KLEVV at its Computex 2019 booth unveiled a new line of high-performance USB flash drives. It also brought along its latest variants of CRAS series M.2 NVMe SSDs and DDR4 memory, which come with a dazzling/blinding (take your pick) amount of RGB LED embellishment. We begin with the Portable Ghost, branded as a "portable SSD" and not a flash-drive. This is because the USB 3.1 gen 2 type-C connection pulls a PCIe/NVMe internal SSD. When plugged into a PC or a USB charger, the drive can also work as a wireless drive to your other devices over Bluetooth 4.2. The drive comes in two variants based on capacity, which significantly differ in hardware. The 240 GB variant is pulled by a JMicron JM5583 controller, while the 480 GB variant has a Silicon Motion SM2263EN. Both models use 72-layer 3D TLC NAND flash, and have the same on-paper performance figures, with up to 1,250 MB/s reads/writes. The drive isn't without two RGB LED diffusers.

The Blu RC30 is another fascinating, albeit slower drive, that's properly marketed as a flash drive. Built in the conventional 2-piece capped form-factor, the drive features a USB 3.1 gen 1 (5 Gbps) type-A connection. An internal battery which soaks up power when plugged in, lets the drive function wireless over Bluetooth 4.2, and also be used as a wireless presentation tool (a clicker), with capacitive touch surface and a couple of buttons, which imitate a mouse. Built in capacities of 32 GB, 64 GB, and 128 GB, the Blu RC30 offers sequential transfer-rates of up to 250 MB/s reads on all three models, and write-speeds rated at 40 MB/s for the 32 GB model, 50 MB/s for 64 GB, and 90 MB/s for the 128 GB model. Transfer rates are severely throttled in wireless mode. We then moved on to its SSD and memory products.

MyDigitalSSD is out with a relatively ingenious solution for users looking to get the best portable, external SSD performance available. Their new M2X external M.2 enclosure will allow users to create an external storage solution via a DIY kit. The M2X is built on JMicron's JMS583 USB 3.1 Gen 2 to PCIe 3.1 x2 bridge chip (meaning that a PCIe 2x NVMe will be sufficient in maxing out available performance), will only be limited by USB 3.1 Gen 2's 1GB/s throughput. The DIY assembly packs a thermal pad and the enclosure, as well as USB Type-C and Type-A cables, and will be available from Amazon for $39.99 or through MyDigitalDiscount for $36.14.

FinalWire Ltd. today announced the immediate availability of AIDA64 Extreme 5.97 software, a streamlined diagnostic and benchmarking tool for home users; the immediate availability of AIDA64 Engineer 5.97 software, a professional diagnostic and benchmarking solution for corporate IT technicians and engineers; the immediate availability of AIDA64 Business 5.97 software, an essential network management solution for small and medium scale enterprises; and the immediate availability of AIDA64 Network Audit 5.97 software, a dedicated network audit toolset to collect and manage corporate network inventories.

The latest AIDA64 update implements 64-bit AVX-512 accelerated benchmarks, adds monitoring of sensor values on Asus ROG RGB LED motherboards and video cards, and supports the latest AMD and Intel CPU platforms as well as the new graphics and GPGPU computing technologies by both AMD and nVIDIA.DOWNLOAD: FinalWire AIDA64 v5.97

ADATA Technology, a leading manufacturer of high-performance DRAM modules and NAND Flash products, today launches the XPG SX930 2.5" SATA 6Gb/s Gaming SSD for professional gamers and overclockers. It comes with a JMicron controller and Enterprise-grade MLC plus NAND Flash, offering excellent performance and durability for gaming systems and workstations. Thanks to ADATA's exclusive pSLC Cache Technology and DDR3 DRAM Cache Buffer, the SX930 leads to victory when you're in a 3D battle with highly-improved efficiency.

Featuring Enterprise-grade MLC plus NAND flash, the XPG SX930 outperforms other SSDs with excellent durability. It is not only suitable for gaming systems, but also ideal for workstations, which require long-term and stable operation. By applying JMicron controllers, the sequential read/write speed of SX930 is up to 560/460 MB/s, and it's available in 120GB, 240GB and 480GB. In addition, the SX930 is equipped with the innovative and exclusive "pSLC Cache Technology" by ADATA, which can effectively enhance the data transfer speed for the ultimate performance to meet professional gamers' demands.

