The Deskstar 7K1000 is given high marks by major French publications including ODI (Officiel de la Distribution Informatique), SVM and Pulse ARTS.

PARIS – June 25, 2007 – Hitachi Global Storage Technologies today announced its Deskstar 7K1000 hard drive has been called “the best hard drive of the moment” by SVM magazine, “flawless throughout” by Officiel de la Distribution Informatique (ODI), and “the star of the moment” by the online magazine Pulse ARTS. A first in the history of the hard drive industry, the Deskstar 7K1000 has reached the symbolic threshold of 1 terabyte (1,000 GB), long considered by many to be a sort of Shangri-la.

The editors of SVM, the leading digital technology newsmagazine, assert that Hitachi’s hard drive is “an exceptional hard drive due to its stunning storage capacity, its high performance, and its very low noise levels.” “Noise? It’s so low that you almost have to put your ear right up to the hard drive to hear it working.” The scores awarded by SVM’s lab were final, with a 5/5 for capacity and transfer rates and a 3.5/5 for access times.

For their part, the editors of ODI, the IT distribution specialist, have also fallen under the unit’s spell: “its performance inspires undisputable respect; thus, the 7K1000’s burst rate reaches 268.7 Mb/s.” They added, “the 7K1000 not only offers an enormous capacity, but it also really whizzes along. Plus, not wanting to spoil anything, Hitachi has even aggressively priced this model.”

The editors of Pulse ARTS, an online magazine dedicated to the world of graphic arts, have gone over the hard drive with a fine-toothed comb and have been filled with wonder: “during standard use, Hitachi’s hard drive is definitely a must. This becomes especially clear when copying files or running demanding applications.”

The spearhead of Hitachi’s Deskstar range has not only set the current capacity record but has also embedded the best in technology. Indeed, it features all the latest technologies developed and perfected by the manufacturer. For example, the 7K1000 has embedded “Acoustic Damping Plates,” which are responsible for dramatically reducing the vibrations generated by the rotation of the five platters, as well as the “Ramp Load” process, which, if the hard drive should fall, releases and unsticks the 10 read heads on the platters to prevent them from any damage during the impact.

Hitachi’s terabyte hard drive comes in three versions for differing applications: in addition to 1TB capacity, the Deskstar 7K1000 also comes in a 750GB capacity; the Ultrastar A7K1000, for lower duty cycle enterprise applications, features 1TB, 750GB and 500GB capacities and finally, the CinemaStar version intended for digital video recorders is available with 1TB and 750GB capacities.

The key to this success? The know-how accumulated by the manufacturer – a leading specialist in internal storage solutions combined with perpendicular recording technology. This technology means that data are not recorded horizontally, but vertically in the depth axis. “A technology that increases storage capacity by staggering amounts: Hitachi is already planning to launch 2 terabyte (2,000 GB) hard drives in 2009!” SVM concluded.

The Deskstar 7K1000 is available for 399€.

About Hitachi Global Storage Technologies
Hitachi Global Storage Technologies develops advanced hard disk drives to store and preserve the world’s valued data. Founded by the pioneers of hard drives, Hitachi enables users to fully engage in the digital lifestyle by providing high-value, high-capacity storage in formats suitable for the office, in the home or on the road. With vertically-integrated research, design and manufacturing capabilities, Hitachi delivers leadership technology and quality to its global customer-base.

With approximately 33,000 employees worldwide, Hitachi offers a comprehensive range of hard drive products for desktop computers, high-performance storage systems and servers, notebooks and consumer devices. For more information, please visit the company’s Web site at www.hitachigst.com.

About Hitachi, Ltd.
Hitachi, Ltd., (NYSE: HIT / TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a leading global electronics company with approximately 384,000 employees worldwide. Fiscal 2006 (ended March 31, 2007) consolidated revenues totaled 10,247 billion yen ($86.8 billion). The company offers a wide range of systems, products and services in market sectors including information systems, electronic devices, power and industrial systems, consumer products, materials and financial services. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's website at http://www.hitachi.com.