Seagate Technology Holdings today introduced the next generation of SSD technology to its lineup, the FireCuda 540. The PCIe Gen 5 NVMe SSD delivers unparalleled performance to gamers, creators, and tech enthusiasts - adding the fastest speeds and endurance to the company's line of PC storage products.

Seagate's fastest and highest performance M.2 2280 SSD, the FireCuda 540 delivers sequential read speeds of up to 10,000 MB/s and sequential write speeds of up to 10,000 MB/s. Built for sustained, pro-level gaming and accelerated content creation, the new drive performs up to 50% faster than Gen 4 M.2 NVMe drives and 17 times faster than SATA-based SSDs. With the latest 3D TLC NAND technology and built with a Seagate-validated E26 controller, the FireCuda 540 provides the most advanced speed and durability - allowing users to push limits when gaming or creating content. Plug-and-play compatible with all PCIe Gen 5 motherboards and backwards compatible with PCIe Gen 4, the drive is accessible and ready for trailblazing.

SK hynix is set to release SK hynix Beetle X31, a portable solid-state drive (SSD) for consumers, in global markets starting with the U.S. later in June. As the company's first portable SSD, the X31 has been praised for its superior performance, convenient portability, and stylish design following its launch in South Korea in May 2023. In particular, the SSD can reach operating speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second (Gbps) while it also possesses exceptional heat management capabilities. Released amid a growth in the portable SSD market, the X31 meets the rising demand for storage devices to not only rapidly read and write but also store data safely on-the-go.

The X31 combines SK hynix's technologies which enabled optimal power consumption in the Gold P31 and the highest specifications for a consumer SSD in the Platinum P41. Moreover, while DRAM-less SSDs have become widespread as part of industry efforts to cut costs, SK hynix opted to maximize the performance of the X31 by applying DRAM as a buffer inside of the SSD. Accordingly, the X31 can deliver a maximum sequential read speed of 1,050 megabytes per second (MB/s) and a maximum sequential write speed of 1,000 MB/s. At these speeds, it is possible to transfer a 1 GB file in just one second. More specifically, the X31 is able to transfer 500 GB of data while maintaining an optimal speed of over 900 MB/s. This is because the X31 strikes a balance between managing heat generated from fast data movement and maximizing write speeds.

Micron Technology, Inc., one of the world's largest semiconductor companies, today announced plans to build a new assembly and test facility in Gujarat, India. Micron's new facility will enable assembly and test manufacturing for both DRAM and NAND products and address demand from domestic and international markets.

Phased construction of the new assembly and test facility in Gujarat is expected to begin in 2023. Phase 1, which will include 500,000 square feet of planned cleanroom space, will start to become operational in late 2024, and Micron will ramp capacity gradually over time in line with global demand trends. Micron expects Phase 2 of the project, which would include construction of a facility similar in scale to Phase 1, to start towards the second half of the decade.

Micron Technology, Inc. announced today that it is now delivering qualification samples of its Universal Flash Storage (UFS) 4.0 mobile solution, built on its advanced 232-layer 3D NAND. Offered in high capacities up to 1 terabyte (TB), the UFS 4.0 storage solution is being shipped to select global smartphone manufacturers and chipset vendors. Micron's newest mobile flash storage outpaces competition on several critical NAND benchmarks, delivering the industry's fastest performance for flagship smartphones with fast bootup, app launches and video downloads.

"Micron's latest mobile solution tightly weaves together our best-in-class UFS 4.0 technology, proprietary low-power controller, 232-layer NAND and highly configurable firmware architecture to deliver unmatched performance," said Mark Montierth, corporate vice president and general manager of Micron's Mobile Business Unit. "Together, these technologies position Micron at the forefront of delivering the performance and low-power innovations our customers need to enable an exceptional end-user experience for flagship smartphones."

Lam Research Corp. (Nasdaq: LRCX) today introduced Coronus DX, the industry's first bevel deposition solution optimized to address key manufacturing challenges in next-generation logic, 3D NAND and advanced packaging applications. As semiconductors continue to scale, manufacturing becomes increasingly complex with hundreds of process steps needed to build nanometer-sized devices on a silicon wafer. In a single step, Coronus DX deposits a proprietary layer of protective film on both sides of the wafer edge that helps prevent defects and damage that can often occur during advanced semiconductor manufacturing. This powerful protection increases yield and enables chipmakers to implement new leading-edge processes for the production of next-generation chips. Coronus DX is the newest addition to the Coronus product family and extends Lam's leadership in bevel technology.

