Introduction of HelioSeal technology minimizing internal resistance with hemium
8-type disk design, 12TB capacity achieved based on vertical magnetic recording technology

Western Digital begins full-scale shipments of the HGST brand's fourth-generation helium-based enterprise-class HDD, the 'Ultrastar He12' 12TB.

The Ultrastar He12 is a next-generation, high-capacity enterprise-class HDD featuring Western Digital's patented HelioSeal process, serving as a data storage solution optimized for the demanding performance requirements of modern enterprise, cloud, and hyperscale workloads.

In addition, it achieves a large capacity of 12TB based on an 8-disk design in a standard 3.5-inch form factor and Perpendicular Magnetic Recording (PMR) technology.

Implementing the Ultrastar He12 can reduce infrastructure costs required for data storage. Additionally, Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) can be reduced by deploying massive storage systems with a low-power design that does not degrade performance.



Western Digital maximized capacity and power efficiency with the HelioSeal process. It is a technology that minimizes internal resistance using helium, which has 1/7 the density of air, enabling the use of thinner discs while ensuring a stable recording interface.

In addition, it features Western Digital's 'Advanced Format' technology, which significantly improves the bit density per inch of the platter compared to previous generations of hard disks, and is available in two interfaces: SATA or SAS.

Mark Grace, Senior Vice President of Devices at Western Digital, stated, “The Ultrastar He12 raises the performance standards of enterprise storage to the next level by enabling maximum capacity expansion and outstanding power efficiency through HelioSeal technology,” adding, “Western Digital’s helium-based HDDs, with over 15 million units shipped to date, provide exceptional reliability and Quality of Service (QoS) to meet the rapidly changing performance requirements of data centers.”