Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) and Solid State Drives (SSDs) are among the most sought-after commodities in computing today, as the expansion of AI data centers consumes everything in its path. According to Seagate, Sandisk, and Western Digital, demand is so high that customers are signing long-term supply agreements lasting up to five years. This duration is significant because customers are now planning their contracts around demand expansion, which is not only substantial but will also bring better balance to the supply chain. With customers driving steady demand, HDD and SSD manufacturers know exactly how much spinning rust or NAND Flash to produce to meet this demand. Over time, this is a positive development for a supply chain that will adapt with expanding production capacity. However, it poses a short-term challenge for PC gamers.

For example, at the start of this year, we reported that HDD prices have soared by an average of 46% since mid-September. These changes have made spinning rust an expensive commodity, but this is minor compared to NAND Flash prices, which have increased 500% in just a few months. The expansion of AI data centers has depleted any remaining inventory of HDDs and SSDs, leaving the consumer PC market to compete for the few remaining units available for gaming PCs. Interestingly, HDDs contain almost no silicon for storage purposes, so their significant price increases are a supply chain issue unrelated to the semiconductor industry. Apart from the controllers that use silicon, HDD platters are made from materials that are not currently in short supply. However, high demand keeps their prices elevated.

Samsung Electronics today announced the release of its latest external storage device, the T7 Resurrected Portable Solid State Drive (PSSD), special addition to the company's Portable SSD family. With the same performance compared to the previous T7 model, the new PSSD delivers high-speed storage options and demonstrates a responsible approach to material use.

Responsibility at Its Core
Unlike previous portable SSD lineups, the T7 Resurrected features a unique body case design crafted from 100% recycled aluminium certified by TÜV Rheinland. The body case of the T7 Resurrected, fabricated from aluminium discarded generated during the production of Samsung Galaxy mobile devices, encourages the cross-division circulation of resources. By eliminating the coloring process, the product showcases the natural luster of aluminium while minimizing chemical use and streamlining its manufacturing process. Furthermore, the packaging design utilizes 100% recycled paper and ASA-certified soy ink, underscoring Samsung's ongoing efforts toward responsible manufacturing practices. Thanks to these efforts, the T7 Resurrected won the 2026 CES Innovation Award in the Sustainability & Energy category.

PNY announced the addition of the CS3250 M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen 5 x4 SSD to its lineup of solid-state drives. The CS3250 pushes the limits of storage technology with ultra-fast NVMe PCIe Gen 5 x4 performance. With sequential read speeds of up to 14,900 MB/s and write speeds up to 14,000 MB/s, it delivers the speed and responsiveness required for today's most demanding workloads. Designed for AI developers, gamers, content creators, and performance-driven professionals, the CS3250 sets a new benchmark for high-end computing.

Enhanced Computing
Built for the future of computing, the CS3250 harnesses next-gen NVMe PCIe Gen 5 x4 technology to deliver next-level performance, making it the ultimate solution for powering AI image generation, AAA titles, and demanding workloads. Whether you are pushing the limits of creativity or performance, the CS3250 ensures lightning-fast load times, seamless multitasking, and unbeatable responsiveness, empowering professionals and enthusiasts alike - raising the bar for premium storage solutions.

ADATA Technology, a global leader in memory modules and flash storage products, has announced a groundbreaking release from its high-performance gaming brand, XPG. Designed for esports elites, tech enthusiasts, and overclockers alike, the new SPECTRIX S65G RGB Gen 4 Solid State Drive (SSD) brings a new level of performance and aesthetics to the global gaming market.

According to research firms, demand for RGB-enabled gaming equipment in the consumer PC market has seen steady growth in recent years, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 10% from 2019 to 2024. Over the next five years, RGB accessory shipments are projected to maintain a CAGR of 8-10%, reflecting continued momentum in personalized and visually immersive gaming setups. In response, XPG has launched the SPECTRIX S65G, combining brilliant RGB illumination with blazing-fast 6,000/5,000 MB/s read/write speeds, creating the fastest RGB gaming SSD on the market. With its signature "X" design and brand spirit, it embodies the pursuit of performance and passion - ensuring your gaming rig never lacks a final, finishing touch.