"In the era of 3D chipmaking, production is complex and costly," said Sesha Varadarajan, senior vice present of the Global Products Group at Lam Research. "Building on Lam's expertise in bevel innovation, Coronus DX helps drive more predictable manufacturing and significantly higher yield, paving the way for adoption of advanced logic, packaging and 3D NAND production processes that weren't previously feasible."

SK hynix Inc. announced today that it has started mass production of its 238-layer 4D NAND Flash memory, following the development in August 2022, and that product compatibility test with a global smartphone manufacturer is underway. "SK hynix has developed solution products for smartphones and client SSDs which are used as PC storage devices, adopting the 238-layer NAND technology, and has moved into mass production in May," the company said. "Given that the company secured world-class competitiveness in price, performance and quality for both 238-layer NAND and the previous generation 176-layer NAND, we expect these products to drive earnings improvement in the second half of the year."

The 238-layer product - the smallest NAND in size - has a 34% higher manufacturing efficiency compared to the previous generation of 176-layer, resulting in a significant improvement in cost competitiveness. Besides, with a data-transfer speed of 2.4 Gb per second, a 50% increase from the previous generation, and approximately 20% increase in read and write speed, the company is confident that it will be able to deliver an improved performance to the smartphone and PC customers using this technology.

Phison Electronics, a global leader in NAND controllers and storage solutions, will showcase its high-speed transmission and storage solutions at the annual Taipei International Computer Show (COMPUTEX) in Taiwan. At COMPUTEX, Phison will illuminate the future of intelligent storage. The show kicks off on Tuesday, May 30 through Friday, June 2.

Building upon its globally acclaimed flagship PCIe 5.0 SSD PS5026-E26 storage solution, Phison Electronics will unveil its latest offering at COMPUTEX. The new addition is the PCIe 5.0 DRAM-less SSD controller PS5031-E31T, featuring a 7 nm process that ensures low power consumption. With an impressive maximum read/write performance of 10.5 GB/s, it represents a PCIe 5.0 SSD storage solution that excels in performance and power efficiency. In addition, Phison will introduce the next-generation PCIe 4.0 DRAM-less SSD controller PS5027-E27T, engineered with a 12 nm process and offering a remarkable maximum read/write speed of 7400/6400 MB/s. It is anticipated that the PCIe 5.0 PS5031-E31T and PCIe 4.0 PS5027-E27T SSD storage solutions will comprehensively meet the diverse needs of PC OEM partners and customers.

Kioxia Corporation today commenced operation of two new R&D facilities - the Flagship Building at the Yokohama Technology Campus and the Shin-Koyasu Technology Front - strengthening the company's research and development capabilities in flash memory and solid-state drives (SSDs). Going forward, other R&D functions in Kanagawa Prefecture will be relocated to these new R&D hubs to improve research efficiency and promote further advancement in technological innovation.

With the addition of the new Flagship Building, the Yokohama Technology Campus will almost double in size, allowing Kioxia to expand its capabilities in evaluating flash memory and SSD products, thereby enhancing overall product development and product quality. Equipped with environmentally-friendly facilities, the Flagship Building has also acquired ZEB-Ready certification, which is given to buildings that reduce energy consumption by 50% or more through improved energy efficiency.

Essencore KLEVV brought in a formidable lineup of new PCIe Gen 5 NVMe SSDs and DDR5 memory for gamers and overclockers, at the 2023 Computex. The lineup is led by the KLEVV CRAS V RGB series of DDR5 memory that comes in high-end speeds of DDR5-6000 (30-36-36-76 @ 1.35 V), DDR5-6400 (32-38-38-78 @ 1.35 V), DDR5-7200 (34-44-44-84 @ 1.40 V), DDR5-7600 (36-46-46-86 @ 1.40 V), and DDR5-8000 (38-48-48-128 @ 1.55 V). These modules feature both Intel XMP 3.0 and AMD EXPO SPD profiles. The KLEVV BOLT V series form the company's mid-range, offering speeds of DDR5-6000 (30-36-36-76 @ 1.35 V), DDR5-6400 (32-38-38-78 @ 1.35 V), and DDR5-6800 (34-40-40-80 @ 1.35 V). Both XMP 3.0 and EXPO are to be found even with these modules. The company interestingly also has standard modules for DDR5-4800 and DDR5-5600, which make do with just 1.1 V. We also spied KLEVV's odd-capacity 24 GB and 48 GB CRAS V RGB modules.