ADATA Technology, a leading manufacturer of high-performance DRAM modules and NAND Flash products, today launches thePremier SP600NS34 M.2 2242SATA 6Gb/s SSD for Ultrabooks and desktop PCs. To meet the latest platform and users' expectations, "slimmer, faster, and power-saving", ADATA's Premier SP600NS34 features multiple functions to enhance efficiency, such as DEVSLP, BCH ECC technology, and Intel Smart Response Technology. If you are seeking a new solution to upgrade your Ultrabook, the Premier SP600NS34 will be a great choice with the best cost-performance ratio.

The Premier SP600NS34 comes in capacities of 128GB and 256GB, and adopts the smallest SSD form factor - M.2 2242, with measurements of only 22 x 42 x 3.5mm. However, the compact size does not sacrifice performance - with the JMicron controller, the sequential read speed of SP600NS34 is up to 550MB/s, and the maximum 4K random read/write performance is up to 75K/77K IOPS. The Premier SP600NS34 supports DEVSLP (Device Sleep) technology, helping to consume less power than traditional idle and prolonging the battery life at the same time.

ADATA unveiled its new high-performance 2.5-inch SATA SSD, the XPG SX930. Based on a JMicron-made controller, wired to 19 nm MLC NAND flash, the drive comes in capacities of 120 GB, 240 GB, and 480 GB; with sequential transfer rates of up to 565 MB/s reads, with up to 465 MB/s writes; and 4K random access performance of up to 80,000 IOPS reads with up to 70,000 IOPS writes. Built in the 7 mm-thick 2.5-inch form-factor, with SATA 6 Gb/s interface, the drive supports modern SSD features, such as TRIM and NCQ. The company didn't disclose pricing, but mentioned that the drive will come with 5-year warranties.

Japanese company Green House Inc. today announced its latest, industrial-grade storage offering, the GH-CFS-NMB series CF 2.0 memory cards. Going from 4 GB to 64 GB, these cards feature MLC NAND Flash chips, a JMicron controller, ECC, bad block management, and are able to operate at 0 to 70 degrees Celsius.

The 4 GB model is the slowest, offering read/write speeds of 107/11 MB/s, while the 8 GB tops 132/21 MB/s, the 16 GB 256/39 MB/s, the 32 GB 312/85 MB/s and the 64 GB 312/153 MB/s. All five cards are backed by a three-year warranty.

Galaxy unveiled its Captain line of mSATA and M.2 SSDs. Both the Captain-mSATA and the Captain-MAC (M.2) are based on a JMicron-made controller, with Intel-made MLC NAND flash. Both the Captain-mSATA and Captain-MAC come in capacities of up to 256 GB, offering sequential speeds of up to 520 MB/s reads, with up to 275 MB/s writes. Their 4K random read performance is rated at 72,000 IOPS, and 4K random writes at 70,000 IOPS. It's important to note here, that the Captain-MAC may feature an NGFF interface, but runs on a SATA 6 Gb/s link layer. It's one of the many examples of M.2 SSDs that have crept into the industry, with such an interface.

In the swarming SSD market, what better way to blast your way from obscurity to worldwide attention, than launching a ludicrously fast SSD? KingSpec unveiled the MC2J677M1T, a PCI-Express SSD that's tested to be capable of sequential speeds as high as 2.5 GB/s (gigabytes per second). Pictured below, the drive is an almost full-height add-on card with PCI-Express 2.0 x8 bus interface. The card seats a high performance SATA 6 Gb/s RAID controller by LSI (under that fan-heatsink), which is wired to eight mSATA 6 Gb/s ports, holding the eight sub-units.

The eight mSATA SSD sub-units on the MC2J677M1T each hold 120 GB of data (totaling 960 GB). Each sub-unit runs a JMicron-made controller, Intel-made MLC NAND flash, and Nanya-made DRAM cache. The LSI RAID controller is designed to be plug-and-play, i.e., the drive is bootable, and you won't need an F6 driver during Windows installation to detect the drive. A quick ATTO benchmark run by TheSSDReview, which has one of these drives, yielded sequential read speeds well past 2,500 MB/s.

ADATA Technology, a leading manufacturer of high-performance DRAM modules and NAND Flash storage application products, today announced the launch of the Premier Pro SP310 mSATA solid state drive. Targeting consumers who are looking for a cost-effective upgrade to the SATA III specification, the SP310 supports Intel Smart Re4sponse Technology (SRT), which permits for the use of an mSATA SSD as a cache drive in conjunction with a traditional hard disk. This hybrid configuration delivers speeds comparable to systems with SSDs as primary drive.

