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Technology Stocks : Disk Drive Sector Discussion Forum -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Sam who wrote (6562)	6/11/1999 1:54:00 AM
From: La Traguhs	Respond to of 9256

<<So why wouldn't a one platter 6.8g drive be more attractive to an OEM and a user than a 3.2 or 4.3 drive, presuming (as I do) that they cost pretty much the same?>> But they don't! Heads and media just cost more for the leading edge GMR 6.8GB/platter product than compared to the lagging edge AMR 3.2 and 4.3 GB/platter stuff - so they just don't compete on component costs alone. Everyone is also paying a yield price (in varying degrees) as they learn to handle the ESD issues associated with the transition to GMR. The component cost delta (between 4.3 and 6.8 components) will naturally reduce as the 6.8GB/platter products get into volume ramps. But the ramps for the higher areal density product will only occur if the capacity demand is there. Many continue to argue (as I do) that the present mainstream, high volume capacity point is still below 6 GB, and seems to be moving up much slower than it has in the recent past. I haven't seem any sub-$1000 PCs using 6.8GB drives - yet. Regards, LT