The storage lineup for Essencore is led by the KLEVV CRAS C950 PCIe Gen 5 NVMe SSD, and the CRAS C910 Gen 4 SSD. The CRAS C950 comes in 1 TB, 2 TB, and 4 TB capacities, and uses a Phison E26-series controller paired with 3D TLC NAND flash. The 1 TB variant offers up to 11.5 GB/s sequential reads, with up to 8.5 GB/s sequential writes, while the 2 TB and 4 TB models do up to 12 GB/s sequential reads, with up to 11 GB/s sequential writes. The drive uses a chunky passive aluminium heatsink to keep cool. The CRAS C910, on the other hand, comes both as a bare drive (without heatsink), and as the CRAS C910 RGB, where it features a heatsink with an RGB diffuser. The drive uses an InnoGrit IG5220 controller, comes in capacities of up to 1 TB, and offers speeds of up to 5 GB/s sequential reads, with up to 4.8 GB/s sequential writes.

Chinese InnoGrit has proved to be something of a competent contender in the high-end SSD controller market and at Computex 2023 the company was displaying an early sample of its upcoming IG5666 consumer focused PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSD controller. At the moment the company has taped out the controller, but aren't happy with the physical size of the chip and will be doing another tape out for a more optimised chip. Innogrit is using a 16 nm node for the controller, which might be part of the reason why they're having a hard time to get it the right size, but there's also cost reasons that have to be taken into consideration.

Based on the early samples, InnoGrit is expecting it to reach sequential speeds of up to 14 GB/s read and 11 GB/s write. Random performance is said to reach 3 million read and 2.5 million write IOPs. The controller should support up to 16 TB of NAND flash and it supports all common types of NAND up to a speed of 2400 MT/s. The IG5666 is based on the same Tacoma architecture as InnoGrit's IG5669, which is targeting enterprise use, yet delivers similar performance.

Solidigm, a leading global provider of innovative NAND flash memory solutions, is expanding its D5 Product Series with the Solidigm D5-P5430, a new QLC solid-state storage drive (SSD) optimized for mainstream and read-intensive workloads. With most of today's enterprise applications read-dominant, the D5-P5430—a 4th gen PCIe QLC SSD—offers substantial storage density and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) opportunities while delivering read performance that is equivalent to the most widely-adopted TLC SSDs.

The D5-P5430 is optimized for mainstream workloads (e.g., email/unified communications, decision support systems, object storage, and virtual desktop infrastructure) and read-intensive workloads (e.g., content delivery networks, data lakes/pipelines, video-on-demand). These workloads are typically 80% reads or higher and need to move massive amounts of data at high throughput.

SK Hynix seems to be getting into being a retail brand in the storage market space and its latest addition to its product range looks pretty interesting, in more ways than one. The compact 74 x 46 x 14.8 mm (WxDxH) SSD goes under the name of Beetle X31 and judging by the packaging, it's meant to look like a golden Egyptian scarab, although SK Hynix was clearly not bold enough to follow through with the housing design. Regardless, the small golden puck looks pretty nifty, but it also hides some rather interesting technology under its shell.

Fortunately for us, a Korean YouTuber has already disassembled the drive and based on the specs, it appears to have an ASMedia ASM2362 PCIe 3.0 x2 to USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) bridge chip, which allows the internal NVMe drive to interface with the USB Type-C port on the device. The internal NVMe SSD is also rather intriguing and it'll most likely be found in some other devices. It appears to follow the M.2 2242 form factor, but it's only equipped with a single chip, which is said to house not only the NAND flash, but also the SSD controller and some kind of DRAM, as this is not a DRAM-less SSD. The Beetle X31 will be available in 512 GB and 1 TB sizes, with the 1 TB model retailing for 138,000 Korean won, or around US$103. An optional protective case is also available as an accessory.

