How much would you pay for a 26TB hard drive? While solid-state drives lead the pack in terms of speed and reliability, hard drives offer a ton of space in comparison. This makes them ideal for storing huge amounts of data, either as part of a main drive or a backup. Well, if you thought that HDDs have come to a head in the amount they can store, think again; Western Digital has just published a 26TB hard drive on Amazon, and it isn't cheap.

The Western Digital Red Pro 26TB is now on Amazon

In a press release by Western Digital, the company details all of the hard drives it's releasing. If you're interested in storage mediums, it makes for a good read, even if some of the stuff it describes probably isn't suited for home use. For example, WD is releasing a 208TB RAID array which I struggle to imagine I'd ever fill with a lifetime of data.

For us mere mortals, Western Digital has something a little more our speed. Right at the bottom of the press release is this nugget:

The introduction of the 26TB WD Red® Pro HDD is designed to address the growing storage demands of NAS environments by delivering enhanced performance, scalability, and reliability for high-intensity workloads in multi-bay, RAID-optimized systems. This new model offers a substantial storage capacity increase, providing scalable, durable solutions for businesses and creative professionals.

Rated for up to 550TB/year workloads and boasting an impressive 2.5M hours MTBF, it’s designed for 24/7 multi-user environments, supporting everything from creative workflows to enterprise-level NAS systems. Equipped with OptiNAND™ technology for improved data tracking and efficiency, the 26TB WD Red Pro HDD redefines data storage capabilities.

Sounds great! In fact, WD has already put the Red Pro HDD on Amazon, so you can grab one yourself. The bad news is...well, it's $569.99. Yeah, only those who really want the storage space need apply.

Still, I think this would make an excellent pick-up for someone who needs all that room. While I don't think the average person will fill it up with cat memes and wedding photos, I can imagine some hobbyists finding use for all those terabytes. Here's hoping this drive can keep up with their demands.