Seagate is making waves in the world of high-capacity data storage, having quietly begun shipping limited quantities of its groundbreaking 40TB hard drives. These drives use cutting-edge Heat-Assisted Magnetic Recording (HAMR) technology under its Mozaic 4+ platform—marking a new chapter in the storage industry’s pursuit of massive capacity, efficiency, and long-term scalability.
A Preview of the Future: Limited Units Out, Full Launch to Come
During Seagate’s recent Investor and Analyst Conference, company leaders confirmed that early samples of the 40TB drive have already been delivered to select customers for evaluation. These are not final retail products but engineering prototypes intended for qualification testing—a vital step before mass production. If all goes as planned, full-scale manufacturing is set to begin in the first half of 2026.
Dr. John Morris, Seagate’s Chief Technology Officer, emphasized the strategic importance of this rollout. “We’ve already shipped limited engineering samples to customers,” he said. “Qualification will start next quarter and continue into 2026. We’re bringing a wide portion of our customer base to the Mozaic 4 platform.”
The 40TB capacity is achieved through 10 platters, each storing 4TB—a significant leap enabled by the precise heating process of HAMR, which allows data to be written on smaller, more densely packed areas of the disk.
Why Data Centers Are the Real Winners
This isn’t a product for casual home users or even power users—it’s squarely aimed at data centers managing ever-growing volumes of information, particularly in the AI and cloud computing sectors. Seagate CEO Dr. Dave Mosley explained the value proposition: “Ten disks get you to 40 terabytes. This translates to better efficiencies at scale. That’s how our customers think—fleet-level optimization.”
With AI, video surveillance, cloud storage, and analytics all demanding greater capacity and faster access to data, data centers are hunting for storage solutions that don’t just hold more but also reduce power consumption, footprint, and maintenance needs. HAMR-based drives are designed to meet exactly those demands.
Seagate’s Bigger Plans: 50TB in Sight
While 40TB is impressive, it’s just the beginning. Seagate laid out its ambitious roadmap—44TB drives by 2027 and 50TB by 2028. This revised timeline reflects a realistic view of the technical and manufacturing challenges involved. Originally, the company had aimed for 50TB drives by 2026, a projection made back in 2017. The delay highlights just how complicated it is to scale up a technology as advanced as HAMR.
Still, the 40TB milestone puts Seagate in a strong position to lead the next wave of storage innovation, especially as it proves the practicality of HAMR in real-world environments.
Competitors Take the Scenic Route
Not all of Seagate’s rivals are rushing into HAMR territory. Western Digital (WD), for instance, is focusing on other technologies like energy-assisted perpendicular magnetic recording (ePMR), OptiNAND, and UltraSMR to push drive capacities upward.
WD’s sales manager in Japan, Kimihiko Nishio, noted, “Some companies are experimenting with 30TB HAMR drives, but we believe the real potential starts at 40TB. Until then, we’ll continue improving our existing platforms.”
WD plans to introduce its own 40TB HAMR drive by the end of 2026, adopting a more cautious path toward the new technology, likely due to concerns around costs, performance validation, and long-term reliability.
Toshiba’s Hybrid Strategy: MAMR Meets HAMR
Toshiba, another major player in the storage market, is taking a hybrid route. The company is currently working on Microwave-Assisted Magnetic Recording (MAMR) as a bridge technology before moving fully to HAMR. Toshiba aims to launch a 35TB HAMR-based drive by 2026, gradually phasing in the new tech while building on its MAMR expertise.
This layered approach lets Toshiba manage development risks and optimize performance along the way, rather than jumping headfirst into the more complex world of HAMR manufacturing.
Beyond the Consumer Market
These massive drives aren’t designed for everyday consumers who simply want more space for photos or games. Instead, they serve a far more critical function: powering the backbone of the digital world. Enterprise storage systems, hyperscale data centers, and cloud infrastructure companies are the primary audience.
As AI models grow in size and services like streaming and cloud gaming expand, so does the need for faster, denser, and more energy-efficient data storage. The drives of the future must be smarter, not just bigger—and that’s where Seagate sees its HAMR technology making a difference.
Walking a Tightrope: Innovation Meets Caution
Even with the bragging rights of shipping the first 40TB HAMR samples, Seagate is moving carefully. Large-scale production depends on how well these early units perform in the real world, how quickly customers adapt, and whether the technology holds up under intense operational pressure.
Competitors are right to be cautious—developing and mass-producing HAMR drives at scale is no small feat. It requires major changes in manufacturing processes, as well as rigorous testing to ensure long-term stability and reliability.
