For more than 20 years, 3DMark has been gamers' first choice for benchmarking the latest graphics cards and processors. Today, we're taking 'The Gamer's Benchmark' into a new area with the 3DMark Storage Benchmark, a dedicated component test for measuring the gaming performance of SSDs, hybrid drives, and other storage devices.

With fast modern SSD storage, loading times are shorter, levels restart faster, and there are fewer interruptions to your gameplay. PC gamers can now choose from a wide range of high-performance storage options from the fastest PCI Express 4.0 and NVMe devices down to cheaper SATA SSDs and high-capacity hybrid drives.

Today, Memblaze officially announced the launch of PBlaze6 6530 series PCIe 4.0 enterprise SSD oriented towards the mainstream market after releasing the first PCIe 4.0 PBlaze6 6920 ultimate SSD series in April. Based on the Memblaze self-developed Unified Framework Platform (MUFP), the PBlaze6 6530 series supports NVMe 1.4 specifications and adopts the latest 176-layer enterprise level 3D eTLC NAND flash memory. Compared with its predecessor, the PBlaze6 6530 series features higher endurance, significantly improved performance, with Random Read reaching up to 1100k IOPS. PBlaze6 6530 series supports more enterprise functions and security features, meeting the stringent requirements of hyperscale users in internet, cloud computing, finance and telecommunications etc. filed.

PBlaze6 6530 series enterprise SSD supports PCIe 4.0 x4 interfaces and enjoys superior Read/Write bandwidth. With latest 176-layer enterprise 3D eTLC NAND flash memory and MemSpeed 4.0 technology, it can provide 4K Random Read performance up to 1100k IOPS, 4K Random Write performance exceeding 425K IOPS, and sequential Read/Write bandwidth reaching 6.8 GB/s and 4.8 GB/s, respectively. Therefore, it can deliver better performance for enterprise users, supporting substantial acceleration in business applications.

KIOXIA America, Inc. today announced the production availability of its EM6 Series Enterprise NVMe-oF solid state drives (SSDs) for Ethernet Bunch of Flash (EBOF) systems. Using the Marvell 88SN2400 NVMe-oF SSD converter controller that converts an NVMe SSD into a dual-ported 25Gb NVMe-oF SSD, KIOXIA EM6 Series drives expose the entire SSD bandwidth to the network.

Due to their ability to scale performance of NVMe SSDs, native NVMe-oF architectures are well-suited for applications such as artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning (ML), high performance computing (HPC) and storage expansion. In the case of HPC, leveraging the Lustre file system, which is used to provide high bandwidth and parallel access to compute clusters, is beneficial to NVMe-oF based storage, such as EBOF systems with EM6 SSDs, that enable high availability (HA) configurations. An HPC HA configuration example consists of multiple and redundant network connections between a compute host and an EBOF with 88SN2400-connected NVMe SSDs, to deliver scalable throughput based on the number of SSDs.

OWC, the premier zero-emissions Mac and PC technology company, and a respected provider of Memory, External Drives, SSDs, Mac & PC Docking Solutions, Network Attached Storage, and Performance Upgrade Kits, today announces the all-new OWC Accelsior 8M2. The OWC Accelsior 8M2 brings impressive speed and storage capacity to 2019 Mac Pros, Windows or Linux computers, and PCIe expansion systems.

It utilizes the total bandwidth of the latest PCIe technology and has a highly efficient heat dissipating design to provide ultra-reliable speeds up to 26,000 MB/s. Creating the fastest PCIe SSD meant combining bold engineering with the latest technology. Each OWC Accelsior 8M2's eight NVMe M.2 SSD slots can run at their full x4 lanes of data throughput. All that insanely fast speed through an entire PCIe 4.0 x16 lane architecture with up to 64 TB of storage.