The Premier Pro SP310 offers read and write speeds up to 410 MB/s and 180 MB/s respectively, with maximum 4K random write of 45,000 IOPS. Capacities of, 32, 64, and 128 gigabytes provide greater flexibility for system builders, in that the SP310 can be either a cache drive in a hybrid configuration, or primary storage (boot drive). In either setup, the improvements in booting and file loading speed are remarkable for such a low investment.

Transcend Information, Inc., a leading manufacturer of industrial-grade products, today announced the addition of the SSD740 2.5" SATA III 6Gb/s solid state drive (SSD) to its industrial SSD product line. Combining cutting-edge SATA III technology with a number of performance and reliability features, the SSD740 is the ultimate SSD upgrade solution - especially for devices equipped with modern processors running more advanced operating systems, such as Ultrabooks, Industrial PCs and notebooks, gaming systems, and handheld appliances.

Transcend's SSD740 SSD takes advantage of the next-generation SATA III 6 Gb/s interface, DDR3 DRAM cache, and an advanced JMicron JMF667H controller to achieve extremely fast transfer speeds of up to 530 MB/s read and 470 MB/s write. Essential for handling incompressible data, such as videos, music, and images, the SSD740 also delivers impressive 4K random read/write speeds of up to 283/267 MB per second. Full support of the TRIM command, which automatically removes deleted data permanently, and Native Command Queuing (NCQ), which optimizes the order in which received read and write commands are executed, allow the SSD740 to sustain an incredibly high level of performance while enhancing SSD durability and efficiency.

Known more for its graphics cards, Galaxy has an SSD lineup, with which it targets the Greater China region. It rolled out the Thunder GT 128 Pro, a 128 gigabyte SSD in the 2.5-inch form-factor, with SATA 6 Gb/s interface. The drive utilizes Toshiba-made Toggle-NAND flash, JMicron JMF667H processor, and an unknown amount of DRAM cache. The drive offers sequential transfer rates as high as 480 MB/s reads, 300 MB/s writes, 70,000 IOPS QD64 reads, and 58,000 IOPS QD64 writes. Available in China from later this month, the Galaxy Thunder GT 128 Pro is priced at 799¥ (US $128).

Super Talent Technology, a leading manufacturer of flash storage solutions and DRAM memory modules, announces its USB 3.0 Express RC4 has been certified for usage with Windows To Go, a new feature of Microsoft's Windows 8 Enterprise edition. The RC4 is SuperTalent's second drive to be certified to date. Windows To Go enables enterprises to provision a full corporate image on an external USB drive which users can boot and operate from almost any PC. SuperTalent plans to continue to work with firms to unveil its "hardware secure" version in the near future.

Certified through the Windows 8 Hardware certification kit, Super Talent's RC4 is one of the world's top USB 3.0 drives with SSD technology; it provides high random read/write speed capabilities and reports itself as fixed media. Super Talent's RC4 meets and surpasses many of the performance requirements of Windows To Go certified drives.

ADATA announced a new line of affordable client SSDs, the Premier Pro SP600 series. Built in the 9.5 mm-thick 2.5-inch form-factor, the drives take advantage of SATA 6 Gb/s interface. Available in 32 GB, 64 GB, and 128 GB capacities, the Premier Pro SP600 series is driven by JMicron JMF661 processor, and features 20 nm-class MLC NAND flash memory. The drives offer sequential read speeds of up to 360 MB/s, and up to 130 MB/s writes. Random access performance numbers provided to us include 40,000 IOPS 4K random reads, and 30,000 IOPS 4K random writes. The drives pack most common client SSD features, including TRIM, NCQ, and 40 b/KB ECC. The 32 GB, 64 GB, and 128 GB variants are priced at US $49.99, $69.99, and $99.99, respectively.

Foxconn's latest premium gamer-overclocker segment motherboard, the Quantum Force X79, has finally taken shape. Foxconn's Quantum Force motherboards are designed to offer good overclocking features at a great value. The Quantum Force X79 uses a 14-phase VRM to power the LGA2011 "Sandy Bridge-E" processor, plus a 2-phase VRM for the memory. There are four DDR3 DIMM slots, one per memory channel. Expansion slots include three PCI-Express 3.0 x16 (PCI-E1_x16, PCI-E3_x16, and PCI-E4_x16. The second black slot (PCI-E2_x16) is electrical PCI-Express 2.0 x8.

The board is packed with features that help overclockers, starting with triple redundant BIOS, voltage measurement points for manual voltage measurements (with a wide range of voltage domains), manual overclocking buttons on board, power, reset, clear-CMOS buttons, POST speaker, and plenty of fan headers.

