MacBook air, ThinkPad X300 could get boost with new 5400 rpm 1.8 HDD

The new Toshiba 1.8 “HDD with a speed of 5400 RPM spindle.

When it comes to mobile storage, 1.8 “HDD are both loved and cursed by consumers. Smaller units allow a relatively large amount of storage in a small form factor, however, the units run into a lethargic 4200 RPM.

The rather slow spindle speed is not much of a problem with portable media players (PMPs), as the iPod or Zune Classic 80 - the problem comes when the units are installed in the ultra-portable notebook as the Apple MacBook air, which uses a 80 GB 1.8 “HDD spinning at 4200 RPM.

Apple tries to be all things by performance problems which offers a 1.8 “PATA 64GB solid state disk (SSD) for higher performance, but also drive option adds $ 999 to the price of the already expensive laptop.

Lenovo, with a total of HDD in its new ThinkPad X300 and only offers a 1.8 “SATA 64GB SSD.

Toshiba expects mobile devices around the world provide a major boost with its new 1.8 “MK1216GSG (120GB) and MK8016GSG HDD (80 GB). Two new units to the new SATA 2.6 specification and incorporate a micro-connector SATA. Most importantly, the new units at the turn 5400 RPM - a speed that was once reserved for larger 2.5 “HDD in the mobile sector.

Both units feature 8MB of cache and offers data transfer rates of 489 Mbits / sec. Toshiba lists half-hour look at 15ms for both units.

“The market for mobile computing is looking for an inexperienced computer in the small, lightweight storage solutions,” said vice president of Toshiba Storage Marketing Maciek Brzeski. “With enhanced features for the mobile environment, the new 1.8-inch HDD enable manufacturers of mobile system to reap the benefits of high-capacity magnetic storage, together with better power efficiency and robustness.”

The most likely destination for the fastest units Toshiba is Apple MacBook Air. The availability of faster and larger capacity of the units could blunt some of the performance benefits of the expensive option of SSD MacBook Air.

Also, Lenovo may be wise to offer the units at its ThinkPad X300. The comments by 13.3 “notebook has been overwhelmingly positive, but the high price of $ 2500 entry is a great outlet for some. Power Toshiba could easily drop the ThinkPad X300 entry price well below the mark $ 2000.