Delivering on the promise of SSDs that address future enterprise infrastructure requirements, KIOXIA America, Inc. today announced production-ready availability of its 9.5 mm XD6 Series Enterprise and Datacenter Standard Form Factor (EDSFF) E1.S data center class SSDs. Introduced in late 2020, KIOXIA XD6 drives were the first EDSFF E1.S SSDs to address the specific requirements of hyperscale applications, including the performance, power and thermal requirements of the Open Compute Platform (OCP) NVMe Cloud SSD Specification. XD6 series also supports popular E1.S 15 mm and 25 mm form factor options, providing the flexibility to select the right balance of cooling through different E1.S heatsink options.

Representing the latest innovation in flash storage for servers in cloud and hyperscale data centers, KIOXIA EDSFF E1.S SSDs are designed to optimize system density, efficiency and management. As defined by the EDSFF consortium and leveraging the OCP NVMe Cloud SSD Specification, the small form factor E1.S replaces the M.2 form factor and delivers greater density, performance, reliability, and thermal management. E1.S is also designed to be hot pluggable for increased serviceability, which is another benefit over M.2.

A new era for flash used in servers and storage is here, and it's being introduced by KIOXIA America, Inc. Today, the company announced the industry's first lineup of Enterprise and Datacenter Standard Form Factor (EDSFF) E3.S SSDs designed with PCIe 5.0 technology - the CD7 Series. Building on the KIOXIA E3.S full-function development vehicle that received a 'Best in Show' award at last year's Flash Memory Summit, the CD7 Series E3.S increases flash storage density per drive for optimized power efficiency and rack consolidation.

Breaking free from the design limitations of the 2.5-inch form factor, the EDSFF E3 family is optimized for the needs of high-performance, highly efficient servers and storage. EDSFF enables the next generation of SSDs to address future data center architectures, while supporting a variety of new devices and applications. It provides improved airflow and thermals, signal integrity benefits, and options for larger SSD capacity points. EDSFF standardizes status LEDs on the drive, which eliminates the need for LEDs on the drive carriers. Support for higher E3.S power budgets than 2.5-inch form factor SSDs and better signal integrity allows EDSFF to deliver the performance promised by PCIe 5.0 technology and beyond.

Greenliant is sampling high capacity NVMe U.2 Industrial Enterprise PX Series solid state drives (SSDs), designed with high quality 3-bit-per-cell (TLC) 3D NAND and on-board DRAM to provide consistent low latency and high IOPS over the entire industrial temperature range (-40°C to +85°C). The G7200 NVMe U.2 PX Series offers customers a rugged industrial SSD with enterprise grade sustained performance. See NVMe U.2 Industrial Enterprise SSD information here.

NVMe U.2 Industrial Enterprise PX Series SSDs reach up to 2,500/1,900 MB/s sequential read/write performance and provide endurance of 2 drive writes per day (DWPD) for 5 years. Combining the best of enterprise and industrial SSD features, the G7200 PX Series is ideal for high reliability automation, datacenter, video, networking, transportation and aerospace applications.

XPG, a fast-growing provider of systems, components, and peripherals for Gamers, Esports Pros, and Tech Enthusiasts, today announces XPG, a fast-growing provider of systems, components, and Peripherals for Gamers, Esports Pros, and Tech Enthusiasts, today announces a new series of solid state drives (SSD), the XPG ATOM series, geared toward creators of different needs and budgets. They include the XPG ATOM 30, 40, and 50.

The ATOM 30 and 40 utilize PCIe Gen3x4 and NVMe 1.3 to deliver sequential read and write speeds of up to 2,500/2,000 and 3,500/3,000 MB per second, respectively, to give creators the performance they need to create without limitations. Their M.2 2280 specifications support the latest Intel and AMD platforms for creating on the latest PCs, including desktop and laptops. For users seeking a further boost, the ATOM 50 takes advantage of PCIe Gen4 x4 and NVMe 1.4 to offer read and write speeds of up to 5, 000/4,500 MB per second.

