Seagate officially unveils its 30 TB hard drives utilizing advanced HAMR technology, offering affordable storage solutions for datacenter managers grappling with AI demands. The Exos M 30 TB and IronWolf Pro 30 TB models, now globally available, demonstrate Seagate’s commitment to expanding its product lineup to compete with 32 TB offerings by Western Digital and Toshiba. Earlier this year, Seagate showcased a prototype 36 TB drive with an ambitious pathway towards 100 TB. The new models cap Seagate’s existing datacenter and NAS series, leveraging Mozaic 3+ HAMR technology. Heat-assisted magnetic recording facilitates greater data bit density by deploying a laser for data imprinting. Seagate argues that escalating AI requirements necessitate higher on-premises storage capacities, a trend mirrored near the edge of networks to enhance inferencing capacities closer to the user. Seagate contends traditional HDDs maintain their relevance in cost-sensitive scenarios for large-scale data storage within datacenters. This was emphasized decisively against Pure Storage’s claim of impending pricing parity between SSDs and HDDs. According to Ed Burns, an IDC Research Director, while typically not aligned with low latency, top-capacity HDDs remain strategically vital for AI model development, delivering foundational data mass storage, critical in today’s market. In the wake of AI-driven demand spikes nationally and globally, Seagate and other major HDD manufacturers have recently seen elevated pricing pressures for high-capacity drives. These hikes followed earlier production adjustments and recent post-pandemic consumer demand changes. Available across retailers, the Exos M 30 TB and IronWolf Pro 30 TB drives are priced at £498.99 ($670) and £559.99 ($753) respectively.