SK hynix Inc. today announced availability of the "Platinum P41" PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD that distills technical excellence driven by unmatched speeds and reliability. The Platinum series represents the company's flagship retail lineup geared towards gamers and content creators looking to turbo-boost PC performance. Launched as SK hynix's first PCIe 4.0 SSD built with advanced 176-layer NAND flash memory, the Platinum P41 is now available for purchase on Amazon in the U.S. in 500 GB, 1 TB and 2 TB capacity options.

Designed to excel among PCIe 4.0 SSDs, the Platinum P41 offers sequential read speeds up to 7,000 MB/s and sequential write speeds up to 6,500 MB/s with an industry-leading endurance rating of up to 1,200 TBW. The Platinum P41 also provides further assurance of reliability with an SK hynix in-house "Aries" controller, which in itself contributes to the superior read/write speeds.

GIGABYTE Technology, an industry leader in high-performance servers and workstations, today announced a new supercharged, scalable server, G492-PD0, that supports an Ampere Altra Max or Altra processor with NVIDIA HGX A100 Tensor Core GPUs for the highest performance in cloud infrastructure, HPC, AI, and more. Leveraging Ampere's Altra Max CPU with a high core count, up to 128 Armv8.2 cores per socket with Arm's M1 core, the G492-PD0 delivers high performance efficiently and with minimized total cost of ownership.

GIGABYTE developed the G492-PD0 in response to a demand for high-performing platform choices beyond x86, namely the Arm-based processor from Ampere. This new G492 server was tailored to handle the performance of NVIDIA's baseboard accelerator without compromising or throttling CPU or GPU performance. This server joins the existing line of GIGABYTE G492 servers that support the NVIDIA HGX A100 8-GPU baseboard on the AMD EPYC platform (G492-ZL2, G492-ZD2, G492-ZD0) and Intel Xeon Scalable (G492-ID0).

Micron Technology, Inc., today announced new client solid-state drives (SSDs) that bring NVMe performance to client computing applications, freeing laptops, workstations and other portables from legacy architectures that can rob devices of battery power, performance and productivity. The Micron 2300 SSD combines the power and density needed to drive compute-heavy applications in a compact form factor with the reduced power consumption modern mobile users demand. For the first time, Micron brings together NVMe performance and low-cost quad-level-cell (QLC) NAND in the Micron 2210 QLC SSD. It combines fast NVMe throughput and Micron's leadership in QLC technology to offer flash capabilities at hard disk drive-like price points while reducing power consumption by 15 times when compared to hard drives.

"Ninety percent of client platforms will ship NVMe SSDs within the next year, and the market is fast bifurcating into mainstream and value market segments," said Roger Peene, vice president of marketing, Storage Business Unit, Micron. "Our two new client SSDs, the 2300 and 2210, are optimized for each segment. The 2300 offers outstanding power performance, while the 2210 delivers compelling price performance by using Micron's industry-leading QLC NAND." Both SSDs introduced today are built on Micron's innovative 96-layer 3D NAND technology to deliver power savings, right-sized capacity and compact form factors that enable flexible designs. They also deliver enhanced client security features and capabilities for protecting data, with TCG Opal 2.0 and TCG Pyrite 2.0 support.

ATP Electronics, the global leader in specialized storage and memory solutions, rolls out its N600Vc Series M.2 2242/2280 NVMe 1.3 PCIe Gen3x4 and A600Vc Series SATA 2.5", M.2 2242/2280, and mSATA Value Line solid state drives (SSDs). Built with triple-level cell (TLC) NAND on leading 100+-layer 3D architecture, the new line is geared toward industrial/embedded applications requiring reliable performance, wide range of capacity options, and long-term supply commitment at friendly price points.

The new N600Vc/A600Vc Series SSDs offer lower cost per GB compared to ATP's mainstream Superior Line, but use prime NAND die along with ATP's superior integrated circuits (IC) sorting process to guarantee drive quality, performance, reliability, and endurance better than other SSD solutions in the market that use pre-packaged ICs instead of wafers or die.