PNY announced the addition of the CS2342 M.2 2230 NVMe PCIe Gen 4 x4 SSD to its lineup of solid-state drives. Boasting some of the fastest 2230 read and write speeds of up to 7,300/6,000 MB/s, and availability in 1 TB and 2 TB capacities, the CS2342 is an upgrade for gamers, creators, and enthusiasts. The new CS2342 is expected to hit retailers in late March.

Huge Capabilities in a Compact Size
PNY's CS2342 combines the compact M.2 2230 form factor with the NVMe PCIe Gen 4 x4 interface, delivering exceptional data transfer speeds for handheld gaming devices, desktops, and laptops. The CS2342 delivers lightning-fast read speeds of up to 7,300 MB/s and write speeds of up to 6,000 MB/s, with capacities of up to 2 TB, making it the perfect upgrade for any M.2 2230 compatible device. Whether you are storing more games, transferring files faster, or boosting your PC's storage capacity to hold more files and content creations - the CS2342 will take your device to its maximum potential.

PNY announced the addition of the CS2150 M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen 5 x4 SSD to its lineup of solid-state drives. The CS2150 leads the way in advanced storage technology, utilizing the NVMe PCIe Gen 5 x4 interface to achieve exceptional data transfer speeds. With sequential read speeds reaching up to 10,300 MB/s and write speeds up to 8,600 MB/s, this groundbreaking solution elevates computing performance to new heights. Perfect for professionals, tech enthusiasts, content creators, and anyone demanding top-tier storage performance, the CS2150 sets a new standard for speed and efficiency.

Enhanced Gameplay with Microsoft DirectStorage
PNY's CS2150 SSD harnesses the power of Microsoft DirectStorage, a revolutionary Windows 11 feature that accelerates game load times and enhances image quality. Combined with the legendary PNY XLR8 Gaming DDR5 DRAM and a high-performance graphics card like the PNY GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER 16 GB XLR8 Gaming VERTO EPIC-X RGB Overclocked Triple Fan, you'll enjoy faster load times and smoother gameplay, giving you more time to spend immersed in the world of gaming.

As AI accelerates data expansion, enterprises face increasing challenges in managing large volumes of data effectively. Tiered storage solutions have emerged as the preferred approach for balancing performance and costs. Solid State Drives (SSDs), with their fast read and write speeds, low latency and high power efficiency, are becoming the dominant storage selection for data centers and AI servers. Among SSD techniques, QLC SSDs offer unique advantages in costs and storage density, making them particularly suited for read-intensive AI applications. Therefore, high-capacity SSDs, such as 32 TB and 64 TB models, are gaining traction as a new storage solution in the market.

Read-Intensive Applications: Mainstream Enterprise SSD Use Cases
According to the latest research from FI (Forward Insight), up to 91% of current PCIe SSDs deployments are used in applications with DWPD of less than 1, and the share is expected to reach 99% by 2028. this shift underscores the increasing prevalence of read-intensive applications and data centers, a space where QLC SSDs excel.

ProGrade Digital, founded with a mission to provide the highest quality professional grade digital memory cards and workflow solutions, announces its new solid state drive (SSD) product line available in a 2 TB, 4 TB, and 8 TB capacities. The PG10 Pro SSD is based on the latest USB 4.0 technology which is designed to achieve speeds of up to 40Gbits/sec and provides a real-world read and write speed of up to 2500 MB/s, and a sustained write speed of 1500 MB/s (2 TB) and 2000 MB/s (4 TB and 8 TB) with no cache depletion. The PG10 is also equipped with ProGrade's patented magnetic base and comes with an adhesive metal plate that allows users to mount the reader to any work surface. The new SSD is also supplied with a high-quality certified USB 4.0 cable - assuring the maximum performance possible.

