At its simplest definition, embedded vision is the merging of computer vision with edge AI. Its implications, however, are far more reaching with the potential to launch wholly new applications and reshape the future of entire industries.

Integrating a camera and a processing board, an embedded vision system provides the benefits of compact size, light weight, low operational cost, and low energy consumption. They are typically built for executing specific applications, which makes the upfront cost relatively high due to customization. Once they are trained, they can perform various techniques such as image classification, object detection, object tracking, semantic segmentation, and instance segmentation to help a computer extract, analyze, and understand useful information from a single image or a set of images. This technology opens up entirely new possibilities.

[Editor's note: We have published the review of HYTE Revolt 3 Case here.]

HYTE, the new PC components and lifestyle brand of iBUYPOWER, a leading manufacturer of high-performance custom gaming PCs, today released its premier product, the Revolt 3 Mini-ITX PC case. Previously announced during CES 2021 as the Revolt 3 MK3, the Revolt 3 was designed with careful consideration for DIY PC enthusiasts, gamers, and creators alike.

"iBUYPOWER is excited to introduce its new sub-brand, HYTE, to our community with its very first product, the Revolt 3" said Darren Su, Executive Vice President of iBUYPOWER. "With over 20 years of experience as a systems integrator we felt like we had a unique perspective to bring to the table when developing PC Components. We approached the Revolt 3 with the goal of designing a case with the freedom and flexibility that would allow the use of a wide range of components without imposing performance restrictions based on the size of the case."

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards and graphics cards, announces today that its AORUS Gen4 7000s SSD is fully compliant with PS5 M.2 storage expansion. With the read speed of 7000 MB/s and maximum storage capacity of 2 TB far beyond specification requirements, it allows users to enjoy the best gaming experience.

Enhanced by the latest generation PCIe 4.0 controller with advanced 3D-TLC NAND Flash, The AORUS Gen4 7000s SSD boosts more performance than previous generation PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD. It equips big aluminium thermal interface in different sizes and double side thermal pad with Nanocarbon coating for improved heat dissipation. In response to the latest announcement from Sony for the compatibility of M.2 SSD storage extensions on PS5, GIGABYTE engineers has further verified the original structure and performance of AORUS Gen4 7000s SSD to be the perfect choice of M.2 storage expansion for PS5. In addition, the read speed of up to 7000 MB/s ensures users with optimized data accessing and smoother gaming experience.

AMD is looking to launch a substantial lineup of HEDT and workstation processors before the end of 2021, based on its latest "Zen 3" microarchitecture. These processors are categorized in two distinct lines—the Ryzen Threadripper 5000X targeting HEDTs, and the Ryzen Threadripper Pro 5000WX targeting workstations. Both are based on different sockets, sTRX4 and sWRX8, respectively, with the latter featuring 8-channel DDR4 memory, compared to the former's 4-channel. Two Ryzen Threadripper Pro 5000WX series chips surfaced on the Milky Way@Home distributed computing database, the 5945WX and 5995WX.

The application identifies the 5945WX as a 12-core/24-thread processor, while the 5995WX is the top-dog 64-core/128-thread part. AMD maintains lower core-count Threadrippers to target the section of the market that seeks I/O capabilities over core-counts (memory bandwidth, a large number of PCIe lanes supporting NVMe RAID or multiple AIC compute accelerators, etc,). The lower core counts also come with higher CPU clock-speeds, benefiting less-parallelized applications. At this point it's not known if the Threadripper 5000 family features the conventional "Zen 3" CCD chiplet, or the new "Zen 3+" chiplets with 64 MB 3D Vertical Cache (3DV cache), but the company is planning to monetize the new chiplet across its EPYC enterprise line as the additional cache benefits certain applications with large streaming data-sets. It's conceivable that the Threadripper Pro series could benefit from 3DV cache, too.

A number of manufacturers have been caught red-handed, so to speak, by changing components on their SSD products without as much as a product specifications change. This has happened in the past with ADATA, Patriot, and more recently with Western Digital and its WD Blue SN550; now, it's Samsung that's being on the receiving end of a more attentive look at their recent batches of the 970 EVO SSD - particularly its 1 TB configuration.