ADATA Technology (Taiwan Stock Exchange: 3260.TWO), a manufacturer of high-performance DRAM modules, NAND Flash products, mobile accessories, gaming products, electric power trains, and industrial solutions today announced the LEGEND 850 PCIe Gen4 x4 M.2 2280 solid state drive (SSD). The new LEGEND 850 delivers a new level of performance for advanced design applications, such as 3D modelling and animation.

The ADATA LEGEND 850 gives users a major upgrade in performance with sequential read and write speeds of 5,000/4,500 MB per second. This makes it up to 3 times faster than a standard PCIe Gen3 SSD and 9 times faster than a SATA SSD. What's more, it supports the latest Intel and AMD platforms, desktop and notebook PCs, and is backward compatible with PCIe 3.0 for added convenience.

Inspired by the way people work today, Western Digital Corp. introduced the Western Digital PC SN740 NVMe SSD to help address the unique needs of the hybrid workforce and elevate the computing experience. "Hybrid and remote work environments have become the 'new normal' for businesses over the past few years and have driven tremendous growth in PC shipments," said Eric Spanneut, vice president, Client and Enterprise SSDs, Flash Business Unit, Western Digital. "As work habits and locations change, there is a tremendous opportunity to support our corporate and commercial PC OEMs with storage solutions that are thin and light, have advanced security features and pack more performance while preserving power efficiency."

Featuring a DRAM-less architecture and leveraging Western Digital's in-house SSD controller design, BiCS5 3D NAND, firmware development, and vertical integration, the new SN740 NVMe SSD underscores the company's strengths in developing innovations that allow customers to unlock the potential of data.

Today at its What's Next event, Western Digital Corp. announced two new additions to its growing WD_BLACK gaming portfolio, the WD_BLACK SN850X NVMe SSD and WD_BLACK P40 Game Drive SSD. Designed to elevate the gaming experience, the expanded portfolio offers players more options to upgrade their PC or console storage. "AMD is delighted with its continued collaboration with Western Digital to deliver exceptional gaming experiences," said Joe Macri, Compute and Graphics CTO and Corporate Fellow at AMD. "As games become more immersive, the expectation for fast, seamless gameplay increases. AMD strives to remove latency between the system, memory and connected devices like Western Digital's SSD gaming solutions with the adoption of the latest PCIe technologies and memory and latency optimizations within AMD CPUs and GPUs. Our combined solutions enable richer visuals, faster load times and more consistent gameplay."

"We're inspired by the unique ways in which players experience their games and are committed to working with the best technology partners, like AMD, to develop solutions that help them break barriers," said Rob Soderbery, executive vice president and GM, Flash Business Unit, Western Digital. "Our diverse WD_BLACK portfolio ensures that gamers are equipped to conquer today's games and prepared for what's next."

AMD today announced the Ryzen 5000C line of mobile processors for Chromebooks. This is the company's second generation of Chromebook-specific processors after the Ryzen 3000C series based on the original "Zen" microarchitecture. The 5000C series chips are based on "Zen 3," with CPU core counts of up to 8-core, and hence present a big leap in performance over the 3000C series, along with a complete suite of the latest connectivity, display technology, and security and management features specific to Chrome OS.

The Ryzen 5000C series is based on the 7 nm "Cezanne" monolithic silicon. The chip physically features an 8-core/16-thread CPU based on the "Zen 3" microarchitecture, with 16 MB of shared L3 cache; an iGPU based on the Vega graphics architecture, with 8 compute units (512 stream processors), a dual-channel DDR4 or LPDDR4/x memory interface, and unlike the conventional Ryzen 5000-series mobile processors, these chips come with a special microcode to match the security and management features of Chrome OS. AMD also supplies Chromebook vendors with timely driver updates for the various components on these chips.

Apacer, a leading manufacturer of storage and memory, has launched a god-tier M.2 Gen4 x4 SSD, the AS2280Q4U. 7,400/7,000 MB/s read-write speeds mean you can load a world in a moment. The SSD is protected by heat dissipation fins that keep temperatures low and performance sky-high. It meets the M.2 SSD requirements for PS5 in all respects, making it a simple solution to gain extra storage space on PS5. And a 5-year global warranty makes it an easy choice for both gamers and digital content creators like animators, YouTubers and video editors.