"ProGrade Digital is embarking into a new category of professional SSDs (Solid State Drives) with a product offering that aligns with all of the core values of our brand," said Wes Brewer, founder, and CEO of ProGrade Digital. "We have recognized for years that there is an opportunity to expand further into the professional workflow with a high capacity, high performance SSD but were waiting for just the right time to enter with a truly new and defining product that offers unique features and value. Our introduction of capacity points from 2 TB to 8 TB, and a USB 4.0/Thunderbolt 4 interface, allows us to provide industry-leading sustained performance and reliability for professionals that have traditionally had to settle for much slower and less reliable solutions. Our uniquely designed housing and internal heat-sink provide unmatched sustained write and read speeds ideal for long, multi-TB data file transfers".

Micron Technology, Inc., announced today that it is shipping ninth-generation (G9) TLC NAND in SSDs, making it the first in the industry to achieve this milestone. Micron G9 NAND features the industry's highest transfer speed of 3.6 GB/s, delivering unsurpassed bandwidth for reading and writing data. The new NAND enables best-in-class performance for artificial intelligence (AI) and other data-intensive use cases from personal devices and edge servers to enterprise and cloud data centers.

"The shipment of Micron G9 NAND is a testament to Micron's prowess in process technology and design innovations," said Scott DeBoer, executive vice president of Technology and Products at Micron. "Micron G9 NAND is up to 73% denser than competitive technologies in the market today, allowing for more compact and efficient storage solutions that benefit both consumers and businesses."

In the contemporary digital landscape, Solid State Drives (SSDs) play a pivotal role by providing crucial attributes such as speed, reliability, and efficiency. These attributes facilitate rapid data retrieval, elevate system responsiveness, enable seamless multitasking, and significantly reduce boot times and application launch delays. Among the top contenders in the SSD market, Acer's FA100 M.2 SSD has successfully secured the top place, capturing the discerning consumer's attention with its cutting-edge performance and unwavering reliability. It stands out as the preferred choice for users who demand excellence in their storage solutions.

Acer FA100 NVMe PCIe SSD
The Acer FA100 M.2 SSD is renowned for its exceptional speed and efficiency, boasting read speeds up to 3300 MB/s and write speeds up to 2700 MB/s. It supports ECC error correction technology and the S.M.A.R.T. function, based on 4K LDPC, which enhances error correction capabilities and ensures secure data storage. Additionally, it supports multiple technologies such as modern standby and ultra-low power consumption. Designed to elevate user experience, the Acer FA100 combines high performance with robust durability, making it ideal for gamers, content creators, and professionals alike.

Today NEOWIZ, the publisher of hit action-adventure game Lies of P, and SK hynix, one of the world's leading computer hardware manufacturers, announced a collaboration for a Limited Edition Lies of P T31 Solid State Drive (SSD), set to be available this summer. The Tube T31 from SK hynix, first released earlier this year in March, is a stick-type SSD that can be used without a cable.

The Tube T31 Lies of P Limited Edition SSD comes in two varieties with two distinct artwork featuring the iconic Legion Arm from Neowiz's hit souls-like game. Both drives are fully compatible with PC and Console, allowing players to keep extra storage and transfer between systems (PlayStation 5/4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows, and macOS). The T31 also received a Global Product Design award at the 2024 Red Dot Awards. The Tube T31 Lies of P Edition will be officially unveiled at a private booth jointly operated by SK hynix and Hitachi-LG Data Storage, Inc. (SK hynix's global sales and manufacturing partner for SSDs) at Computex, held in Taiwan from June 4 to June 7. It will be available in limited quantities globally starting in July.

ScaleFlux, a leader in deploying computational storage at scale, today announced its commitment to integrating the Arm Cortex -R82 processor in its forthcoming line of enterprise Solid State Drive (SSD) controllers. The Cortex-R82, is the highest performance real-time processor from Arm and the first to implement the 64-bit Armv8-R AArch64 architecture, representing a significant advancement in processing power and efficiency for enterprise storage solutions.

ScaleFlux's adoption of the Cortex-R82 is a strategic move to leverage the processor's high performance and energy efficiency. This collaboration underscores ScaleFlux's dedication to delivering cutting-edge technology in its SSD controllers, enhancing data processing capabilities and efficiency for data center and AI infrastructure worldwide.