According to Computerbase, a YouTube channel in Asia seems to have first noticed the difference. They've tested the older version of Samsung's 970 Evo Plus 1 TB (product number MZVLB1T0HBLR, April 2021 production date, a Phoenix controller [S4LR020] and 96-layer 3D TLC NAND) against the newer (product number MZVL21T0HBLU and is equipped with an Elpis controller [S4LV003] and 3D-NAND with the identifier K9DUGY8J5B-CCK0), which likely features different packaging and density for the same 96-layer 3D TLC NAND.

NAND Flash suppliers' Clients in the data center segment were gradually stepping up enterprise SSD procurement after finishing inventory adjustments, according to TrendForce's latest investigations. Moreover, the adoption rate of 4/8 TB products in the enterprise SSD market increased substantially on account of the releases and adoption of the new server processor platforms from Intel and AMD. Although the recent wave of COVID-19 outbreaks that struck Southeast Asia weakened smartphone sales in 2Q21, the quarterly total NAND Flash bit shipments rose by nearly 9% QoQ, as PC OEMs still had plenty of component orders in 2Q21 due to the fairly robust notebook demand during the period. On the other hand, the shortage of controller ICs became more severe during the period, and the winter storm that battered Texas this February affected the operation of Samsung's foundry fab Line S2 in Austin. As demand for NAND Flash products rose, the overall ASP also rose by nearly 7% QoQ, and the quarterly total NAND Flash revenue rose by 10.8% QoQ to US$16.4 billion in 2Q21.

JEDEC Solid State Technology Association, the global leader in standards development for the microelectronics industry, today announced the publication of JESD233: XFM Embedded and Removable Memory Device (XFMD) standard. XFMD (XFM stands for Crossover Flash Memory) is a new universal data storage media providing an NVMe over PCI Express interface in a small, thin form factor. The device is designed to bring replaceable storage to devices typically soldered down in IoT devices and embedded applications. Developed by JEDEC's JC-64.1 Subcommittee for Electrical Specifications and Command Protocols, JESD233 is available for download from the JEDEC website.

JESD233 XFMD is a removable, versatile memory solution intended for use in a wide range of applications that require an easy device exchange. Examples include IoT devices, automotive applications, notebook PCs, gaming consoles, video recording devices (drones, surveillance systems, etc.), Extended Reality (AR, VR, MR), and more.

To maximize connectivity between the host and the device, JESD233 XFMD leverages industry-leading standards from PCI-SIG and NVM Express, Inc. The PCI Express interface provides fundamental bus connectivity and NVM Express serves as the higher level protocol for accessing the non-volatile media as a low-latency logical storage device.

Come August 17, SK hynix's best-selling "Gold P31" line of Solid State Drives (SSDs) will be complemented with a 2 TB capacity version. Gold P31, SK hynix's PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD, has garnered consistent praise from professional tech reviewers for its unique performance and power efficiency benefits. The drive released last year in 1 TB and 500 GB capacities, and is now adding a 2 TB option for users of high-capacity storage including gamers and content creators. The 2 TB version will be marked with a sleek, black-color PCB (Printed Circuit Board) instead of the usual green.

The 2 TB Gold P31 will offer 3,500 MB/s in sequential reads and 3,200 MB/s in sequential writes, the highest from a PCIe Gen3 drive, as well as an industry-leading endurance rating of 1,200 TBW (for 2 TB capacity; Terabytes Written: total amount of data an SSD can write in its lifetime), thus providing performance, capacity, power efficiency, and reliability all around. With read speeds of 172.2 MB/s per watt of power, the Gold P31 is indeed 434% more efficient than comparable products (for 1 TB capacity; Tallis, Billy. "The Best NVMe SSD for Laptops and Notebooks: SK hynix Gold P31 1 TB SSD Reviewed." AnandTech. August 27, 2020).

