1.8-inch form factor and, to date, leads the industry with 61 per cent market share in the 1.8-inch HDD market- over twice as much as its nearest competitor.

“For today’s tech savvy consumer, design and aesthetics have become just as important as technology features and functionality,” explained Martin Larsson, Vice President and General Manager, Toshiba Europe Storage Device Manager. “Subsequently, product designers actively search for the components that can deliver outstanding performance without compromising the product’s overall design and shape. The success of our portfolio of 1.8-inch HDDs for consumer electronics is testament to this.”

11 June, 2008

Toshiba Europe Storage Device Division, the world leader in high performance, small form factor hard disk drive (HDD) technology, today launched two new 1.8-inch HDDs. The 160GB MK1617GSG and 80GB MK8017GSG both offer high performance notebook PCs the substantial storage boost required to support consumers’ growing consumption of digital media on the move.

Across the globe, internet users are turning to digital media as their primary medium for information consumption and entertainment. Recent reports have claimed that 48 per cent of all internet users include consumer-generated content in their weekly media diet. In addition, 83 per cent of users have accessed video content via their PC with 59 per cent accessing video content at least once a week.

When combined with the widespread availability of high speed wireless internet providers and digital media content providers, consumer interest towards lifestyle orientated notebook PC platforms has grown exponentially. According to recent reports detailing research by leading analyst house IDC, notebook sales in Europe rose by 30 per cent in the first quarter of 2008 when compared with the first quarter of 2007.[2] In the UK alone, laptop sales equated to just over 60 per cent of all computers sold in the first quarter of 2008.