Available in Japan, starting next month

Sep 30, 2009 09:53 GMT  ·  By

The market for portable storage solutions has expanded at a fast pace, as users are now able to choose from a wide range of products that come in various shapes and sizes, ready to provide them with a choice for a portable hard drive or flash drive product. While flash drives can be made available in smaller, more portable form factors, traditional hard drives have the advantage of offering an increased storage solution. On that note, Buffalo has just announced the expansion of its line of portable hard drives, with the introduction of a new 640GB model.

Part of the company's HD-PEU2 line of portable and slim hard drives, the new model is set to provide users with as much as 640GB of capacity. The drive measures 81 (W) x 16 (H) x 130 (D) mm and weighs just 190 grams, according to details made available on the Internet. The ultraportable hard drives will be featured with a USB 2.0/1.1 connection interface, ensuring a compatibility with almost every computer system or other storage device, currently available on the market. The new drive will be available in a range of color options, including Ruby Red, Crystal Black or Pearl White.

The new offering from Buffalo is expected to provide users with an alternative to some of the other 640GB portable hard drives that have been launched recently. However, the new model is currently expected to go on sale sometime in October for a price tag of US$270, in Japan. There's no word on when or if it will be made available outside Japan.

Currently, the 640GB drive capacity is the highest density solution made available on drives of 2.5 inches, but a 1TB solution is also available in a form factor that is similar to the 2.5-inch standard, but isn't compatible with all notebook systems.