AS2280Q4U's blazing-fast PCIe Gen4 x4 interface is fully compliant with the NVMe 1.4 standard. With sequential read/write performance of up to 7,400/7,000 MB/s, it is twice as fast as a Gen3 SSD, and 15 times faster than a SATA SSD, providing unparalleled performance for gamers and video creators.

Shuttle has been supplying reliable hardware for professional multi-display applications for many years now, and this is also demonstrated by the Taiwanese Mini-PC manufacturer's extensive network of partners and integrators. As of today, two more machines, based on the 11th generation of Intel Core processors, are now available for this very product category.

The two Barebones DH32U and DH32U5 are supplied with the processor already soldered on and just need to be equipped with drives and RAM, in accordance with the project requirements, and can then be used immediately. There is space for up to 64 GB of RAM, an NVMe SSD and a 2.5 inch drive. The Mini-PCs measuring just 19 × 16.5 × 4.3 cm (DxWxH) have an array of ports and can also be expanded with accessories from the Shuttle range. Spread across the front and back there are 4× HDMI 2.0b, 4× USB 3.2 Gen2 (10 Gbit), 4× USB 3.2 Gen1 (5 Gbit), audio ports, 2× COM, 2× Gigabit Ethernet, a card reader and a remote power-on connection.

Next week at Dell Technologies World, KIOXIA America, Inc. will be on hand to demonstrate how its innovative solid state drives (SSDs) are accelerating customer application performance and enabling product breakthroughs. From SSDs designed with PCIe 5.0 technology that boost power and performance to the industry's first lineup of Enterprise and Datacenter Standard Form Factor (EDSFF) E3.S SSDs, best in class drives from KIOXIA are used in a number of Dell product lines.

KIOXIA, the inventor of NAND flash, sits at the forefront of flash storage and SSD innovation. Achievements such as the introduction of 3D flash memory, XL-FLASH storage class memory, and new form factors and interfaces underscore the contributions the company has made toward enabling next-gen applications - and transforming the digital world.

ADATA Technology (Taiwan Stock Exchange: 3260.TWO), a leading manufacturer of high-performance DRAM modules, NAND Flash products, and mobile accessories today announces the launch of a proprietary management software that supports TCG OPAL data encryption technology, A+ OPAL. It applies to all ADATA's industrial-grade NVMe and SATA III solid state drives that support TCG OPAL. With an intuitive and simple interface, it enables users to safely manage storage devices, especially for data centers, servers, surveillance, healthcare, and other applications and meets the strict data security requirements of enterprises and governments.

Compared with other encryption software systems, the "Self-Encrypting Drive (SED)" hardware technology defined by TCG OPAL can provide more efficient and convenient management. A+ OPAL software not only greatly reduces the high threshold set by the TCG OPAL specification for users with non-technical backgrounds, but it also saves time and simplifies encrypting through the host system, making information security protection more efficient.

ASRock Industrial announces the 4X4 BOX-5000 Series Mini PCs 4X4 BOX-5800U, 4X4 BOX-5600U, and 4X4 BOX-5400U, with enhancement powered by AMD Zen 3 Ryzen 5000 U-Series APUs- Ryzen 7 5800U, Ryzen 5 5600U, and Ryzen 3 5400U up to 8 cores/16 threads to energize performance, energy efficiency, and lower latency. Featuring a powerful yet compact design, the 4X4 BOX-5000 Series supports quad display outputs up to 4K with AMD Radeon Graphics for the enhanced visual experience. The Series also includes dual LAN ports up to 2.5 Gigabit with one DASH function and Wi-Fi 6E support of 6 GHz band for real-time connections. Moreover, it can uphold one M.2 Key M, one SATA 3.0 for storage, and five USB ports (three USB 3.2 Gen 2, two USB 2.0) for ultra-connectivity. The energized features make it the world's most advanced core for a wide range of home and business applications such as gaming, content creation, working from home, KIOSK, digital signage, and many more.

