Pretty much ever computer component increases in speed over a short period of time, but hard drives haven’t seen the same sort of speed increases as RAM, CPU’s or even at the rate that the storage capacity on hard drives is expanding.

Western Digital has released a new hard drive technology nicknamed VelociRaptor that is upwards of 35% faster than previous Raptor technology.

The hard drive spins at 10,000 RPM and features a 3Gbps SATA interface, 16MB cache, and comes with an IcePack Mounting Frame to keep the drive spinning cool.

It will be available exclusively to Alienware’s ALX gaming computers sometime this month, and then separately in your favourite computer stores starting the middle of may. Expect it to retail for around $300 USD.

Will this be enough to hold off the advances in SSD hard drive technology, or are hard drives as we know them doomed?