ADATA Technology, a manufacturer of high-performance DRAM modules, NAND Flash products, mobile accessories, gaming products, electric power trains, and industrial solutions today announces a new series of solid state drives (SSD), the ADATA LEGEND series, geared toward creators of different needs and budgets. They include the ADATA LEGEND 740, 750, and 840.

The LEGEND 740 and 750 utilize PCIe Gen3 x4 and NVMe 1.3 to deliver sequential read and write speeds of up to 2,500/2,000 and 3,500/3,000 MB per second, respectively, to give creators the performance they need to create without limitations. Their M.2 2280 specifications support the latest Intel and AMD platforms for creating on the latest PCs, including desktop and laptops. For users seeking a further boost, the LEGEND 840 takes advantage of PCIe Gen4 x4 and NVMe 1.4 to offer read and write speeds of up to 5,000/4,500 MB per second.

Kingston Digital, Inc., the Flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., a world leader in memory products and technology solutions, today announced TrendForce has named it as the number one supplier of SSDs in the channel for all of 2020. According to TrendForce, Kingston accounted for a whopping 27 percent of the 111.5 million units shipped in 2020.

With the emergence of COVID-19 in 2020, TrendForce reported a 15% YoY decrease in annual SSD shipments to the channel and severe delays in manufacturing and logistics resulting in a sudden decline in order volumes. Yet, findings show through Kingston's global strategy for sourcing components, the company was well ahead of its competitors considering a global pandemic and looming chip shortage. The results reinforced Kingston as the clear leader in SSD production, as the second-place supplier accounted for only 8 percent of the total channel market. As a category, third-party suppliers (non-semiconductor) SSD makers accounted for 35% of the total shipments in 2020.

Kingston FURY, the gaming division of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., a world leader in memory products and technology solutions, today announced Kingston FURY Renegade SSD, its next generation PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 drive for gamers, enthusiasts, and high-power users. Kingston FURY Renegade SSD delivers cutting-edge performance in high capacities using the latest Gen 4x4 controller and 3D TLC NAND.

By maximizing the available bandwidth of PCIe 4.0, Kingston FURY Renegade SSD achieves speeds up to 7,300/7,000 MB/s read/write and up to 1,000,000 IOPS to deliver amazing consistency for an exceptional gaming experience. The drive is optimized to reduce game and application load times, stream and capture with ease and give your system an overall boost in responsiveness. Available in high capacities up to 4 TB, users can store an extensive library of their favorite games and media and still have space for the latest titles. In addition to formidable speeds and massive capacity options, Kingston FURY Renegade SSD combines a slim M.2 form factor and an advanced low profile, graphene aluminium heatspreader to keep your drive cool during intense usage and bring superior performance to the tightest of spaces in gaming PC's and laptops.

TEAMGROUP launches the T-FORCE CARDEA A440 PRO M.2 PCIe SSD, pioneering in the gaming storage market with ultra-fast spec of read/write speeds reaching up to 7,400/7,000 MB/s. A440 PRO fast approaches the theoretical maximum speeds of Gen4 x4 interfaces, providing gamers with an invincible gear for battling.

The CARDEA A440 PRO is equipped with the upgraded patented aluminium fin type heat sink, which is equipped with the optimal structure for heat removal by taking advantage of airflow and ventilation. aluminium fins are arranged to increase cooling surfaces, therefore improving heat dissipating efficiency drastically. The advanced dual heat dissipating combination of ventilation and increased surface cooling enables A440 PRO to be 48% cooler than other SSDs without additional cooling. It delays the occurrence of speed drop caused by high temperature generated during high-speed operations, breaking SSD performance barriers. The T-FORCE CARDEA A440 PRO SSD also offers the option of a patented ultra-thin graphene heat sink, utilizing graphene as the cooling medium to take advantage of the material's high thermal conductivity. The ultra-thin design improves cooling efficacy by 9% [3] and is fully compatible with various motherboards. The two heat dissipation modules are packaged individually, and each is available in 1 TB, 2 TB, and 4 TB storage capacities. Gamers can top the best gaming arsenal based on their needs and platform choices.

