From 20 MB to 2 TB HDD

I purchased my first computer, a 386 DX in 1993 with a 20 MB HDD and I felt elevated on my prized possession as just a few years before the XT computers of those days did not have a storage device. The XT computers only had two slots for 5.5” floppy discs – one for program disc and the other for saving data. So when I had a 20 MB HDD, it felt good as now my computer could run the Windows 3.1 and save data inside rather than on an external source.

Today times have changed. My sons laugh at me for having just 20 MB HDD as today their desktops are laced with 2 TB HDD. Can you imagine the change and the immensity of storage capacity? For your information 2 terabyte is 2000000000000 bytes, or 2 trillion bytes, or 2000 gigabytes. However, there is a caution here as the real capacity of a 2 TB HDD would actually be 1.82 TB or 1,863 GB. 

And what is more is that the 2 TB HDD has the same size, runs at 72,000 RPM and yet consumes 36% less power. One of the HDD manufacturing companies claims that their 2 TB HDD would consume 70% less power than an earlier version of 1 TB HDD. These drives are called green models as these rotate at lower speeds in order to save energy, thus produce less noise and heat.

It won’t be days when we will see USBs of this storage capacity and you can well imagine what would be the HDD storage capacity then.