Samsung Electronics, a global leader in advanced memory technology, today announced the release of its latest lineup of the T-series, the Portable Solid State Drive (SSD) T9. With its stylish and portable design, the T9 is built to keep data safe while on-the-go, empowering users with fast transfer speeds and ample storage, and providing the reliability and convenience they need.

"With advances in high-resolution photos and the rising popularity of 4K videos, professional content creators now face the necessity of transferring large amounts of data on a frequent basis," said Hangu Sohn, Vice President of Memory Brand Product Biz Team at Samsung Electronics. "The T9 offers a solution for professionals to alleviate the challenges that come with managing their data, and Samsung will continue to provide optimized memory solutions that enable professionals to fully concentrate on achieving their creative potential."

Nixxes and Insomniac yesterday published their official PC specification requirements for the Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart port (arriving on July 26). The announcement was made via a post on the game's Steam store page, but the two teams decided to remove it soon after (perhaps the information was released too early). Several news sites were quick enough to note that the PC version of Ratchet & Clank: Rift will be the first DirectStorage 1.2 game with support for GPU decompression. Senior Lead Programmer Richard van der Laan stated (in the now deleted update): DirectStorage ensures quick loading times and GPU decompression is used at high graphics settings to stream assets in the background while playing. Traditionally, this decompression is handled by the CPU, but at a certain point there is an advantage to letting the GPU handle this, as this enables a higher bandwidth for streaming assets from storage to the graphics card. We use this to quickly load high-quality textures and environments with a high level of detail.

His colleague, Principal Programmer Alex Bartholomeus, also chipped in with: "For Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart on PC, we added adaptive streaming based on live measurement of the available hardware bandwidth. This allows us to tailor the texture streaming strategy for the best possible texture streaming on any configuration." The most surprising aspect gleaned from the PC specification sheet is the minimum performance requirement (720p @ 30 FPS) of a hard disk drive (HDD) acting as the main storage device, although they would prefer that you go with a more modern storage option. A solid-state drive (SSD) is deemed necessary for the "Recommended" tier at 1080p/60 FPS. This is quite amusing considering that Insomniac's creative director, Marcus Smith, once said (in an official PlayStation showcase video) that Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart's dimensional rift hopping "would not have been possible without the Solid State Drive of the PlayStation 5."

SK hynix Inc. announced today that it has received the automotive ASPICE Level 2 certification, marking the first case that a Korean semiconductor company wins the recognition. The certification, essential for automotive NAND solution products, is expected to lead to an increased supply and stronger profitability of the company's NAND solution products such as Universal Flash Memory and Solid State Drive, of which combined market is expected to grow by more than an average 20% every year, the company said.

With introduction and adoption of electric vehicles and autonomous driving system, the importance of technology in the areas of electric and electronic parts of vehicles is also growing. Particularly, with systems for Advanced Driver Assistance System and Infotainment getting more sophisticated, the importance of software quality management as well as compatibility and stability is growing, requiring auto part suppliers to obtain the ASPICE Level 2 or the equivalent.

Panasonic announced today the world's premier rugged notebook for the Defence industry can now be equipped with the Eclypt Core Encrypted Internal Solid State Drive from global communications company, Viasat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT), making the Panasonic TOUGHBOOK 40 unrivalled in its capabilities for the military, border control and emergency services. Available in May 2023, the TOUGHBOOK 40 notebook with solid state self-encrypting hard drive is certified for use in the UK for securing Top Secret information and all security levels below, as well as certified for use by NATO and other European countries.

"This is the next step in extending our partnership with Viasat to offer the highest-level security drives across the TOUGHBOOK range," said Jon Tucker, General Manager Engineering, Product & Mobility Solutions, at Panasonic Mobile Solutions Business Division. "With the current geopolitical tensions across Europe and beyond, the demand for this type of highly secure, rugged and modular flexible device is growing every day."