Greenliant has introduced a new class of high capacity SATA 2.5" solid state drives (SSDs), offering enterprise grade data reliability, fast performance and industrial temperature operation (-40°C to +85°C) for the most demanding environments. G3200 Industrial Enterprise PX Series SSDs, with the industry-standard SATA 6 Gb/s interface and popular 2.5" form factor, are compatible with existing and legacy systems, for easy transitioning from hard disk drives (HDDs).

SATA 2.5" Industrial Enterprise PX Series SSDs reach up to 550/530 MB/s sequential read/write performance and provide endurance of 2 drive writes per day (DWPD) for 5 years. Designed with high quality 3-bit-per-cell (TLC) 3D NAND, the G3200 PX Series is ideal for high reliability industrial, video, networking, transportation and aerospace applications.

Seagate Technology Holdings plc today introduced the new family of Star Wars Beskar Ingot Drives, the first release in a collaboration to bring designs inspired by the Star Wars franchise to its line of PC gaming storage devices, taking gamers' battle stations to the next level. The first release in the collaboration celebrates the legends of the Star Wars Mandalorian galaxy. These drives bring the iconic Star Wars "precious metal" aesthetic to the FireCuda line-up. The special edition designs will be available in M.2 NVMe, 2.5-inch SATA, and external HDD formats. Each drive resembles an ingot of Beskar, including its Imperial stamp featured prominently in the series, making these drives the ultimate collectible for Star Wars fans.

"We are thrilled to bring unique, iconic designs from one of the world's most popular franchises to the forefront of every gamer's battle station," said Jeff Fochtman, Senior Vice President of Business and Marketing at Seagate Technology. "This collaboration appeals to global audiences including gamers, PC builders, and Star Wars enthusiasts alike."

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic led to severe delays in manufacturing and logistics. In particular, governments worldwide began implementing border restrictions in 2Q20 to combat the ongoing health crisis, leading to a sudden decline in order volumes for channel-market SSDs, according to TrendForce's latest investigations. Annual shipment of SSDs to the channel (retail) market reached 111.5 million units in 2020, a 15% YoY decrease. In terms of market share by shipment, Kingston, ADATA, and Kimtigo once again occupied the top three spots, respectively.

Looking at the channel market for SSDs as a whole, NAND Flash suppliers (among which Samsung possessed the largest market share) accounted for around 35% of the total shipments in 2020, while SSD module makers accounted for the other 65%. The top 10 module makers accounted for 71% of channel-market SSD shipments from all SSD module makers. Taken together, these figures show that the market remained relatively oligopolistic in 2020. However, it should be noted that TrendForce's ranking of SSD module makers for 2020 takes account of only products bound for the channel market and under brands owned by the module makers themselves; NAND Flash suppliers were therefore excluded from the top 10 ranking.

SK hynix Inc. (or 'the Company', www.skhynix.com) today announced financial results for its third quarter 2021 ended on September 30, 2021. The consolidated revenue of the third quarter 2021 was 11.805 trillion won, while the operating profit amounted to 4.172 trillion won and the net income 3.315 trillion won. Operating margin for the quarter was 35% and net margin was 28%.

SK hynix achieved record high quarterly revenue since its foundation, and regained operating profit more than 4 trillion won after two and a half years since the fourth quarter of 2018. The increased semiconductor memory demand for server and smartphone (mobile) applications, alongside the improved product prices, contributed to the Company's record-breaking quarterly revenue.

Kingston Digital, Inc., the Flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., a world leader in memory products and technology solutions, today announced KC3000, its next generation PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD for desktop and laptop PCs. KC3000 SSD offers next-level performance using the latest Gen 4x4 NVMe controller and 3D TLC NAND ideal for power users who require the fastest speeds on the market.

