Toshiba Launches World's First 1.8-Inch HDDs with LIF SATA Interface

The enhanced popularity mobile computing solutions have been enjoying over the past couple of years has led to some pretty impressive technological developments achieved in just about every market segment even remotely related to this brand of products, including here that of storage, where Toshiba has just provided a very interesting surprise by rolling out the world's first HDDs providing LIF SATA connectivity.

Available in a 1.8-inch form factor, the new HDDs feature low-insertion force (LIF) SATA (Serial ATA) connectors, whose main advantage is the fact that they enable a 10% smaller footprint compared to standard 1.8" drives using microSATA connectors.

The new MKxx39GSL series, as the LIF SATA HDDs from Toshiba have been officially named, is available in three models, offering 160GB (MK1639GSL), 200GB (MK2039GSL) and 220GB (MK2239GSL) capacities, respectively.

They are designed for use in multiple devices, including tablets, and feature a 16MB buffer for improved performance, while also being able to withstand 1,500Gs of non-operational shock and 600Gs of operational shock.

Plus, the new drives are also pretty quiet, operating at 14dB at idle and 15dB at seek, and requiring 0.35 Watts of power at low power idle.

"These new drives build on Toshiba's history of innovation and leadership in the 1.8" drive segment," said Maciek Brzeski, vice president of mobile marketing at Toshiba Storage Device Division.

"Designers of next-generation consumer electronics, tablets, and mobile devices need disk drives that will stand up to the demands of day-to-day usage in a world increasingly defined by mobility and connectivity to all forms of content. These newest members of our 1.8" family are designed to meet those demands,” Toshiba's representative concluded.

According to Toshiba, the first samples of the new LIF SATA 1.8-inch HDDs will be available for customers in February, which means that there's a very good chance that we'll see them implemented in consumer devices by the year's end.