With AMD Ryzen 5000U Series Processors- Zen 3 Core Architecture, the 4X4 BOX-5000 Series Mini PCs deliver energized performance and reduced latency with up to 17% single-thread and multi-thread performance compared to Zen 2 along with improved graphics capabilities with AMD Radeon Graphics. Spanning from the flagship 4X4 BOX-5800U, 4X4 BOX-5600U, and 4X4 BOX-5400U, the new Series is powered by AMD Ryzen 7 5800U, Ryzen 5 5600U, Ryzen 3 5400U to increase power efficiency with lower power consumption- 6.7 W at idle. The 4X4 BOX-5000 Series also supports dual-channel DDR4 3200 MHz SO-DIMM memory up to 64 GB for uncompromised multitask computing capabilities.

Seagate Technology Holdings plc, a world leader in mass-data storage infrastructure solutions, and Phison Electronics Corp., a global leader in NAND flash controller and storage solutions, announced today plans to expand their SSD portfolio of next-gen high-performance, high-density enterprise NVMe SSDs. The new SSDs will help enterprises lower total cost ownership (TCO) through increased storage density, lower power consumption, and higher performance. The companies also announced that they have entered a long-term partnership that will strengthen the development cycle and distribution of enterprise-class SSDs.

Seagate and Phison have collaborated on Seagate's mainstream SATA SSD products since 2017. That close cooperation has continued through the company's performance-leading line of FireCuda consumer gaming NVMe PCIe Gen4 x4 SSDs and the world's first purpose-built NAS NVMe SSDs. The partnership will now focus on meeting the evolving global enterprise demand for higher density, faster, and smarter storage infrastructure needs that complement HDD storage to enable comprehensive enterprise applications such as hyperscale data center, high-performance computing and AI.

The IRDM PRO M.2 PCIe gen 4 x4 SSD model is the fastest data storage device in the IRDM SSD line. The latest IRDM PRO M.2 SSD mass storage device is equipped with a high-speed PCIe 4 x4 NVMe interface. This solution enables twice the speed compared to 3 x4 generation products. Maximum read and write speeds of 7000 MB/s and 6850 MB/s respectively, provide excellent performance and stability. An additional DRAM buffer of up to 2 GB contributes to the performance, ensuring that the drive remains stable even under heavy load.

The controller of the whole system is PS5018-E18, which is a technologically advanced model supplied by one of the best and most experienced manufacturers in the market, namely Phison. The eight-channel E18 controller is based on ARM Cortex R5 architecture and is also compatible with the latest version of the NVMe protocol, which is 1.4. The newly introduced IRDM PRO drive is available in three capacities - 1, 2 and 4 TB. This is a response to the diverse needs of users of this type of products - from everyday solutions to professional applications, such as working with 3D modeling and animation or rendering images.

Pictures and details of Intel's next NUC, that goes under the codename Wall Street Canyon has made its way onto the internet and besides the expected upgrade to Intel's 12th generation of Core processors, there aren't any huge changes, but there are at least a few interesting differences. The most obvious one being that Wall Street Canyon has two USB-A 3.2 (10 Gbps) ports around the front, instead of one USB-A and one Thunderbolt 3/USB-C port around the front of the current model. It's not clear if this is due to a technical limitation of Thunderbolt 4, or if Intel decided it was more useful to keep the two Thunderbolt ports around the back for most of its potential customers. Regardless, this is where the two Thunderbolt 4 ports now reside, alongside two HDMI 2.0b ports, with the mini-DP port having been dropped altogether.

Other connectivity options include 2.5 Gbps Ethernet, a USB-A 3.2 (10 Gbps) and a USB 2.0 port around the back, as well as a 3.5 mm audio jack around the front. The Wall Street Canyon NUC is also said to have models with Qi charging for mobile devices. As far as CPU choices go, the base model should be an Intel Core i3-1220P, ranging to the top model with a Core i7-1270P, or in other words, most of the 28 W TDP Alder Lake-P processors. Wall Street Canyon has space for one internal 2.5-inch drive, as well as a PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 NVMe SSD, a shorter M.2 2260 slot for a SATA based drive and an Intel AX211 WiFi and Bluetooth module. The two DDR4 SO-DIMM slots support memory speeds of up to 3200 MHz. No word on pricing as yet, but we'd expect the pricing to be similar, if not slightly higher than the current models

MSI is launching a new blazing fast model to its SSD product line - SPATIUM M480 PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 PLAY, exceeding all performance requirements for PlayStation 5 use. MSI SSDs enhances 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 delivers great performance with up to 7000 MB/sec read. On SPATIUM M480 PLAY, the sleek dual finish aluminium heatsink is designed to fit the PlayStation 5. This improves heat-dissipation to sustain transfer speeds across all platforms for professionals, content creators, and gamers. Other performance-improving technologies include DRAM cache buffer and an SLC cache.

