To help us provide you with free impartial advice, we may earn a commission if you buy through links on our site. Learn more
It’s often difficult to find replacement hard disks for an ultra-portable laptop or netbook, as most 2.5in disks are still too large to fit inside such compact systems. Anyone looking to upgrade should consider the slim Hitachi Travelstar Z7K320, as its 7mm profile should fit even the smallest of laptops.
Understandably for such a slim disk, the Z7K320 has a relatively small capacity. At only 7mm thick, there isn’t room for a second disk platter, so Hitachi has opted to use the largest single platter it currently produces. 320GB might seem small in comparison to the 750GB and 1TB laptop hard disks from other manufacturers, but this is still a big step up from the 160GB disk that’s likely to have come with your netbook.
On first inspection, the Travelstar Z7K320 looks aimed squarely at netbook and ultra-portable laptop owners, and it’s a great choice for them. However, anyone on a budget should consider it for larger laptops as well. It’s a decent performer and a great budget replacement for an ageing 2.5in disk.
