Embodiments in accordance with the present invention reduce the height of a head gimbal assembly (HGA) while maintaining the rigidity of a load beam. According to one embodiment of the present invention, an HGA includes a slider, a flexure, and a load beam. The load beam includes a flange formed to protrude to the opposite side to a magnetic disk at the edge of the load beam extending in the length-wise direction. The load beam has a recessed portion opened to the side opposing the magnetic disk and having an opening area larger than the area of the back surface of the slider opposing the flexure. The slider is provided in the recessed portion so that the position of the surface of the load beam is between a virtual surface including the surface of the slider opposing the magnetic disk and a virtual surface including the slider back surface.