SPATIUM M480 PLAY is the optimal product made for console gaming in the SPATIUM lineup with four storage capacities - 500 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB, and 4 TB. This brings next-level storage performance to players for PlayStation 5, content creators, and PC gamers. Expanding the storage device on the PS5 is a simple upgrade that allows for lightning-fast save and load times for large game files.

SilverStone today introduced the TP06, an M.2 NVMe SSD heatsink and cover for the PlayStation 5 system. The heatsink is designed for SSDs in the M.2-2280 form-factor that lack heatsinks, and is shaped to double up as a cover for the M.2 NVMe drive bay of the PlayStation 5. The heatsink is a 67.5 gram chunk of aluminium with a solid surface making contact with the drive, and ridges on the other side that dissipate heat. Besides the heatsink, the package includes a thermal pad, screws tested for compatibility with the PS5, and a screwdriver. The company didn't reveal pricing.

Samsung and Western Digital today signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that implies that the two companies will join their efforts to create next-generation data placement, processing, and fabrics (D2PF) storage technologies. The MOU states that the two companies will collaborate on creating Zoned Storage devices, including ZNS (Zoned Namespaces) SSDs and SMR (Shingled Magnetic Recording) HDDs. The ZNS SSD initiative is a challenge of creating entirely new SSDs that work on the ZNS principle instead of traditional block-based drives. Opposite to data in traditional SSDs written in blocks, ZNS SSDs will place data into zones and have software understand where each bit of information is written without excessive read/write action. Another benefit of ZNS is that managing data allows less garbage collection, thus higher efficiency.

Software adoption for ZNS makes it hard, and Samsung's conjoined efforts with Western Digital aim to simplify it. Western Digital notes that "In addition, this collaboration is expected to serve as a starting point to expand zone-based (e.g. ZNS, SMR) device interfaces, as well as future-generation, high-capacity storage devices with enhanced data placement and processing technologies. At a later stage, these initiatives will be expanded to include other emerging D2PF technologies such as computational storage and storage fabrics including NVMe over Fabrics (NVMe-oF)." So, with further development of ZNS, Samsung and Western Digital will collab on more advanced storage options as well.

As industries compete to capitalize on the abundance of data generated by intelligent, connected devices, implementation of an intelligent data strategy has become even more critical. Edge computing has played an instrumental role to address this demand, but the edge itself has continued to evolve with the ever-growing need for even more demanding, real-time computing. Rugged edge computing enables applications that require real-time, low latency data processing and storage to function reliably in volatile environments that are not friendly to regular systems.

Trends and technologies such as Industry 4.0, AIoT, and 5G are driving the need for improved intelligence at the rugged edge. Businesses and organizations want more computing power at the edge because of the benefits it provides to their operations. NVM Express (NVMe) is an essential enabling technology for rugged edge computing, reducing latency and accelerating data processing to the point where connected devices can operate anywhere to perform machine learning, artificial intelligence, and inference computing. Real-time data access and analytics are turning rugged edge computing into a competitive necessity across all sectors and industries.

Apacer has taken 3D NAND Flash optimization to new heights. Today, it announces the release of SLC-liteX industrial SSDs that can provide an incredible 100,000 P/E cycles. That's 3 to 33 times higher than competing 2D MLC or 3D TLC products can offer. 5G and AIoT manufacturers who are invested in large-scale data collection and analysis, including those demanding higher capacities, higher performance and higher endurance, will quickly see the advantages of this development. According to Allied Market Research, "the global 3D NAND flash memory market size was valued at $12.38 billion in 2020, and is projected to reach $78.42 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 20.3% from 2021 to 2030."