Colorful Technology Company Limited, a professional manufacturer of graphics cards, motherboards, all-in-one gaming and multimedia solutions, and high-performance storage, introduces the CVN B560I Gaming Series Mini-ITX motherboards and the compact iGame GeForce RTX 3060 Mini OC graphics cards. The new products are designed to meet the needs of small form factor PC enthusiasts.

The COLORFUL CVN B560I Gaming Series Mini-ITX motherboards come in two models - the CVN B560I Gaming Frozen with a white and silver color and the CVN B560I Gaming Pro with black and silver color. The two models ensure builders can have matching colors in either black or white PC builds. To complement the new Mini-ITX motherboards, COLORFUL also introduces the iGame GeForce RTX 3060 Mini OC graphics card with a compact 182 mm length. With this, COLORFUL enthusiasts can build an all-COLORFUL small form factor gaming PC.

ATP Electronics, a global leader in specialized storage and memory solutions, has announced that its A600Sc Series serial ATA solid state drives (SATA SSDs) have been successfully qualified for compatibility and interoperability with Adaptec Smart Storage PCIe Gen 4 Tri-Mode SmartRAID 3200, SmartHBA 2200, and HBA 1200 Smart Storage adapters.

Designed for storage platforms in next-generation data centers, the Adaptec PCIe Gen 4 SAS/SATA/NVMe HBA and RAID tri-mode adapters deliver significantly higher performance through PCIe Gen 4 x16 CPU interfaces as well as SAS and SATA storage. The new offerings simplify integration and provide flexibility to aggregate diverse storage devices with Microchip's proven security and manageability features for the most demanding server storage applications.

Seagate has confirmed that it now has a PS5-compatible SSD that should be a worthwhile drop-in replacement for the PS5's user-replaceable storage. This isn't a new product, mind you: the company has announced the Firecuda 530 for some time now. However, the company did announce that this SSD can be used in the PS5 system - even if just barely. With space being so constrained in the PS5's NVMe SSD slot, not all SSDs can even physically fit the available space (110 x 25 x 11.25 mm) - and especially not all SSDs featuring a heatsink, even if PS5's compatibility requirements demand such an heatsink to be present so as to avoid thermal throttling.

The FIrecuda 530 1 TB can easily best Sony's 5500 MB/s sequential read requirements for SSD compatibility with the PS5 - the PCIe 4.0 Firecuda 530 offers 7,300 MB/s on that regard, so it more than fits the part. The user-replaceable SSD storage on the PS5 will only be available for Beta users at first, via an upcoming software update for the console, and there are some hoops to jump through in migrating data to it. Seagate is also releasing a 2 TB version ($569.99) and a 4 TB version ($1,049.99). Seagate's own user-replaceable SSD for the Xbox Series X|S, the Storage Expansion Card, is available in 1 TB capacity for $219.

Kioxia Corporation, a world leader in memory solutions, today announced two new solid state drive (SSD) series scheduled to be released in the fourth quarter of 2021. The EXCERIA PRO and EXCERIA G2 Series are the company's latest consumer-grade solutions for today's hardcore enthusiasts and mainstream DIY system builders. Kioxia's new SSDs, which are products under development, will be on reference exhibit at the China Digital Entertainment Expo and Conference (ChinaJoy) in Shanghai from July 30th to August 2nd.

Using the next generation PCIe Gen4 x4 interface, the EXCERIA PRO Series is built for demanding PC environments. This brand new series will offer more than 2x the max sequential read speeds of the PCIe Gen3 based EXCERIA PLUS Series, delivering a high performance storage experience for content creators, gamers and professionals.

Intel's 12th Generation Core "Alder Lake-S" desktop processor will see a limited launch in 2021, according to an Igor's Lab report. This will be restricted to PC enthusiast-relevant SKUs bearing the -K and -KF brand extensions, and compatible Socket LGA1700 motherboards based only on the top Z690 (Z590-successor) chipset. The series will ramp up to other (locked) models, along with more affordable chipset models (B560-successor), only by Q1-2022, on the sidelines of the 2022 International CES. Sources tell Igor's Lab that these select few models could be launched between October 25 and November 19.

