Over the past few months, we've seen an explosion of magnetic NVMe SSD enclosures on the market and now Akasa has joined the fray with its own take on the topic and the accessory maker has of course added its own twists to the storage enclosure. The AK-ENU3M2-08 as it's known as, houses a standard M.2 2230 NVMe SSD and it's compatible with Apple's range of iPhones for direct video capture to the drive in ProRes 4K resolution and it does of course attach to the MagSafe connector on recent iPhones.

However, what makes the Akasa product stand out is the inclusion of a supercapacitor, which the company says takes 5-6 minutes to charge and it's included as a data loss safeguard in case of a sudden power loss. That said, it's a bit hard to figure how useful this would be in real world scenarios, since if the drive lost power, it most likely also lost its data connection to the host device. Another neat feature is that Akasa allows for 100 W USB PD passthrough, something we haven't seen on similar devices. The downside is the 10 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2 data interface, which is slower than some competing devices, but the other features might make up for the slower speed, depending on your use case. No pricing was announced.

Just in time for Christmas, we're delighted to announce the release of two hotly anticipated products that we think will look great under the tree. One of them might even fit in a stocking if you push hard enough. Introducing Raspberry Pi 500, available now at $90, and the Raspberry Pi Monitor, on sale at $100: together, they're your complete Raspberry Pi desktop setup.

Integral calculus
Our original mission at Raspberry Pi was to put affordable, programmable personal computers in the hands of young people all over the world. And while we've taken some detours along the way - becoming one of the world's largest manufacturers of industrial and embedded computers - this mission remains at the heart of almost everything we do. It drives us to make lower-cost products like the $15 Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W, and more powerful products, like our flagship Raspberry Pi 5 SBC. These products provide just the essential processing element of a computer, which can be combined with the family television, and second-hand peripherals, to build a complete and cost-effective system.

A prominent maker of smartphone and computer accessories, Satechi, has introduced yet another product to its lineup. The Satechi Mini NVMe SSD enclosure boasts an impressively compact design, with USB-C connectivity that allows it to be used with PCs, Macs, smartphones, etc. Interestingly, the product features a read-only mode, thanks to its physical write protection switch.

Owing to its diminutive form factor, the NVMe enclosure can only accommodate M.2 2230 drives. Satechi claims speeds of 10 Gbps, which is decently fast for most use cases, and a maximum capacity of 2 TB. Somehow, Satechi has also managed to pack active cooling into the product, which can spin up to a claimed 10,000 RPM when needed, thereby mitigating the woe of thermal throttling when the drive hits 50° C.

ASUS today announced the TUF Gaming A2 SSD enclosure for gamers seeking a superfast and reliable storage solution. The enclosure features USB-C 3.2 Gen 2x2 connectivity to deliver data transfer speeds of up to 20 Gbps—twice that of TUF Gaming A1. With IP68-rated water- and dust-resistance plus durability that meets U.S. MIL-STD-810H standards, TUF Gaming A2 keeps the SSD safe in almost any environment. Additionally, its silicone-rubber exterior provides superior on-the-go protection for the SSD. The Q-Latch mechanism allows for easy, tool-free SSD installation, while an efficient thermal management system ensures outstanding cooling to ensure consistent performance. With broad compatibility across PC, Mac, mobile devices, and the latest game consoles, TUF Gaming A2 is perfect for anyone looking to maintain an extensive library of games.

Exceptional SSD performance
TUF Gaming A2 doubles the data transfer speeds of its predecessor, TUF Gaming A1, with USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 connectivity delivering up to 20 Gbps of bandwidth. Even though the latest AAA titles often exceed 100 GB in size, it takes just 90 seconds to transfer an entire game from the SSD to a console such as ROG Ally, or to any other popular gaming platform. When it comes to installing or removing the M.2 SSD, the innovative Q-Latch makes it easy, without requiring specific tools. The latch design employs a simple locking mechanism to secure the drive, so there's no need for screws. Additionally, TUF Gaming A2 features both PCIe NVMe and SATA interfaces, and can accommodate various 2242/2260/2280 SSD form factors while providing up to 4 TB of storage capacity.

ORICO, a leading innovator in data storage solutions, is proud to introduce 5Big DAS Storage System Solution with 110 TB big capacity and 40 Gbps transfer speed storage system. Boost the unprecedented productivity of professionals, like video audio editors, content creators and filmmakers. Support personal or big team video audio projects that generate extensive data. As a video audio creator in pre-production and post-production, the volume of data can be overwhelming and scattered, from raw footage to final edits, sound files to special effects. And losing the valuable datasets means losing everything. Large, reliable and centralized storage ensures that all these assets are secured and easily accessible.