By leveraging Gen4 technology, KC3000 delivers speeds up to 7,0000/7,000 MB/s read/write of blazing-fast performance and full capacities up to 4096GB2 for optimal storage. Users can keep up with demanding workloads and experience better performance with software applications such as 3D rendering and 4K+ content creation by upgrading the systems storage. KC3000 is built with high-density 3D TLC NAND housed in the industry standard M.2 2280 form factor to store even more and enable users to take advantage of PCIe 4.0 speeds. With the combination of performance and endurance, KC3000 is reinforced with a low profile, graphene aluminium heatspreader to effectively disperse heat and keep your drive cool during intensive workloads.

Contract prices of NAND Flash products are expected to undergo a marginal drop of 0-5% QoQ in 4Q21 as demand slows, according to TrendForce's latest investigations. Hence, the current cyclical upturn in NAND Flash prices will have lasted for only two consecutive quarters. Looking ahead, NAND Flash suppliers' capacity expansion plans will be affected by the outlook on future trends and the supply of other non-memory components. At the same time, attention will have to be paid to the demand projection. At the moment, NAND Flash suppliers appear likely to downsize their capacity expansion activities for 2022, resulting in a 31.8% YoY increase in NAND Flash bit supply next year. Annual bit demand, on the other hand, is projected to increase by 30.8% YoY. With demand being outpaced by supply and competition intensifying among suppliers for higher-layer products, the NAND Flash market will likely experience a cyclical downturn in prices in 2022.

GIGABYTE Technology, an industry leader in high-performance servers and workstations, today announced a new server, GIGABYTE R282-Z9G, that gets around hardware and software RAID limitations that bottleneck RAID when used with NVMe SSDs. Continuing in the success of the R282 series, the new SKU was designed to house an all-in-one server solution that specifically targets high performance NVMe (Gen4) SSDs for RAID by incorporating the GRAID SupremeRAID solution into the R282-Z9G. This is the first GIGABYTE server to incorporate a GRAID Technology solution and has proven to be highly successful with Kioxia CM6-R SSDs.

More and more companies are using flash storage and doing so on a larger scale; however, there may be pitfalls when using RAID, such as limitations in computing performance or consuming a large amount of CPU resources. To solve these problems and to do so with a large amount of drives, the GRAID SupremeRAID works by installing a virtual NVMe controller on the OS while integrating a PCIe device for high performance. With this GIGABYTE solution over 100 GB/s of throughput is possible for workloads in HPC, 4K/8K video editing, high-frequency trading, online transaction processing, or database processing.

Over the past few generations of Mini-ITX boards we've seen Asus add more and more stacked layers and its upcoming ROG Strix Z690-I Gaming WiFi seems to be taking this to the next level with what appears to be no less than three stacked layers on top of the main PCB. What can be seen from the side-shot of the boards is that there's at least one PCB for audio as well as what appears to be an ARGB and fan header, as well as what should be two layers for M.2 NVMe SSDs with associated heatsinks.

The rest of the pictures of the board have been put through some kind of filter which makes it hard to ascertain any details, although we can spot a USB type-C and USB 3.0 front panel connector. Asus has carried over the VRM heatsink from the Strix Z590-I Gaming WiFi by the looks of things, although it seems like the extra NVMe slot has been implemented on the cost of two SATA ports. We'll have to wait until the official unveiling to find out the full details, which should be sometime next month.

Acer announced the ConceptD 7 SpatialLabs Edition laptop (CN715-73G), bringing eye-popping, glasses-free stereoscopic 3D to designers and developers. The mobile workstation supports creators with Acer SpatialLabs, a suite of optical, display and sensory technologies with real-time rendering capabilities to deliver a glasses-free stereoscopic 3D experience.It's also backed by the NVIDIA Studio ecosystem, featuring NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPUs with exclusive driver technology that enhances creative apps for optimal levels of performance and reliability. Simply put, the new ConceptD 7 is an ideal laptop for 3D modeling, and also an excellent laptop for developers.