Intel is expected to make several technological leaps over AMD with "Alder Lake-S." To begin with, it has the first hybrid core technology that combines high-performance "Golden Cove" cores with high-efficiency "Gracemont" cores, in a heterogenous multi-core setup comparable to Arm big.LITTLE. Next up, it is expected to debut the PCI-Express Gen 5 I/O, and DDR5 memory support. While PCIe 5.0 GPUs remain under development, the first devices to take advantage of it are expected to be NVMe SSDs, benefiting from 128 Gbps bandwidth (Gen 5 x4). It is also learned that the next-gen motherboards will retain the current ATX 24-pin + EPS power interface, and Intel won't force adoption of ATX12VO. The new ATX12VO standard increases motherboard costs as it essentially transfers DC-to-DC switching components from the PSU to the motherboard (12 V to 5 V; 12 V to 3.3 V, etc), and adds output connectors.

GIGABYTE rolled out the X570S Gaming X motherboard, expanding its line of AMD X570S motherboards that debuted in June with a trio of AORUS Gaming and AERO series products. The Gaming X sticks to GIGABYTE's main brand, and is usually priced below its AORUS Gaming models. Built in the ATX form-factor, the board draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX and single 8-pin EPS connectors. It uses a 6-layer PCB for better memory and PCIe signalling. A 14-phase (12+2 phase) VRM powers the CPU, with an enlarged MOSFET heatsink. The AMD X570S chipset is cooled by a fanless heatsink.

The AM4 socket is wired to a PCI-Express 4.0 x16 slot, and M.2 NVMe slot with PCI-Express 4.0 x4 wiring. There are two additional M.2 NVMe slots wired to the X570S chipset, both capable of PCI-Express 4.0 x4. Other expansion slots include a PCI-Express x16 (Gen 4 x2 electrical), and two Gen 4 x1 slots. USB connectivity includes two 10 Gbps USB 3.2 ports on the rear panel, one of which is type-C; and seven 5 Gbps USB 3.2 ports, from which four are on the rear panel, one is an internal type-C port, and two ports via headers. The sole network interface is a 2.5 GbE, driven by a Realtek 8125B controller. The 8-channel onboard audio is basic Realtek ALC892 fare. The board comes with out-of-the-box support for Ryzen 5000 "Vermeer," and Ryzen 5000G "Cezanne" processors, besides Ryzen 3000 series. The company didn't reveal pricing, but we expect this to go for well under $180.

Infortrend Technology, Inc., the industry-leading enterprise storage provider, has launched U.2 SSD solution for EonStor CS scale-out NAS. The new all-flash CS 4014U satisfies high performance-demanding requirements for high throughput and low latency workloads, such as media & entertainment (M&E), HPC, Big Data, etc.

EonStor CS is a scale-out NAS storage able to expand capacity and linearly increase performance by adding more nodes. CS provides complete data protection and high availability to avoid data loss and system downtime caused by disk damage or system failures. Each node of CS 4014U model can be installed with 14 U.2 SSDs, and a 5-node cluster can reach 20 GB/s throughput.

Microsoft DirectStorage API, a game-changing technology that seeks to lower game load times and improve performance, will not be a Windows 11 exclusive, but make it to Windows 10. Shortly following the Windows 11 announcement, it was learned that Microsoft might wall off DirectStorage to Windows 11, which no longer appears to be the case. The DirectStorage Developer Preview is now available, and it works on Windows 10 version 1909 (or later), letting game developers begin exploring the technology and consider integrating it with their current or ongoing game development.

DirectStorage lets a GPU directly stream compressed game assets from an NVMe SSD, where they are uncompressed using compute shaders; cutting out a significant amount of back-and-forth with the CPU, freeing up its hardware resources, resulting in a net gain from reduced game-loading times. This would give gamers on Windows 10 one more reason to remain on the OS until Windows 11 matures. The new OS, however, could have an advantage over Windows 10 on machines with hybrid CPU cores, such as the upcoming "Alder Lake" processors, as its scheduler purportedly has greater awareness of hybrid core topologies.

