Western Digital has been nipping at the heels of its rival Seagate for some time now. Seagate revealed its 5mm Ultrathin SATA HDD at Computex today, but Western Digital is firing back with its own ultra-slim creation. The Western Digital Blue (WD Blue) is a 2.5-inch mobile HDD that features a massive 1TB (max) of storage in a very small, very streamlined package. Western Digital pulled out all the stops. The Blue promises superior power, low energy consumption, and the quality of design that has made Western Digital a household name in the HDD business.
According to WD, developers used “state-of-the-art seeking algorithms and advanced power management” to provide elongated battery life and lower power consumption requirements. The device also features WD’s NoTouch Ramp load technology, which means the recording head doesn’t make contact with the disk itself when the device is off (during the spin up and spin down stages). This creates increased longevity for the recording head and disk respectively and creates better protection for the device overall. Western Digital also promises an inaudible experience, touting the Blue as one of the quietest drives on the market.
The drive is also highly compatible with most standard 9.5-inch drive bays (LPVX models), so you shouldn’t have a problem popping this drive into (practically any) laptop you already own. WD also offers Arconis True Image as a free download from its website. This program will allow you to easily upgrade and transfer your entire disk image back and forth between drives, meaning you won’t have to bother with reinstalling your operating system if you decide to grab a WD Blue for yourself.
If you’re itching to get your hands on this new ultra-thin HDD, you’re in luck. Western Digital has already released the product to select retailers (you can see the list on the WD site), and it’s currently available for purchase to OEM’s, integrators, and consumers. The 1TB WD Blue can be had for $140, and comes with a two-year limited warranty.
