LTO-10 tape: the biggest leap in LTO capacity yet
LTO-10 tape is the tenth generation of LTO Ultrium and the highest-capacity LTO tape ever made. A standard LTO-10 cartridge stores 30 TB native (up to 75 TB compressed) — 66% more than LTO-9. The newer LTO-10 40 TB cartridge raises that to 40 TB native and up to 100 TB compressed in the same-sized cartridge.
For organisations storing AI training data, video, research data, surveillance footage and multi-year backups, LTO-10 tape delivers the lowest cost per terabyte and the smallest footprint per petabyte of any LTO generation.
Important: LTO-10 drives read and write LTO-10 cartridges only — there is no backward compatibility with LTO-9 or earlier. If you need to restore older tapes, keep an LTO-9 drive or run a partitioned library with both generations.
LTO-10 tape specifications
| Specification | LTO-10 (30 TB) | LTO-10 40 TB cartridge |
|---|---|---|
| Native capacity | 30 TB | 40 TB |
| Compressed capacity (2.5:1) | 75 TB | 100 TB |
| Native transfer rate | 400 MB/s (≈1.44 TB/hour) | 400 MB/s |
| Compressed transfer rate | Up to 1,200 MB/s (32Gb FC drives) | Up to 1,200 MB/s (32Gb FC drives) |
| Encryption | Hardware AES-256 | Hardware AES-256 |
| WORM | Yes | Ask for availability |
| LTFS & partitioning | Yes | Yes |
| Drive compatibility | LTO-10 drives only | LTO-10 drives (firmware dependent) |
| Archive life | Up to 30 years | Up to 30 years |
| Cartridge size | 102.0 × 105.4 × 21.5 mm | 102.0 × 105.4 × 21.5 mm |
LTO-10 tape part numbers
We supply LTO-10 Ultrium data cartridges from the leading manufacturers. Click Quote to request pricing on any line, or ask for mixed-brand and pre-labelled library packs.
| Brand | Product | Part number | Capacity (native / compressed) | Quote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fujifilm | LTO-10 Ultrium data cartridge | 16944686 | 30 TB / 75 TB | Quote |
| Quantum | LTO-10 Ultrium data cartridge | MR-L10MQN-01 | 30 TB / 75 TB | Quote |
| HPE / IBM / Sony | LTO-10 Ultrium data cartridge | Ask for current part numbers | 30 TB / 75 TB | Quote |
| All brands | LTO-10 40 TB cartridge | Ask for availability | 40 TB / 100 TB | Quote |
All media supplied new and sealed. Single cartridges, 5-packs, 20-packs and pre-labelled library packs available — ask for volume pricing.
Why upgrade to LTO-10 tape?
- 66% more capacity than LTO-9 — and more than double with the 40 TB cartridge — so you need fewer cartridges, fewer library slots and less floor space.
- Lower cost per terabyte at scale, especially in tape libraries where slots and frames are a major cost.
- Faster restores — LTO-10 drives deliver up to 1,200 MB/s compressed and faster file access.
- Ransomware resilience — offline, air-gapped cartridges with AES-256 encryption and WORM options.
- Sustainable — tapes draw no power at rest, cutting energy and cooling costs compared with disk.
LTO-10 vs LTO-9 tape
| LTO-10 | LTO-9 | |
|---|---|---|
| Native capacity | 30 TB / 40 TB | 18 TB |
| Compressed capacity | 75 TB / 100 TB | 45 TB |
| Native speed | 400 MB/s | 400 MB/s |
| Backward compatibility | None | Reads & writes LTO-8 |
| Best for | New archives, large libraries, lowest £/TB | Mixed estates with LTO-8 tapes |
Still deciding? Read about LTO-9 tape or call us to talk it through.
LTO-10 tape drives, autoloaders and libraries
LTO-10 tape needs an LTO-10 drive. We supply LTO-10 tape drives (internal, external and rack-mount), LTO-10 autoloaders and LTO-10 tape libraries including the Qualstar Q24 and Q80, Quantum Scalar and Spectra Logic ranges. An 80-slot library holds 2.4 PB native with 30 TB LTO-10 tape, or 3.2 PB with 40 TB cartridges.
LTO-10 tape FAQ
What is the capacity of LTO-10 tape?
A standard LTO-10 cartridge stores 30 TB native and up to 75 TB compressed (2.5:1). The newer LTO-10 40 TB cartridge stores 40 TB native and up to 100 TB compressed, using a thinner Aramid base film to fit more tape in the same shell.
Is LTO-10 backward compatible with LTO-9?
No. LTO-10 drives read and write LTO-10 cartridges only. If you need to restore from LTO-9 or LTO-8 tapes you will need to keep an LTO-9 drive, or run a mixed library with separate LTO-9 and LTO-10 partitions.
Will the 40 TB LTO-10 cartridge work in my LTO-10 drive?
The 40 TB cartridge is designed for the same LTO-10 drives as the 30 TB cartridge. Some drives may need a firmware update to recognise the new media — we will confirm compatibility for your specific drive or library when you request a quote.
How fast is LTO-10?
LTO-10 drives transfer up to 400 MB/s native — roughly 1.44 TB per hour per drive — and up to 1,200 MB/s with compressible data on 32Gb Fibre Channel drives. SAS drives typically top out a little lower.
Is LTO-10 secure against ransomware?
Yes. LTO-10 supports hardware AES-256 encryption, WORM (write once, read many) cartridges and, crucially, true air-gap protection: a cartridge removed from the drive is offline and cannot be reached by malware over the network.
Get an LTO-10 tape quote
Single cartridges to full library loads — same-day quotes with pre-printed barcode labels available.