The upcoming Steam Deck device has recently been confirmed to feature a M.2 NVMe 2230 slot on all three models. This confirmation comes after Valve CEO Gabe Newell confirmed in various emails the presence of the slot and this information has since been updated on the Steam Deck website. The official device specifications now list all models as featuring socketed 2230 M.2 modules with a notice that they are not intended for end-user replacement. The base Steam Deck model features just 64 GB of eMMC flash so the availability of this upgrade option will be appealing to many users. The M.2 2230 form-factor is the smallest currently available measuring just 22 mm x 30 mm which does come with the disadvantage of less available products and higher prices compared to full size M.2 drives.

PNY announced today the launch of the LX2030 and LX3030 line of ultra high endurance SSDs to the company's assortment of solid-state drives. The new LX families of SSDs offer ever higher levels of endurance designed for "proof of space and time" applications like Chia (XCH) Plotting.

The PNY LX2030 and LX3030 M.2 NVMe SSDs are the ideal solution for "proof of space and time" applications like plotting Chia Coin. To secure the blockchain, the data needs to be first created in a process called "plotting", which is only required once per plot file. This process is write intensive, so a desirable SSD for plotting has high sustained write bandwidth and endurance (TBW, or terabytes written). Typically this level of write performance and endurance was only seen on enterprise class SSDs.

The EVGA Z590 DARK once again strikes fear into the hearts of other Z590 motherboards by combining every ounce of power available to the Intel Z590 chipset and fine-tuning it to perfection. This armed and fully-operational motherboard is born from a 10-layer PCB and powered by a 21-Phase VRM. With support for PCIe Gen4 graphics cards and M.2 NVMe SSDs, overclockers have nothing to fear when shooting for the highest scores in any benchmark.

For everyone else, the Z590 DARK is loaded with over a dozen USB options, eight SATA ports, two 2.5 Gbps NICs + WiFi 6/BT 5.1, 7.1 Channel HD Audio, three M.2 Key-M slots, and two fan headers dedicated to AIO CPU Coolers. As a wise overclocker once said, "Once you start down the DARK path, forever will it dominate your destiny." and with the EVGA Z590 DARK, that destiny is sure to be filled with shattered records and countless victories on the battlefield.

To meet the market demand for large-capacity data storage, TEAMGROUP today announced two high-performance, huge-capacity storage products: the TEAMGROUP MP34Q M.2 PCIe SSD, which utilizes QLC Flash and the PCIe Gen3x4 interface and comes with capacities up to 8 TB; and the HIGH ENDURANCE CARD designed for high-resolution surveillance systems. Whether it is for computer equipment or security systems used at home or a business, TEAMGROUP provides reliable upgrade solutions for those who seek the best performance and stability.

Today the company announced the TEAMGROUP MP34Q M.2 PCIe SSD, which utilizes QLC Flash and the PCIe Gen3x4 interface. It also supports NVMe 1.3 and the Dual Cache technologies: SLC Caching and DRAM Cache Buffer. The MP34Q M.2 PCIe SSD offers a massive capacity of up to 8 TB, excellent read/write speeds of up to 3,400/3,000 MB/s, and an official five-year warranty with purchase, so consumers can buy and upgrade with confidence.

SilverStone today introduced the Raven RVS03, a unique M.2 SSD enclosure that supports both NVMe and SATA drives. Typically M.2 enclosures only support either of the two. The drive is based on the Realtek RTL9210B-CG controller that takes advantage of 10 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2 and UASP protocols, and offers sequential transfer rates of up to 1000 MB/s. The Raven's body is made entirely of aluminium, with a high-conductivity thermal pad being included, letting you transfer heat from the drive inside to the enclosure body. The enclosure uses a single USB 3.2 cable for both power and host connectivity. Cables are included for both type-A and type-C. It measures 105.7 mm x 35 mm x 13.5 mm (LxHxW), dry-weighing 52.2 g. The company didn't reveal pricing.

