Hitachi Global Storage Technologies, Inc. has put on the market the 2.5-inch HDD Travelstar 4K120 Series which consumes 22-64% less power than current competing models. The new series consumes only 1.4 W on average for reading or writing, compared to 2.0 W for HGST's current models. Other basic functions including seek time and data transfer rate are also improved.

Power consumption is reduced while improving basic specifications because HGST has used for the first time its HiVERT (Hitachi Voltage Efficiency Regulator Technology). Using the new technology, a switching regulator is installed in an ASIC that lowers the input voltage from +5.0 V to +1.5 V before distribution to the power consuming parts. In current models, a linear regulator is installed in an ASIC lowering the input voltage of +5.0 V at first to +3.3 V and, again, from +3.3 V to +1.5 V, resulting in considerable power loss.

In the new series, a switching regulator replaces the linear regulator to reduce power consumption. In this manner, HiVERT achieves a 30% reduction in power consumption for the main electronic parts of the HDD. HiVERT then is used with other power consumption control technologies, realizing a 22-64% power consumption savings compared to current competing models.

Specifications:

- 120/100/80/60/40 GB capacity
- 95mm height
- 4200 rpm
- 99-95 g weight
- 2/1 glass plates
- 4/3/2 GMR heads
- Sustains 1000g/1ms non-operational and 300g/2ms operational shocks
- 11/13 ms average read/write
- 7.1ms average seek
- 0.15W standby power, 0.45W energy-saving mode power
- ATA-6 UDMA-5 interface
- 2.3-2.0 bel standby noise, 2.7-2.4 bel operating noise

Hitachi Travelstar 4K120 series are already shipping to selected customers, wide availability is expected in August.