Differential head integrated touchdown sensors for hard disk drives

A method and system for providing a disk drive is described. The disk drive includes media such as one or more disks, a slider, and a head residing on the slider. The head has an air-bearing surface (ABS), a portion of which contacts the media during touchdown. The head further includes a plurality of touchdown sensors. A first touchdown sensor is proximate to the ABS, while a second touchdown sensor is distal from the ABS. The touchdown sensors are capable of detecting a temperature change of 0.1 degree Celsius or, in some embodiments, smaller.