WD promises 40TB HDDs in the near future

Western Digital is planning a new range of HDDs based on MAMR technology, with 14TB, 16GB, 20TB and beyond HDDs to surely arrive between now and then. But, WD has promised 40TB by 2025 thanks to microwave-assisted magnetic recording (MAMR).

The company explained the news with an announcement from President and COO of Western Digital, Mike Cordano, saying: "Our ground-breaking advancement in MAMR technology will enable Western Digital to address the future of high capacity storage by redefining the density potential of HDDs and introduce a new class of highly reliable, 'ultra-high capacity' drives".

What is MAMR? MAMR, or microwave-assisted magnetic recording is a new storage technology that WD has been working on for years now, with the other being HAMR, or heat-assisted magnetic recording. This new breakthrough in MAMR technology that WD has reached is the new "spin torque oscillator" that is used to generate a microwave field that increases the reliability to record data at ultra-high density. WD can use this new breakthrough in MAMR tech to record over 4 terabits-per-square-inch over time.

WD explained: "With sustained improvements in recording density, MAMR promises to enable hard drives with 40TB of capacity and beyond by 2025, and continued expansion beyond that time frame".

The first 40TB HDDs will most likely arrive in the enterprise market at first, but we should see 40TB consumer drives not long after.