- Buffalo Skeleton Hard Disk turns file storage into living, moving art
- Want to see your data being read in real-time? This drive delivers it visually
- Not just storage, it’s a show – only 50 units available
To mark its 50th anniversary, Buffalo has introduced a special edition external HDD dubbed the Skeleton Hard Disk (HD-SKL). This drive reimagines the company’s 1998 skeleton model and offers a rare peek into a hard drive in action – something even the best SSD options can’t provide.
Through its transparent window, users can watch the magnetic head move as it reads and writes data, enhanced by a companion Windows app called “SeekWizard.”
The software allows the drive to perform demonstration seek patterns – such as sequential and random seeks – transforming the HDD into a visual showcase of mechanical data retrieval.
A special edition to bring back memories
Founded in 1975 by Makoto Maki, Buffalo is celebrating its evolution from an audio-focused firm to a major player in PC peripherals. Its original Skeleton Hard Disk, released in 1998, had a 4.3GB capacity and featured a transparent cover.
The 2025 special edition is limited to just 50 units, and while the design nods to nostalgia, the HD-SKL features a high-end aluminum chassis, precisely milled and anodized in matte black, echoing the style of the 3533 yarn drive player Buffalo launched in the late 1970s.
Inside, the HD-SKL offers 4TB of storage and connects via USB 3.2 Gen 1, with backward compatibility down to USB 2.0. It also supports the Micro-B port.
The drive comes preformatted in exFAT for broad operating system support, though USB-C users will need to supply their own adapter.
Weighing around 1.5kg and measuring 126 × 185 × 115 mm, it’s bulkier than today’s sleek portable SSDs – but its appeal is clearly different.
The product is scheduled to ship in June 2025 for at 100,000 yen (about $688) following a lottery-based sale ending May 25.
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