--- description: Seagate announced it has made the first formatted and fully functioning 16TB hard disk drive in a standard 3.5-inch form factor, which makes them the... title: Seagate Achieves 16TB HAMR HDD image: https://www.storagereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/new-seagate-logo.jpg --- [![Storage Review]()](https://storagereview.com/) --- [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/@storagereview) [X (Twitter)](https://twitter.twitter.com/storagereview) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/storagereview/) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/storagereview-com) [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/user/storagereview?sub_confirmation=1) [Email](mailto:info@storagereview.com) [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/1y6VnznABhHeOSMOmbDTz0) [Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/StorageReview/) [Discord](https://discord.gg/TwMHb4azdC) [RSS Feed](https://www.storagereview.com/rss.xml) [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@storagereview) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/@storagereview) [X (Twitter)](https://twitter.com/storagereview) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/storagereview/) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/storagereview-com) [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/user/storagereview?sub_confirmation=1) [Email](mailto:info@storagereview.com) [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/1y6VnznABhHeOSMOmbDTz0) [Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/StorageReview/) [Discord](https://discord.gg/TwMHb4azdC) [RSS Feed](https://www.storagereview.com/rss.xml) [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@storagereview) [![StorageReview.com](https://www.storagereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Storage-Review-2x.png)](https://www.storagereview.com) ≡ Menu - [Home](https://www.storagereview.com/) - [Storage Reviews](https://www.storagereview.com/review) - [End User Reviews](https://www.storagereview.com/consumer) - [Enterprise Reviews](https://www.storagereview.com/enterprise) - [Ubiquiti Reviews](https://www.storagereview.com/best/ubiquiti-reviews) - [SR Merch](https://store.storagereview.com) - [Leaderboards](https://www.storagereview.com/best) - [Best Storage Arrays](https://www.storagereview.com/best/storage-arrays) - [Best Enterprise SSDs](https://www.storagereview.com/best/enterprise-ssds) - [Best Servers](https://www.storagereview.com/best/servers) - [Best Enterprise GPUs](https://www.storagereview.com/best/enterprise-gpus) - [Best Desktops for Local AI](https://www.storagereview.com/best/desktops-local-ai) - [Best Laptops for Local AI](https://www.storagereview.com/best/laptops-local-ai) - [Best Local LLM Tools](https://www.storagereview.com/best/local-llm-tools) - [Agentic AI Hardware](https://www.storagereview.com/best/agentic-ai-hardware) - [Best SSDs & Hard Drives](https://www.storagereview.com/best_drives) - [Best Portable SSDs](https://www.storagereview.com/best/portable-ssds) - [Best Business Laptops](https://www.storagereview.com/best/business-laptops) - [Best Mobile Workstations](https://www.storagereview.com/best/mobile-workstations) - [Best Desktop Workstations](https://www.storagereview.com/best/desktop-workstations) - [Best Mini PCs](https://www.storagereview.com/best/mini-pcs) - [Best Laptop Battery Life](https://www.storagereview.com/best/laptop-battery-life) - [Storage Reference Guide](https://www.storagereview.com/storage-reference-guide) - [About SR](https://www.storagereview.com/about-storagereview) - [StorageReview.com Sweepstakes Rules and Regulations](https://www.storagereview.com/storagereview-com-sweepstakes-rules-and-regulations) Search [Home](https://www.storagereview.com/) » [News](https://www.storagereview.com/news) » Seagate Achieves 16TB HAMR HDD # Seagate Achieves 16TB HAMR HDD by Michael Rink on December 4, 2018 [Enterprise](https://www.storagereview.com/enterprise)  ◇  [HDD](https://www.storagereview.com/enterprise/hdd) Seagate announced it has made the first formatted and fully functioning 16TB hard disk drive in a standard 3.5-inch form factor, which makes them the producer of the highest capacity hard disk drives yet. The drive utilizes Seagate’s heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) process, and Seagate expects to make drives with even higher capacities soon. They expect to have a 20TB drive in 2020. ![](https://www.storagereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/StorageReview-Seagate-HAMR-actuator-and-disks-illustration-22_850px.jpg) [We last talked extensively about HAMR drives in 2015](https://www.storagereview.com/seagate_demonstrates_hamr_hdds_at_intermag), so its probably worth reviewing the technology. A major limitation on HDD capacity is the minimum size of the magnetic fields that can be created and used to write data. HAMR gets around this limit by temporarily, very temporarily (we’re talking durations under a single nanosecond here) heating the area to be written to make it more receptive to magnetic effects. The difficulties in both generating enough heat (above 400 °C) and focusing it precisely enough are obvious. Seagate’s solution is to use a small laser diode attached to each recording head to heat the target location. The new drives will still be delivered in the same form factor as current HDD. Once they’re released, they could potentially be swapped out with your current drives and provide a significant boost in storage capacity. Every time they’ve discussed the new drives Seagate has been quick to say that HAMR HDDs are at least as reliable as current technologies.The company’s HAMR technology set a record in reliability demonstrating that a single head can transfer 3.2PB over a five-year period, twenty times the amount required for the industry’s nearline specification. I wish I could say the new HAMR drives will be available next year. Unfortunately, the entire current run of over 40,000 drives is being used to run the tests customers commonly use when integrating hard drives into enterprise applications. So far the results we’ve heard about are very good, but there have been several schedule slips over the several year development cycle. Last year, 20TB drives were expected in 2019, but now Seagate is predicting 2020, so I wouldn’t be surprised if we don’t see commercial drives before then. This shouldn’t be taken to reflect poorly on Seagate. That they’ve progressed as far as they have as fast as they have is truly astounding. 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"Opens in a new window") |  [RSS Feed](https://www.storagereview.com/rss.xml) ![]() ### Michael Rink I'm a content contributor at StorageReview and a senior full stack software engineer. I've led both devops and development teams ranging from single engineer projects to flagship projects requiring triple-digits of engineers with teams spread all across the globe. I also enjoy dancing, writing, reading, making games, and tending to my garden. 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