Due to the current lack of demand for NAND flash, the merger talks between Kioxia and Western Digital have picked up pace once again. The two companies have been at it since 2021 and it was reported back in January that the two companies once again wanted to try and combine their NAND production business. According to Reuters, the two have been pushed into the meeting room once again, largely due to the two NAND giants wanting to cut costs in a market where demand for their products isn't what it once was.

Kioxia and Western Digital are the second and fourth largest manufacturers of NAND flash, although all the memory is made in Kioxia's facilities. A merger of the two would create a company that is said to be owned at 43 percent by Kioxia and 37 percent by Western Digital, with current shareholders of the two companies getting the remaining 20 percent. However, a potential merger isn't without hurdles, as it's likely to be scrutinised by both the US and the PRC due to potential antitrust issues, with the combined company owning a third of the global NAND flash market. Kioxia has even shelved plans for a public offering, due to the sluggish demand for NAND flash. Time will tell if the two can come to an agreement, but it doesn't look like the best of times for a merger either.

MSI is announcing the launch of our flagship PCIe 4.0 lineup to its SSD product line - SPATIUM M480 PRO series. MSI SSDs refine our company's identity as a high-performance PC brand by expanding our ecosystem and covering the high-performance storage category. These SSDs are built with high-quality, high-density 3D NAND flash that deliver the ultimate PRO performance for PCIe 4.0 with up to 7400 MB/s sequential read and 7000 sequential write.

The SPATIUM M480 PRO boasts up to 60% faster random read/write speeds, enabling a supremely responsive experience and minimal latency in gameplay and productivity under heavy workloads for professionals, content creators, and gamers. Other performance-improving technologies include DRAM cache buffer and an SLC cache.

The NAND memory industry is not in great shape at the moment, with the big three (Micron, Samsung, SK Hynix) having reported significant financial losses in this area recently. If you include Kioxia and Western Digital as part of this collective picture, a grand total of over $10 billion has been lost in the flash memory segment. According to DigiTimes Asia this week, Pua Khein-Seng - the chief executive officer of Phison Electronics Corporation - has warned that parts of the industry could collapse due to potential company bankruptcies.

Khein-Seng informed attendees at a press conference that forced NAND price cuts are not feasible in the current market environment, and that supply chains could be affected if related companies start to shutdown - due to operational losses. He expects 3D NAND manufacturers to cutback on output in order to soften the market, and unit price increases are also a possibility. Phison has experienced a drop in revenues for the first quarter of 2023, but the CEO insists that his company is not willing to cutback on research and development costs - 80% of its annual expense budget will be invested in future projects. Khein-Seng states that rival companies have reduced spending on R&D by 20%, yet Phison remains committed to its clients by providing cutting edge technology (for example the E26 SSD memory controller).

TrendForce's latest research indicates that, as production cuts to DRAM and NAND Flash have not kept pace with weakening demand, the ASP of some products is expected to decline further in 2Q23. DRAM prices are projected to fall 13~18%; NAND Flash is expected to fall between 8~13%.

TrendForce reports that the significant drop in DRAM prices was mostly attributed to high inventory levels of DDR4 and LPDDR5 as PC DRAM, server DRAM, and mobile DRAM collectively account for over 85% of DRAM consumption. Meanwhile, the market share for DDR5 remains relatively low.

Silicon Motion Technology Corporation ("Silicon Motion", the "Company" or "we") today announced its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2023. For the first quarter of 2023, net sales (GAAP) decreased sequentially to $124.1 million from $200.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2022. Net income (GAAP) decreased to $10.2 million, or $0.30 per diluted American Depositary Share ("ADS") (GAAP), from net income (GAAP) of $23.5 million, or $0.71 per diluted ADS (GAAP), in the fourth quarter of 2022.

For the first quarter of 2023, net income (non-GAAP) decreased to $11.2 million, or $0.33 per diluted ADS (non-GAAP), from net income (non-GAAP) of $41.1 million, or $1.22 per diluted ADS (non-GAAP), in the fourth quarter of 2022.