"Acer is dedicated to breaking the barriers between people and technology," said Jerry Kao, Co-COO, Acer Inc. "SpatialLabs is a great example of how we try to let that goal guide everything we do. From product and architecture CAD to projects with 3D graphics, designers can finally see their 3D creations in 3D during the workflow to make better judgments, rather than having to wait till afterwards. Developers are also empowered with new ways to tell stories and bring their ideas to life."

ATP Electronics, the global leader in specialized storage and memory solutions, introduces the A750Pi and A650Si/Sc Series embedded SSDs built on 3D triple level cell (TLC) NAND flash. Manufactured using a new die package, the Serial ATA solid state drives (SATA SSDs) deliver 66% higher endurance in native TLC mode and 50% higher in pseudo single level cell (pSLC) mode, making them on par with drives built on multi-level cell (MLC) and SLC flash, respectively.

The new SSDs come in M.2 2280 and 2242 as well as 2.5" and mSATA form factors. A750Pi/A650Si SSDs support industrial temperature (I-Temp) ranges from -40°C to 85°C to perform reliably even when operating under extreme and harsh conditions. A650Sc SSDs can support commercial operating temperatures (C-Temp) from 0°C to 70°C. A650Si/Sc with native TLC NAND flash have capacities from 120 to 1920 GB, while A750Pi drives configured in pSLC offer 80 to 640 GB. Depending on project and specific part number request, ATP's new SATA embedded SSDs are also available as self-encrypting drives (SEDs) featuring AES-256 encryption and Opal TCG 2.0-compliant security.

Samsung's flagship client M.2 NVMe SSD, the 980 PRO, finally has a stock heatsink in new SKUs. Its design calls for what appears to be an aluminium monoblock with ridges for fins that join at the top. This heatsink is held in place by a metal shroud that covers the sides and back of the drive. The drive comes with its own retail SKUs and name—"980 PRO with Heatsink," much like how Western Digital segregates SKUs with or without heatsinks for its flagship WD Black SN850 drives. Retail channel availability of these variants remains to be seen, as The Verge reports that these drives will be sold as PlayStation 5-compatible drives. When they come out on October 29, the 1 TB variant is expected to be priced at $250, with the 2 TB variant going for $450.

Apacer, a leading manufacturer of storage and memory, has created a pair of innovative new SSDs with cutting-edge specs that will rock the gaming market. The AS2280P4U and AS2280P4U Pro SSDs boast read-write speeds of 3,500/3,000 MB/s, allowing users to quickly upgrade laptops or consoles with expert-level technology. For professionals who demand the best, the AS2280P4U Pro also features an aluminium heat sink that can reduce operating temperatures by 25%, maintaining stable performance and the best condition.

The AS2280P4U and AS2280P4U Pro both use PCIe Gen3 x4 interfaces and 3D NAND technology. They also comply with the NVMe 1.3 standard, helping realize Apacer's 2021 motto of "adding value, enhancing collaboration." Their excellent read-write speeds, which are up to 3,500/3,000 MB/s, will allow users to quickly switch from one program to another, never holding them back in their quest for gaming excellence.

Seagate Technology Holdings plc a world leader in data storage solutions, today announced the new Game Drive for Xbox SSD taking the company's popular line of storage for gamers to the next level. Featuring 1 TB of flash-speed performance, this external SSD empowers gamers to store titles from Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, or any generation of Xbox One.

With a bold, refined design, and a built-in Xbox green LED bar that illuminates the gaming center, Game Drive for Xbox SSD complements the modern generation of gaming consoles. Lightweight and slim with USB 3.2 Gen 1 universal compatibility, this drive makes it easy for gamers to take the whole library on-the-go and play anywhere with no external power supply needed. With plug-and-play setup, the Game Drive for Xbox SSD is easily installed in under two minutes through Xbox OS.