Thursday, January 2nd 2025
Solidigm Stops Consumer SSD Business, Operations Ended Last Year
According to ITHome, Solidigm has officially ended production of its P44 Pro and P41 Plus solid-state drives, marking its complete withdrawal from the consumer SSD market. These were the only consumer SSDs released under the Solidigm brand since the company's formation. The company has also removed all consumer drive listings from its website, which now focuses entirely on data center and enterprise storage solutions. The decision follows earlier developments in October 2023, when Solidigm reportedly dissolved its consumer SSD division and laid off staff working on consumer drives, Tom's Hardware learned from an unnamed source familiar with the matter. This has been reportedly done to stop consumer SSD development and re-route resources to enterprise SSD, which drives more revenue.
The shutdown reportedly occurred abruptly, just before the planned launch of a new consumer SSD that had already been distributed to reviewers. Consumer SSD space has been recording a lot of uncertainty recently, as larger brands have been able to launch consumer SSDs while enjoying profits from the enterprise buildout, and AI expansion is requiring massive storage units. These larger brands can distill some of their products into consumer-focused sections without much impact on margins, as the enterprise is willing to pay top Dollar for SSDs. Sadly, Solidgm has not chosen that path and is instead going all-in on the enterprise segment. Sadly, fewer SSD makers in the consumer space means less competition, so we hope that this trend doesn't continue.
Sources:
ITHome, via Tom's Hardware
The shutdown reportedly occurred abruptly, just before the planned launch of a new consumer SSD that had already been distributed to reviewers. Consumer SSD space has been recording a lot of uncertainty recently, as larger brands have been able to launch consumer SSDs while enjoying profits from the enterprise buildout, and AI expansion is requiring massive storage units. These larger brands can distill some of their products into consumer-focused sections without much impact on margins, as the enterprise is willing to pay top Dollar for SSDs. Sadly, Solidgm has not chosen that path and is instead going all-in on the enterprise segment. Sadly, fewer SSD makers in the consumer space means less competition, so we hope that this trend doesn't continue.
26 Comments on Solidigm Stops Consumer SSD Business, Operations Ended Last Year
quasarzone.com/bbs/qn_report/views/438280
I guess this is why they added the SK Hynix Platinum P41 to the latest solidigm driver, maybe the drive will be changed to SK Hynix branding in the future!
Primarily because according to YT reviews, It has good consistent performance, it's single-sided (a must in my case), and it runs very cool.
I'm familiar with the Solidigm software for enterprise gear, Well first i used intel's software to access some DC P3700 nvme drives, and now it's Solidigm Storage Tool or something...
So you're saying i'll be able to access the SK Hynix P41 using Solidigm's software? That would be great news. All i know is i checked and there has been no firmware updates for the P41 according to their webpage..
I did kinda like the peculiar "Solidigm" name; reminded me of "Cyberdyne"...
So they made the decision during the consumer boom when nand was reasonable price per TB. Makes you wonder what would happen if a manufacturer broke out of the cartel ranks and made a 50TB consumer drive or something, would the rest just leave the consumer market saying its not worth their time?
After the handover from Intel, Intel derived products were still part of the products being sold by solidigm.
SK-H probably agreed to the sale to get access to some of them sweet sweet data center storage contracts
I guess there is no longer a business case that matters to keep the branding going so... That's the end of that.
I'll be honest I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner but also at how abrupt it seems to have ended.... Like they just brushed it off like they work up from a weird dream.
Sent a message to SK Hynix just incase.
I'll be returning the drive to amazon without even testing it, because i won't have this issue nagging in the back of my head, especially since it will be an OS drive.
Doing some browsing, the P51 is still actively being promoted on their asian sites or something..
Ordering from amazon, it wasn't in stock, and shipment tracking says it was sent by 'SK Hynix Europe'
Some browsing reveals they've set up shop in Minsk, Belarus.
This could be an issue, since Belarus actively engages in supplying russia with components under sanctions embargo, used to kill civilians in Ukraine, in the first land war in Europe since WW2.
The drivers are technically SK Hynix Platinum P41 but with a different firmware, so maybe that's why the Solidigm P44 don't run into that issue.
Also the addition I mentioned was in the driver, about the software I'm not sure what functionality is there for the SK Hynix Platinum P41.
(edit: then do a nvme format using nvme-cli, which is supposed to be the same as secure erase, and benchmark again to verify)
Does anyone have better knowledge or ideas on how i should test it with a linux live USB, before i potentionally install an OS on it, or return it?
edit: 500GB because TPU database states SLC cache is approx. 320GB
news.solidigm.com/en-WW/212943-sk-hynix-completes-the-first-phase-of-intel-nand-and-ssd-business-acquisition
I guess it was to protect SK hynix as well, in case what Intel sold was a dud, then they had US$2 billion to withhold from Intel.
There is also Micron/Crucial, and relative-newcomer YMTC / Zhitai.
But if a self-made controller is also a parameter...
Didn't but does now (?): WD/SanDisk.
Mixed: Crucial (only in P5?).
Does not: Kioxia, YMTC.