Solidigm, a leading global provider of innovative NAND flash memory solutions, has announced the launch of Solidigm Synergy 2.0 software. The Solidigm Synergy software suite improves overall system performance and delivers a better user experience than hardware alone can provide. This free download includes two elements, both optional, but highly recommended: the Solidigm Synergy Driver, which automatically improves the performance of Solidigm SSDs, and the Solidigm Synergy Toolkit, which offers useful SSD health reporting and tools for SSDs from any manufacturer.

Solidigm is the only company today that is investing in a solution with software built on top of the SSD that understands system behavior and adapts based on the user's needs. The latest Solidigm Synergy software improves the PC user experience for all SSD users. It increases performance where it matters most on Solidigm SSDs, and offers a host of useful drive management features for all SSDs, regardless of manufacturer. Solidigm is combining breakthrough SSD products with revolutionary software solutions and plans to introduce further innovations to deliver additional improvements to end-users.

Crucial's T700 PCIe Gen 5 NVMe SSD series has been previewed a couple of times, showing some impressive sequential read and write performance, and now, Crucial has announced that it is available for pre-order, directly from Crucial's own store. The release date is set for May 30th.

In case you missed it earlier, the Crucial T700 PCIe Gen 5 NVMe SSD offers sequential performance of up to 12,400 MB/s for read and up to 11,800 MB/s for write (11,700 MB/s and 9,500 MB/s for the 1 TB version). Available in 1 TB, 2 TB, and 4 TB capacities, and with or without the heatsink, the Crucial T700 uses Micron 232-layer TLC NAND paired up with Phison's E26 controller. The endurance rating (TBW) for the Crucial T700 SSD series is set at 600 TB for the 1 TB version, 1200 TB for the 2 TB version, and 2400 TB for the 4 TB version, and it is backed by a 5-year limited warranty.

Yesterday SK Hynix reported its Q1 2023 results and to say that they were abysmal is being kind, as the company reported a 3.4 trillion won operating loss, or just over US$2.5 billion. That's no small hit to take for any company, especially when it's only the performance for a single quarter. However, SK Hynix is apparently trying to see its situation from a positive perspective and believes that the memory chip market will rebound in the second half of this year. The positive outlook isn't just based on what SK Hynix believes though, as various analysts and securities companies believe in an upswing in the second half of the year.

That said, Micron, one of SK Hynix main competitors, has a more drab outlook for the remainder of 2023 and is expecting a tough year ahead. SK Hynix is expecting production cuts by itself, Micron and Samsung to start to take effect sometime in the second quarter this year, which should see inventory drop to more normal levels for all three companies. SK Hynix is also expecting to see a higher demand for DDR5 DRAM later this year, especially in the mobile and server market space. Finally, SK Hynix is hoping that its customers will buy higher density memory products this year, replacing older, lower density solutions, be that DRAM or NAND flash related. SK Hynix is expecting to launch its Gen 5 10 nm DRAM and 238-layer NAND sometime next year, which the company is also hoping will bring more income to its coffers, but the company still has to make it through the rest of 2023 first.

Samsung Electronics today reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2023. The Company posted KRW 63.75 trillion in consolidated revenue, a 10% decline from the previous quarter, as overall consumer spending slowed amid the uncertain global macroeconomic environment. Operating profit was KRW 0.64 trillion as the DS (Device Solutions) Division faced decreased demand, while profit in the DX (Device eXperience) Division increased.

The DS Division's profit declined from the previous quarter due to weak demand in the Memory Business, a decline in utilization rates in the Foundry Business and continued weak demand and inventory adjustments from customers. Samsung Display Corporation (SDC) saw earnings in the mobile panel business decline quarter-on-quarter amid a market contraction, while the large panel business slightly narrowed its losses. The DX Division's results improved on the back of strong sales of the premium Galaxy S23 series as well as an enhanced sales mix focusing on premium TVs.