ASUS is ready with a new PCI-Express 3.0 compliant socket LGA1155 motherboard, adding to its recently-launched line of Intel Z68 chipset-based boards that feature Gen 3.0 PCI-Express x16 slots. This latest one is part of the elite Republic of Gamers (ROG) family, and is built on the compact micro-ATX form factor, called Maximus IV Gene-Z/Gen 3. This is the second modification of the Maximus IV Gene, the original was based on Intel P67 chipset, the Gene-Z replaced the chipset with Intel Z68 that supports Smart Response technology, while the Gene-Z/Gen 3 adds PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slots.

The board uses a 12-phase Digi+ VRM for the CPU, it is wired to four DDR3 DIMM slots supporting DRAM speeds of up to DDR3-2200 MHz with overclocking. The socket is wired to two PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slots over Gen 3 compliant switches and electrical components, the slots configure to PCI-Express 3.0 x8/x8 when both are populated. PCI-Express Gen 3 support requires next-generation 22 nm Ivy Bridge Core processors, which will be launched next year. The only other expansion slot is an open-ended PCI-Express 2.0 x4, wired to the Z68 PCH. NVIDIA SLI and AMD CrossFire are supported.

Gigabyte unveiled a new socket AM3+ motherboard targeting a price-point sweetspot, the 990FXA-UD3 1.2. The board is based on the AMD 990FX + SB950 chipset, and supports the upcoming AMD FX processors apart from socket AM3 processors in the Phenom II and Athlon II series. As a new revision, the board supports AMD FX processors out of the box. The AM3+ socket is powered by an 8+2 phase VRM. The board is constructed according to the UltraDurable 3 Classic specifications, with 2 oz copper-layer PCB, 50,000+ hours capacitor durability, and DualBIOS. The socket is wired to four DDR3 DIMM slots supporting dual-channel DDR3-2000 MHz memory with overclocking.

There are four PCI-Express x16 slots on this board, however, only two of them are wired to the AMD 990FX northbridge, both run at full PCI-Express 2.0 x16 bandwidth at all times. The other two are electrical PCI-Express x4, wired to the SB950 southbridge. The board supports both NVIDIA SLI and AMD CrossFireX, though it's likely that it will ship with just the 2-way SLI bridge cable.

Intel's Smart Response technology is doing wonders to the low-cost SSD market. The technology lets low-capacity, usually low-cost SSDs to be used as caches for hard drives, improving the system's overall responsiveness. The technology makes these low-cost SSDs more of a component than a product (such as 2.5-inch SATA SSDs), and hence it makes sense to offer them in the mSATA form-factor. Intel made its headstart by launching the Intel 311 "Larson Creek" series 20 GB SSD that comes in both 2.5-inch SATA 3 Gb/s and mSATA form factors. While mSATA makes it easy to deploy the technology into notebooks, desktop motherboard vendors such as Gigabyte thought it would be nice to give their motherboards an mSATA slot.

Capitalizing on this very market is A-Data, with a couple of new low-cost mSATA SSDs in the ISFM series. First is the ISFM-XM13, an mSATA SSD driven by a SandForce SF-1200 series controller. Even with some of the controller's channels unoccupied (due to obvious lack of space to put NAND flash chips), this card doles out decent transfer rates of up to 250 MB/s read and 170 MB/s write. This card comes in capacities of 30 GB (32 GB with 2 GB overprovisioned) and 60 GB (64 GB with 4 GB overprovisioned). This card uses MLC NAND flash. Next up, is the ISFM-IXM01, that looks to be using a JMicron-made controller. The bigger difference here is the use of SLC NAND flash on one of its two variants, which traditionally offers higher rewrite cycles. The other variant uses MLC NAND flash. The SLC variant offers transfer rates of 90 MB/s read and 90 MB/s write, and comes in capacities of 2, 4, 8, and 16 GB. The MLC variant gives you 150 MB/s read, 120 MB/s write; and comes in capacities of 32, 64, and 128 GB.

FinalWire released the latest update to AIDA64, a comprehensive system information, diagnostic, and benchmarking suite for engineers and enthusiasts alike. Version 1.60 introduces a host of changes. To begin with support for AMD's Fusion "Ontario" and "Zacate" APUs was added, it was improved for Intel's "SandyBridge" processors. Tests in the benchmark suite which became 64-bit optimized since AIDA64's first release, is now optimized for the AVX SIMD instruction set. PCI-Express 3.0 controllers and devices are now supported. Support for new AMD Radeon HD 6000 series and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti GPUs was added. Lastly, support for AMD and JMicron storage controllers was improved.DOWNLOAD: FinalWire AIDA64 1.60 EXE Installer, ZIP Package

Flash memory and DRAM major Kingston Technology is reportedly seeking a stake in JMicron, a company that specializes in serial ATA connectivity products such as SATA host controllers and SSD NAND flash controllers. JMicron has been supplying Kingston with controller chips for its entry-level SSDs. JMicron will host a special investors meeting tomorrow to pass the company's proposal to raise new funds through a private placement.

