Other highlights include proven sixth-generation HDD technology, 1TB capacity, the industry's highest shock tolerance, a halogen-free design for an eco-friendly footprint, and low power consumption for sturdy unplugged notebook performance.

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Hybrid hard drives combine NAND flash and magnetic disks, simplifying storage-element integration for OEM customers and providing a host of end user benefits: superior performance, responsiveness, lower power consumption, greater operating shock tolerance, and data protection.

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While the swifter SATA drives will likely benchmark a bit better than the PATA counterparts, both versions sport perpendicular magnetic recording to prevent data corruption, as well as "industry leading free-fall sensors" that pack 700G of operating shock tolerance.

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Tipton, who conducts research on the human body's physiological and psychological response to adverse environments, found that it takes as few as five immersions in icy water for the body to develop a tolerance that can reduce the risk of cold-shock response by half.

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