A lightweight M.2 SSD is a great way to add significant performance gains to any laptop or PC workstation. Silicon Power (SP) is releasing a new enclosure that will give your SSD the ability to not only achieve these gains but also take it wherever you go. The PD60 turns your M.2 M-key NVMe or SATA SSD into a portable hard drive for whenever and wherever you need it. Transfer data rapidly up to 10 Gbps via its USB 3.2 Gen 2 interface with the included Type-C to Type-C cable. It's also backwards-compatible with USB 3.1/3.0/2.0 at their respective speed limits.

The aluminium body is durable enough to protect your SSD, yet light enough to toss in your bag and hardly notice it, making it the perfect travel companion. It also provides superior heat dissipation, which is further enhanced by its slide design, allowing excess heat to escape when the cover is removed.

OWC, the premier zero-emissions Mac and PC technology company, and a respected provider of Memory, External Drives, SSDs, Mac & PC docking solutions, and performance upgrade kits, announces the OWC U2 ShuttleOne. This innovative "build your own" heat dissipating full metal adapter brings U.2 SSD performance and capacity to the mainstream in a flexible, easy-to-use design. Performance enthusiasts, IT admins, M&E pros, gamers, and more can now use a readily available and affordable NVMe M.2 "blade" style SSD in a 2.5-inch U.2 bay. Whether you have a U.2 bay equipped server, workstation, gaming rig, or external drive, the OWC U2 ShuttleOne gives you access to a new world of storage possibilities.

The OWC U2 ShuttleOne offers a full-metal housing that solidly protects your drive and data while providing cooling that's superior to adapters made with other materials. The OWC U2 ShuttleOne delivers complete drive reliability and takes your workflow beyond the limits. Small form factor NVMe M.2 SSDs can pack a powerful performance but swapping them can damage the connector and make the drive unreadable. The OWC U2 ShuttleOne lets you change your NVMe M.2 SSD at will in any 2.5-inch U.2 drive bay with the peace of mind that your drive will stay protected. This innovative adapter is fully certified and rated up to PCIe Gen 4, meaning the OWC U2 ShuttleOne supports your drive's fastest performance up to 8,000 MB/s. The OWC U2 ShuttleOne can make your dream of mind-blowingly fast speeds a reality.

Colorful Technology Company Limited, a professional manufacturer of graphics cards, motherboards, all-in-one gaming and multimedia solutions, and high-performance storage, is proud to announce the launch of the COLORFUL X15-AT gaming laptop powered by the latest 11th generation Intel Core processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 graphics. The gaming laptop comes equipped with a 15.6" display with 144 Hz refresh rate and 100% sRGB coverage for fluid gameplays and vivid colors. It also features Thunderbolt 4 connectivity and fast Wi-Fi 6. The COLORFUL X15-AT is not only powerful but also very portable. It uses a durable CNC milled aluminium chassis with an ultra-thin 23.9 mm thickness. It weighs at just 1.93 kilograms.

Powerful high-performance components require powerful cooling. With that, COLORFUL fitted the gaming laptop with the improved Storm Blade 3.0 cooling design featuring dual turbo fans and supersized cooling fins. The COLORFUL X15-AT also features a larger trackpad and RGB backlit keyboard. The gaming laptop has an intricate aesthetic design inspired by Leizhenzi - a powerful thunder god from the ancient Chinese mythology.

MSI is announcing the launch of its solid state drive (SSD) product line with the introduction of SPATIUM. The initial product offering will include M480, M470, and M370, which are Gen4 and Gen3 PCIe NVMe SSDs in compact M.2 2280 form factors that can be installed into compatible desktop motherboards and laptops.

MSI continues to refine its identity as a high-performance PC brand and SPATIUM was envisioned to expand our ecosystem and cover the high-performance storage category. These SSDs are built with high-quality, high-density 3D NAND flash that deliver the best compromise of performance and endurance for professionals, content creators, and gamers. Among the performance improving technologies include a DRAM cache buffer for M480 and M470, and a SLC cache for all announced models.