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News HGST ships first 6TB helium-filled hard drives

Discussion in 'Article Discussion' started by Gareth Halfacree, 7 Nov 2013.

  1. Gareth Halfacree

    Gareth Halfacree WIIGII! Lover of bit-tech Administrator Super Moderator Moderator

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    Gareth Halfacree, 7 Nov 2013
    #1
  2. Pookie

    Pookie Illegitimi non carborundum

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    Atleast if the drive dies you suck in the helium and have a laugh :)
     
    Pookie, 7 Nov 2013
    #2
  3. MrJay

    MrJay You are always where you want to be

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    Ib4 diminishing helium stocks...
     
    MrJay, 7 Nov 2013
    #3
  4. Risky

    Risky Modder

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    I suspect the helium use for this product will be insignificant compares to others.
     
    Risky, 7 Nov 2013
    #4
  5. Almightyrastus

    Almightyrastus On the jazz.

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    At least it's a meaningful use of helium
     
    Almightyrastus, 7 Nov 2013
    #5
  6. Shirty

    Shirty W*nker! Super Moderator

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    QFT. Balloons are great fun for kids but an utter waste.
     
    Shirty, 7 Nov 2013
    #6
  7. PCBuilderSven

    PCBuilderSven Minimodder

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    Seeing as the whole point is that helium is less dense than air, I don't see what's so odd about that, the reduction in density of the filling causes a greater reduction in mass than the increase caused by the additional two platters. That sounds quite plausible.
     
    PCBuilderSven, 7 Nov 2013
    #7
  8. Corky42

    Corky42 Where's walle?

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    Except the volume of gas in a typical HDD probably doesn't even account for 1g, my guess is it would be due to the reduction in the size of the motor along with the associated mechanics.
     
    Corky42, 7 Nov 2013
    #8
  9. Maki role

    Maki role Dale you're on a roll... Lover of bit-tech

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    Except the maths doesn't work out at all for that. Given that 50g of air itself takes up 38l or so of space (at 0°C and sea level), whereas an HDD's total volume (as in measured from the enclosure) is around 0.393l, replacing the air with helium wouldn't account for that. They simply made some weight saving changes elsewhere.

    EDIT: In fact, to save 50g on switching air with helium, you would have to swap approximately 46l of air with the same volume of helium.
     
    Last edited: 7 Nov 2013
    Maki role, 7 Nov 2013
    #9
  10. Cthippo

    Cthippo Can't mod my way out of a paper bag

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    If you can keep the helium in, why not just run it under vacuum?
     
    Cthippo, 7 Nov 2013
    #10
  11. Maki role

    Maki role Dale you're on a roll... Lover of bit-tech

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    I believe that's something to do with how the arm of the HDD itself rides on a small cushion of air so as not to scratch the platter.
     
    Maki role, 7 Nov 2013
    #11
  12. Star*Dagger

    Star*Dagger What's a Dremel?

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    8 of these in RAID is a start.

    I'm ordering 20 of them as we speak.

    Your in PvP video Plasma,
    Star*Dagger
     
    Star*Dagger, 7 Nov 2013
    #12
  13. Cthippo

    Cthippo Can't mod my way out of a paper bag

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    So what are you paying for them?
     
    Cthippo, 7 Nov 2013
    #13
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