Samsung launches Spinpoint M8 hard drive

STORAGE VENDOR Samsung has launched its Spinpoint M8 1TB hard drive, available for $129 (£79).

The Spinpoint M8 is an internal disk drive made for notebooks, so it's just 9.5mm thick. It uses two platters of 500GB each to provide 1TB capacity and has a SATA interface to provide 3Gbits/s data transfer.

Samsung said the M8 has an 8MB buffer along with Ecoseek and Noiseguard technology to maintain minimal noise levels.

For security the M8 has had "A redesign of the overall structure ensures enhanced shock resistance to protect the disk from physical fracture and data loss."

According to Samsung the high capacity was achieved by using advanced format technology. This uses the space more efficiently by raising the data storage density per unit area.

A reduction in the number of components, like heads, means a seven per cent increase in operation speeds and an eight per cent decrease in power demands.

CH Lee, VP of storage strategic marketing for Samsung said, "The new Spinpoint M8 line-up supports the ongoing growth curve for high density data storage densities, especially as it raises the bar to exceed terabyte density levels in the mobile computing space." µ