We've already seen 3.5in desktop hard drives reach the 2TB mark in 2009, but up until now, smaller 2.5in drives have struggled to offer more than 500GB of storage.
Hoping to move things along, Toshiba is on hand with the industry's first 640GB 2.5in drive, the MK6465GSX.
The 640GB drive, pictured above and also available in 160GB, 250GB, 320GB, 500GB capacities, features dual platters and operates at 5,400RPM - making it the biggest, but not the quickest available solution.
Toshiba tells us the drive will be shipping to OEMs later this month, and if you're thinking a 640GB external drive could make for a useful portable storage solution, Toshiba has you covered. The Japanese manufacturer has updated its range of Portable Hard Drives to include a range-topping 640GB model.
The 2.5in external solution is available in Liquid Blue, Vivid White, Rocket Red and Komodo Green colours, and the 640GB model will set you back $179.99 (roughly £110).
Toshiba lists the complete specification of its standalone drives as follows:
| Model Number | MK6465GSX | MK5065GSX | MK3265GSX | MK2565GSX | MK1665GSX | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 640GB | 500GB | 320GB | 250GB | 160GB | ||
| Number of disks | 2 | 1 | |||||
| Number of heads | 4 | 2 | 1 | ||||
| Average seek time | Read | 12msec | |||||
| Write | 12msec | ||||||
| Interface | Serial ATA 2.6/ATA8 | ||||||
| Interface speed | 3.0Gbit/s | ||||||
| Rotational speed | 5,400 rpm | ||||||
| Buffer memory | 8MB | ||||||
| External dimensions | (W)69.85mm x (D)100.0mm x (H)9.5mm | ||||||
| Weight | 102g (max.) | 98g (max.) | |||||
| Energy consumption efficiency | 0.00086 | 0.0011 | 0.0017 | 0.0022 | 0.0034 | ||
| Category name[5] | e | e | d | d | d | ||
| Acoustics | Idle | 25dB | 19dB | ||||
| Seek | 25dB | 20dB | |||||
| Vibration resistance | Operating | 9.8m/s2 , 1G (5-500Hz) | |||||
| Non-operating | 49m/ s2 , 5G (15-500Hz) | ||||||
| Shock resistance | Operating | 3,920 m/s2 (400G , 2ms half sine wave) | |||||
| Non-operating | 8,820 m/s2 (900G , 1ms half sine wave) | ||||||