The endurance of any NAND Flash product can be measured in P/E cycles. Every time a write or erase action is performed, the Flash cell will suffer irreparable damage. In the industrial world, 3,000 P/E cycles was considered quite a competitive number. But with increasing demands for greater endurance thresholds in applications such as 5G O-RAN and edge computing switches, the market was hungry for more - while still recognizing the paramount importance of cost-effectiveness. Apacer's crack team of firmware experts tackled the problem and were able to tweak the technology to deliver 100,000 P/E cycles. Careful cell distribution management of the 3D TLC structure was necessary in order to correctly adjust the voltage delta and charge sensing. Furthermore, powered by carefully selected industrial grade NAND components, the firmware structure is specifically optimized to enhance NAND flash stability during daily operations, and the error handling algorithm is significantly improved to avoid any unexpected ECC errors.

5G's rapid deployment is spiking demand for large amounts of data storage. Emerging 5G applications such as telemedicine, smart healthcare and smart poles require storage devices that can offer high-speed, low-latency and stable operation during high-quality, high-resolution image data transmission to permit AI image recognition and auxiliary diagnoses. Luckily, Apacer's latest PCIe Gen4 x4 SSD is stepping up to the plate. It adopts the latest BiCS5 112-layer 3D NAND Flash memory technology. This means ultra-high performance and reliability, a stable supply and - crucially - a more competitive cost per unit.

Real-time imaging data plays an important role in 5G healthcare applications. But to be effective, it requires high-resolution images that are extremely clear and focused. According to a recent report, "5G in Healthcare Market" released by MarketsandMarkets, telehealth and robotic surgery both grew in response to the challenges posed by COVID-19, and 5G wearable medical devices also became more prevalent for the same reason. Currently, the 5G healthcare market "is valued at an estimated USD 215 million in 2021 and is projected to reach USD 3,667 million by 2026, at a CAGR of 76.3% during the forecast period."

Kingston Digital, Inc., the Flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., a world leader in memory products and technology solutions, today announced it closed out a prosperous 2021 in the number one spot for SSD Unit market share in the channel. SSD demand through Q4 2021 remained high due to continued growth in the client, enterprise and OEM sectors. In October, Kingston also broadened its portfolio by launching two new high performance client M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen 4 SSDs, KC3000 and Kingston FURY Renegade.

Market share data from analyst research company TRENDFOCUS showed Kingston as the number one client SSD vendor in the channel with 22.2% for unit market share and 22.3 million client SSDs shipped for all of 2021 in the channel. In Q4 alone, Kingston's client SSD market share grew to a substantial 26.8% in the channel which displays a healthy annual unit growth despite ongoing component shortages. According to TRENDFOCUS, total client SSD units increased 12.4% YoY in 2021. Notebook PC units increased 12% YoY while desktop PCs inched up 1% over the same period, reflecting the rapid adoption of solid-state drives by clients largely due to performance, size and reduced power consumption. Kingston maintains a competitive advantage by working closely with its suppliers, partners, and customers to remain flexible and adapt to ever-changing needs and market conditions.

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.

Microsoft officially launched the DirectStorage API on the Windows PC platform, on Monday. The API enables direct data interactions between the GPU, graphics memory, and a storage device, so games have a more direct path to stream game assets to the graphics hardware. The API is compatible both with Windows 10 and Windows 11, although Microsoft is recommending the latter, for "in-built storage optimizations." Also, unlike previously reported, you don't necessarily need an NVMe-based storage device, such as an M.2 SSD with PCIe/NVMe interface. Even a SATA SSD with AHCI protocol will do. Microsoft is, however, recommending the use of an NVMe SSD for the best performance.

There is, however, a wrinkle. Microsoft isn't launching a killer feature of the DirectStorage API yet, which is GPU-accelerated asset decompression. This feature allowed GPUs to use compute shaders to decompress game assets that are stored in compressed asset libraries on the disk. Most games store their local assets this way, to conserve their disk footprint. Without this feature, unless there's special game code from the developer's end to utilize GPGPU for asset decompression; compressed game assets still have to rope in the CPU, and lengthen the pipeline. Microsoft stated that enabling GPU-accelerated decompression is "next on their roadmap."