A hard disk drive includes a spindle motor flex circuit having a connection end secured to a drive base at a location established by a reference feature and an actuator flex circuit having a connection end also secured to the base at the location established by the feature; a cover and cover gasket mounted to the base plate enclose and seal a rotating data storage disk, a disk spindle motor, a magnet structure, a rotary actuator assembly and the flex circuits except for the spindle motor connection end and the actuator connection end; and, a printed circuit board carrying drive electronics has a connector array of pressure pins aligned to contact facing connecting pads of the flex circuits, the connector array having an alignment pin for registering with the reference feature of the base plate as the printed circuit board is mounted to the base plate externally of the cover, thereby establishing electrical connections between the printed circuit board and the flex circuit connection pads. This arrangement results in an in-line circuit board and a low-profile disk drive, lending itself to simplified assembly by manufacturing robots.