In a segment seeing domination with companies such as Marvell and SandForce, JMicron has seen success in 2010 with its entry-level SSD controllers. Industry sources estimated that JMicron's SSD controller shipments for 2010 totaled more than one million units. Kingston accounted for over 30% to the output, the sources said. Kingston's partnership indicates that we will get to see more of Kingston's products feature JMicron controllers.

Super Talent expanded its high performance solid state drive (SSD) lineup by releasing to market a 480 GB variant of its UltraDrive MX series. The UltraDrive MX 480 GB is a 2.5-inch SATA 3 Gb/s SSD, driven by JMicron JMF616 controller, making use of MLC NAND flash memory chips. The drive can also serve as an external SSD using USB 2.0 interface. The drive provides transfer rates of 250 MB/s read and 180 MB/s write. The JMF616 controller makes use of a 64 MB cache, and supports the TRIM garbage-collection feature that helps sustain write performance over time. It is priced at around US $1,160.

Zalman made its entry into the solid state drive (SSD) business by unveiling two lines of SATA SSDs in the 2.5 inch form factor. It includes the value-oriented S-series, and the performance-oriented N-series. Available in 32 GB, 64 GB, and 128 GB, the S-series models make use of a JMicron controller with up to 260 MB/s of read speeds, and 60 MB/s writes for the 32 GB model, 120 MB/s writes for the 64 GB one, and 210 MB/s for the 128 GB one. The Zalman S-series 32 GB, 64 GB, and 128 GB SSDs are expected to be priced at US $99, $149, and $249, respectively. These drives do support the TRIM function.

The N-series SSDs make use of a SandForce SF-12xx controller, with sequential read speeds of up to 280 MB/s and 270 MB/s writes, consistent for both the 64 GB and 128 GB models. The N-series 64 GB model is priced at $169, and 128 GB model at $289.

Patriot Memory, a global pioneer in high-performance memory, NAND flash and computer technology, today announced the immediate availability of the Torqx TRB series of solid-state-drives (SSDs). The Torqx TRB series of SSD offer improved system responsiveness with quicker boot times and shorter application loading times over traditional hard disk drive storage solutions.

Patriot's Torqx TRB series, available in 32GB and 64GB capacities, is designed around the latest generation controller from JMicron: JMF616. With a controller level cache of 64MB DDR2, the Torqx TRB series provide stutter-free performance and offer speeds of up to 260MB/s Read and up to 115MB/s Write. To maintain performance integrity over the life of the drive, the Torqx TRB series SSDs include native support for the TRIM command in Microsoft Windows 7.

Super Talent Technology, a leading manufacturer of Flash storage solutions and DRAM memory modules, today announced the new "UltraDrive MX SSD". The UltraDrive MX features a new dual-interface for both SATA II and mini-USB connections. The new dual-interface enables this SSD to offer a new level of flexibility and consumer convenience by enabling the customer to use this drive as either an internal SSD or an external SSD.

For customers thinking about upgrading their PC or notebook to a Solid State Disk, the dual-interface UltraDrive MX is a dream come true. Customers can first utilize the USB connector to create an image of their existing internal hard drive. Once complete, the drives can be swapped and the PC rebooted. In the past, creating such an image required an external hard disk enclosure. Now this operation can be completed, faster, easier and with less expense.

ADATA Technology Co., Ltd., the worldwide leader in DRAM memory and Flash application products, today introduced S596 Turbo, the first Solid State Drive (SSD) using JMicron JMF616 controller. Not only has the speed of S596 promoted, the stability has also strengthened. The ADATA S596 Turbo leads the SSD industry into a whole new era.

In terms of the interface, the ADATA S596 Turbo equips SATA II and mini-USB dual interface, providing greater convenience and flexibility. The SSD can be used either as an external portable storage, or as an installed disk in laptop. Furthermore, with a 3.5" converter, the S596 Turbo can be installed in desktop PC. The brushed aluminum chassis of the S596 Turbo is designed for fast heat dissipation, while bringing impressive elegant demeanor.