According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP) sources, Yangtze Memory Technologies Corp (YMTC) has been plotting to manufacture its advanced 3D NAND flash using locally sourced equipment. As the source notes, YMTC has placed big orders from local equipment makers in a secret project codenamed Wudangshan, named after the Taoist mountain in the company's home province of Hubei. Last year, YTMC announced significant progress towards creating 200+ layer 3D NAND flash before other 3D NAND makers like Micron and SK Hynix. Called X3-9070, the chip is a 232-layer 3D NAND based on the company's advanced Xtacking 3.0 architecture.

As the SCMP finds, YTMC has placed big orders at Beijing-based Naura Technology Group, maker of etching tools and competitor to Lam Research, to manufacture its advanced flash memory. Additionally, YTMC has reportedly asked all its tool suppliers to remove all logos and other marks from equipment to avoid additional US sanctions holding the development back. This significant order block comes after the state invested 7 billion US Dollars into YTMC to boost its production capacity, and we see the company utilizing those resources right away. However, few industry analysts have identified a few "choke points" in YTMC's path to independent manufacturing, as there are still no viable domestic alternatives to US-based tool makers in areas such as metrology tools, where KLA is the dominant player, and lithography tools, where ASML, Nikon, and Canon, are noteworthy. The Wuhan-based Wudangshan project remains secret about dealing with those choke points in the future.

TrendForce reports that the US Department of Commerce recently released details regarding its CHIPS and Science Act, which stipulates that beneficiaries of the act will be restricted in their investment activities—for more advanced and mature processes—in China, North Korea, Iran, and Russia for the next ten years. The scope of restrictions in this updated legislation will be far more extensive than the previous export ban, further reducing the willingness of multinational semiconductor companies to invest in China for the next decade.

CHIPS Act will mainly impact TSMC; and as the decoupling of the supply chain continues, VIS and PSMC capture orders rerouted from Chinese foundries
In recent years, the US has banned semiconductor exports and passed the CHIPS Act, all to ensure supply chains decoupling from China. Initially, bans on exports were primarily focused on non-planar transistor architecture (16/14 nm and more advanced processes). However, Japan and the Netherlands have also announced that they intend to join the sanctions, which means key DUV immersion systems, used for producing both sub-16 nm and 40/28 nm mature processes, are likely to be included within the scope of the ban as well. These developments, in conjunction with the CHIPS Act, mean that the expansion of both Chinese foundries and multinational foundries in China will be suppressed to varying degrees—regardless of whether they are advanced or mature processes.

Analyst firm Yole Group has predicted that SSD sales revenues will grow to $67 billion in the year 2028, generated by 472 million unit sales - indicating a very healthy outlook in the long term. However, their predictions for market performance in 2023 appear to be less cheerful for manufacturers of NAND flash memory. The SSD market dynamic was positive in 2021 and the starting months of 2022, but demand has dropped sharply since then due to a number of factors including global inflation, geopolitical tensions, and inventory digestion at electronics manufacturers. Sales revenues in 2022 totaled $29 billion (352 million units), down from $34 billion (400 million units) in 2021 - demonstrating a 14% year-to-year decline.

The continued weakening of global demand in 2023 will have an effect on SSD sales revenues, and the Yole Group has foreseen troublesome outcomes for manufacturers. The average selling price of NAND memory and solid-state drive units has been on the decline in the recent quarters, caused by sluggish demand and a surplus of stock. Despite the grim outlook in the short term, the research body is predicting a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 15% between 2022 and 2028 for the overall size of the SSD market.

Cervoz Technology, a leading supplier of industrial-grade storage and memory solutions, is excited to announce the new NVMe PCIe Gen 4x4 SSDs, the T441. Purposefully designed to cater to the growing automaticity trend of the industry, the T441 is the ideal choice for companies seeking cutting-edge technology in high-performance storage solutions.

Blazing Speeds with High Capacity
The Cervoz T441 SSDs leverage the power of 112-layer 3D TLC NAND flash technology, offering storage capacities of up to 3840 GB in a compact and energy-efficient design. In addition, the high-speed PCIe Gen 4x4 interface enables faster and more efficient data access, with Read/Write speeds of up to 7,100/6,190 MB/s and 4K random IOPS of up to 1,000K. This exceptional performance makes the T441 an ideal solution for applications requiring real-time processing of vast data, such as surveillance, machine vision, and edge AI, as well as those handling massive data sets like CAD, biomedical engineering, and atmospheric sciences.