WD unveils Dual Pivot and high-speed storage for hard drives

WD has unveiled two key directions for hard drive development: next-generation high-speed storage and its proprietary Dual Pivot technology. This design features two independently controlled actuators housed within a standard 3.5-inch chassis on separate pivots. The approach doubles sequential data input/output speeds compared to traditional HDDs, all without sacrificing usable capacity or requiring software modifications.

Dual Pivot works alongside High Bandwidth Drive technology, which enables parallel reading and writing with multiple heads on different tracks. WD estimates this already doubles bandwidth, with potential for up to eightfold growth in the future. Together, these technologies could increase sequential performance by up to four times as drive capacities expand.

The company also outlined long-term scaling targets: up to 10TB per disk and 14 disks per drive. Theoretically, this opens the door to capacities around 140TB, though WD emphasizes this is more of an engineering limit than a specific product plan. Meanwhile, 40TB HDDs with UltraSMR ePMR technology are already undergoing testing with major clients, with mass production expected in the second half of 2026.

By 2029, WD still aims to reach the 100TB mark using HAMR—heat-assisted magnetic recording. To put that in perspective, such capacity could store the entire Call of Duty game series dozens of times over. While that might not have much practical use, as a benchmark for the data storage industry's future, the figure is certainly impressive.