CORSAIR, a world leader in enthusiast components for gamers, creators, and PC builders, today announced the launch of two new PCIe Gen 4 M.2 Solid State Drives—the MP600 MINI and the MP600 CORE XT. These drives extend the CORSAIR SSD range to an ultra-compact M.2 2230 form factor, and a new highly competitive combination of price and performance, allowing a new wave of device upgrades.

The MP600 MINI brings CORSAIR M.2 SSD performance to its smallest ever size, with the M.2 2230 form factor measuring just 22 mm x 30 mm. The MP600 MINI is compatible with popular handheld gaming systems, such as the Valve Steam Deck, as well as thin and light machines where space is at a premium, such as the Microsoft Surface Pro 8 and 9. With an impressive 1 TB of capacity and PCIe Gen 4 performance of up to 4,800 MB/sec read and 4,800 MB/sec write, the MP600 MINI is an ideal performance and storage upgrade for data hungry small-form-factor devices, whether it's to store a growing game collection, or essential files.

Today, Star Wars fans can choose to represent their side of the Force with the new collectible Seagate Solid State Drives (SSD) inspired by iconic characters of the Star Wars galaxy. Featuring interchangeable faceplate designs honouring Obi-Wan Kenobi, Darth Vader, and Luke Skywalker, the latest additions to the company's line of licensed special edition storage devices bring PCIe Gen 4 speeds, peak performance, and customisation to the battle stations of Star Wars collectors and tech enthusiasts.

Officially licensed by Lucasfilm, the special edition FireCuda NVMe SSD represents the famed characters with three iconic Lightsaber designs built on swappable heatsink faceplates so gamers can choose a design inspired by the Jedi or Sith that fits their collection at any moment. The drive includes customisable RGB LED lighting that shines through the faceplate to bring a galaxy of atmosphere to battle stations. The unique loading mechanism that attaches the interchangeable faceplates to the SSD and the heatsink were engineered and developed by EKWB. The integrated passive heatsink minimises thermal throttling and maintains peak performance for longer periods of time.

SMART Modular Technologies, Inc. ("SMART"), a division of SGH and a global leader in memory solutions, solid-state drives and hybrid storage products announces that it is now offering a new class of high performance, power efficient, data center solid state disk drives (SSDs) beginning with the DC4800 PCIe Gen 4 family.

SMART's DC4800 devices are designed with a specialized hardware-accelerated SSD controller that draws less power without compromising storage input/output (I/O) performance. Zero-induced throttling allows these SSDs to perform better under continued duress, even when they are pushed to their performance limit. This translates to significant power consumption improvement per server, as well as consistent latency performance of up to 7-nines or 99.99999% of the time.

ADATA Technology, a manufacturer of high-performance DRAM modules, NAND Flash products, mobile accessories, gaming products, electric power trains, and industrial solutions today announced the LEGEND 960 PCIe Gen4 x4 M.2 2280 solid state drive (SSD). With the advent of the Web 3.0 and a growing emphasis on the virtual world, the new LEGEND 960 delivers a new level of performance for advanced design applications, such as 3D animation, game design, virtual art, and beyond.

The ADATA LEGEND 960 gives users a major upgrade in performance with sequential read and write speeds of 7,400/6,800 MB per second, and is compliant with NVMe 1.4. This makes it up to 4 times faster than a standard PCIe Gen3 SSD. What's more, it supports the latest Intel and AMD platforms, desktop and notebook PCs, including Intel Evo certified laptops, and is backward compatible with PCIe 3.0 for added convenience.

Kanguru announces a new FIPS 140-2 Certified External Solid-State Drive with enhanced security. The new Defender SSD350 hardware encrypted solid state drive series provides organizations with data protection at its best. The TAA Compliant, Defender SSD350 family of solid-state drives is ideal for high-security environments, including government, defense, healthcare, financial institutions, energy/utilities and other security-conscious organizations that rely on benchmark FIPS 140-2 Certification and military-grade, hardware encryption to meet strict security demands. Designed and built under the independent and rigorous testing verification process conducted by the National Institute of Standards for Technology (NIST), the Defender SSD350 provides organizations with exceptional data security and value.

