This is supposedly the new solution for data center storage

Apr 22, 2013 14:24 GMT  ·  By

Western Digital has introduced new SAS hard disk drives with rotary speeds of 10,000 RPM (rotations per minute) that have sequential transfer rates of 204 MB/s over SATA III (SATA 6 Gbps).

Called WD Xe, they also have up to 50% higher capacity and 67% less power need than normal 3.5-inch drives.

The trick about the newcomers is that they use the 2.5-inch form factor, not the 3.5-inch.

But most server cases have 3.5-inch bays, and companies may want to upgrade storage without changing the cases (and probably everything else inside).

That is why the drives ship with a 3.5-inch “performance adapter” that is actually a mounting system.

The newcomers also have dual-port duplex connectivity and NoTouch ramp load technology (no tools needed for installation).

Capacities range from 300 GB to 900 GB and prices go from $229.99 to $599.99. Warranties last 5 years.