Western Digital Details Timeline for 100TB HDDs and New HAMR Models

• February 3, 2026

Western Digital has provided new insights into its hard drive development roadmap during its recent Innovation Day presentation targeted at investors. The company gave an update on when consumers and enterprises can expect the arrival of its next-generation hard disk drives utilizing heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) technology.

Upcoming HDD Capacities and Technologies

According to the update, Western Digital’s 40 to 44TB HAMR-based hard drives are nearing completion. These models represent a significant step forward in storage density, capitalizing on HAMR to push past existing capacity limitations.

Looking further ahead, the company revealed foundational work underway in their laboratories to enable HDDs with a capacity of 100 terabytes or more. While specific timelines were not detailed, this development signals a major leap in data storage capabilities.

In addition to HAMR advancements, Western Digital is also advancing technology linked to energy-assisted perpendicular magnetic recording (ePMR). Drives built on this technology are expected to reach capacities of up to 60TB, offering another avenue for expanding storage options.

The company also mentioned plans to increase the number of platters per drive to 14, which will play a key role in achieving these higher capacities. Integrating more platters is a traditional method of boosting storage density, and when combined with HAMR and ePMR advancements, it provides a substantial improvement in overall drive capacity.

Western Digital’s progress signals robust innovation in the HDD market at a time when storage needs continue to grow rapidly across consumer, business, and data center segments. The combination of HAMR and ePMR technologies alongside physical enhancements like increased platter count will help address the escalating demand for high-capacity and reliable storage solutions.

Further details on pricing, availability, and specific release dates remain undisclosed, but the company’s announcements provide a clear indication of its commitment to pushing HDD technology boundaries in the near future.

Western Digital reveals plans for 40-44TB HAMR HDDs and future 100TB drives, with 14-platter models and ePMR technology in development.