Packed with military grade security features for both MacOS and Windows, it can also be remotely managed for a complete data security solution. Security/IT Administrators can monitor their organization's Kanguru Defender drives anywhere in the world with the Kanguru Remote Management Console (KRMC), which allows Admins to enforce security policies, locate lost or stolen drives, manage security settings remotely and much more.

Teledyne LeCroy, the worldwide leader in protocol test and measurement solutions, announces availability of validation test appliances for PCIe Gen5 based Solid State Drives. The OakGate R300 3U rackmount test appliance and the OakGate DE200 desktop test appliance offer scalable validation and conformance testing of the latest generation of solid-state drives (SSDs).

To support demand for faster, more efficient SSDs, SSD manufacturers are taking advantage of the 5th generation of PCI Express (PCIe), which doubles throughput with data transfer rates of up to 32GT/s. SSD quality and reliability needs to be high, but demand is also high. So, it is also critical that the manufacturing process is not slowed unnecessarily for testing. The OakGate R300 and the OakGate DE200 test appliances provide design and test engineers the means to test the performance and specification compliance of these PCIe Gen5 quickly and efficiently based SSDs. The new modular 8-Bay system provides customers the flexibility to easily interchange all popular SSD connector types and form factors. The new 16-Bay Expansion Enclosures enables the creation of large test configurations, reducing test time.

ADATA Technology, a leading manufacturer of industrial-grade DRAM modules and NAND Flash products today announces the industrial-grade ADATA 31C series 112-layer 3D NAND (BiCS5) solid state drives (SSD) utilizing the SATA III interface. They include the ISSS31C 2.5-inch, IM2S31C8 M.2 2280, and IM2S31C4 M.2 2242 SSDs. All three SSDs are designed to be energy efficient, feature high capacities, and are well suited for high-load industrial systems relating to industrial computing, embedded devices, automation, networking, transportation, and other fields.

The industrial-grade ISSS31C 2.5-inch, IM2S31C8 M.2 2280, and IM2S31C4 M.2 2242 SSDs are all equipped with 112-layer 3D TLC (BiCS5) flash memory developed by WDC and KIOXIA and come with a maximum capacity of 2 TB. They have undergone rigorous temperature verification and testing to ensure they can operate optimally in a wide range of temperatures (from -40 °C to 85 °C) to ensure excellent quality, reliability, and durability.

ADATA Technology, today announces two M.2 2280/2242 NVMe PCIe Gen 3 x4 industrial-grade solid state drives (SSD), the IM2P32A8 and IM2P32A4. The firmware of both SSDs are NVMe 1.4 certified by the University of New Hampshire InterOperability Laboratory (UNH-IOL) and complies with the PCIe 3.1 standard. Their read and write speeds and data transmission accuracy are ideal for industrial automation, servers, data centers, networking, surveillance, and transportation.

The IM2P32A8 M.2 2280 and IM2P32A4 M.2 2242 SSDs both feature WDC and KIOXIA 112-layer 3D TLC flash memory, support PCIe Gen 3 x4 and NVMe 1.4, deliver read and write speeds up to 3300/2900 MB/s, and 3K P/E Cycle ratings. To meet the needs of different applications, they come with capacities of up to 2 TB as well as lower capacities.

Mushkin Enhanced MFG - An industry-leading designer and manufacturer of high-performance and high-reliability computer products, today launched its new Redline VORTEX Series of high-performance NVMe solid-state drives. Featuring a carbon nano heat dissipating label, the Redline Vortex delivers colossal throughput of up to 7415 MB/s sequential read and up to 6,800 MB/s sequential write. In combination with Dynamic SLC Caching and DRAM Cache Buffer, the Redline Vortex gives you a performance boost needed for content creators, gaming, and professionals alike.

The Redline VORTEX series, powered by Innogrit's IG5236 series (Rainier) controller, features the next evolution of the PCI-Express Gen4 interface offering an impressive range of performance, security, and reliability. Delivering up to 10 times the sequential read and sequential write speeds of some SATA SSDs and up to 50 times the speed of some traditional HDDs.