This system has 5 push-pull bays compatible with 2.5"/3.5" SSDs or 3.5" HDDs. Single bay supports up to 22 TB drive. Provide a total 110 TB lossless data backup and access area, specially tailored for high frame rate video projects and environments requiring high data completeness. It means you can get a storage space the same as: 55 x 2 TB laptop / 440 x 256 GB phone / 11,264 x 10 GB Blu-ray movie / 3,844,778 x 30 MB lossless music, or 23,068,672 x 5 MB HD photo. This system supports up to 3-devices daisy chain. You can get a total of 330 TB capacity available for the next project. On the other hand, it enables data recovery and 7 RAID modes (RAID 0, 1, 3, 5, 10, JOBD, Normal). Backup and redundancy measures ensure data security and reliability.

MSI also brought plenty of SSD products to the Computex 2024 show, including the new SPATIUM M560 PCIe 5.0 NVMe M.2 SSD based on the Phison E31T controller and Kioxia's 218-layer BiCS 3D TLC NAND, the new SPATIUM non-metal Vapor Chamber SSD Thermal Solution, and a couple of SSD accessories, including the DATAMAG Magnetic Portable SSD and the DATAVAULT SSD Enclosure.

As said, the new SPATIUM M560 PCIe 5.0 NVMe M.2 SSD will use the Phison 7 nm E31T controller paired up with Kioxia 8th generation 218-layer BiCS 3D TLC NAND and offer transfer rates of up to 10,000 MB/s. The controller, according to MSI, should bring up to a 15 percent reduction in power consumption as well as "maximize bandwidths and link efficiency". It will be available in 1 TB, and 2 TB capacities, and MSI will probably have a version that will include the new SPATIUM non-metal Vapor Chamber SSD Thermal Solution which has been also showcased at the Computex 2024 show. MSI says that this is yet another world's first, which uses "a two-phase flow transition of gas and liquid with minimal signal interference, ensuring rapid and silent heat exchange." According to MSI, the new SPATIUM non-metal Vapor Chamber SSD Thermal Solution should provide up to 11 degrees lower temperature compared to a standard aluminium heatsink.

The Sabrent USB-C Enclosure for M.2 2230 PCIe NVMe SSDs is a simple and easy solution for managing your short-form factor drives. Need to prepare your M.2 2230 SSD for installation into your Steam Deck, ASUS ROG Ally, Surface Pro 9, or other portable device? Pop it into this enclosure and secure the latch, plug it in via USB-C, and off you go. The enclosure supports all major operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and anything built on Linux. The experience is simplified with an integrated cable and plug-and-play operation, as it is bus-powered with no drivers required.

The enclosure specifically supports M.2 2230 PCIe NVMe SSDs, not SATA, so be sure to check your drive beforehand - drives like our Rocket 2230 and Rocket Q4 2230 are a perfect pairing for this enclosure.

QNAP Systems, Inc. today launched the new PCIe JBOD storage enclosure TL-R2400PES-RP, featuring PCIe Gen 3 x8, and providing up to 64 Gb/s data transfer. Following the release of 12 and 16-bay models of the TL-Rx00PES-RP PCIe JBOD series, QNAP extends the series lineup by introducing the 24-bay 4U rackmount TL-R2400PES-RP model. Users can expand existing NAS storage volumes to petabyte-class by connecting multiple TL-Rx00PES-RP series JBODs, without requiring RAID-rebuilding on the host NAS. The TL-Rx00PES-RP series uses SATA drives, allowing businesses to choose from a wide range of enterprise hard drives. This series is ideal for businesses who want to archive/back up virtualization applications, surveillance recordings, multimedia, and other large data.

The TL-Rx00PES-RP series power on/off is linked with the host NAS, which helps reduce hardware management tasks for IT staff. Storage expansion cards QXP-3X8PES (PCIe Gen 3 x8) or the QXP-3X4PES (PCIe Gen 3 x4) are required for the NAS to scale up using TL-Rx00PES-RP series expansion enclosures.

TerraMaster today introduced the D2-320 2-bay RAID enclosure. Just to be sure, this isn't a NAS server, but a USB-based RAID enclosure that you can directly connect to your PC, or a NAS server that will recognize it as a USB mass-storage device. The D2-320 is a generational upgrade over the D2-310. While the original D2-310 features a 5 Gbps USB 3.1 Gen 1 host interface, the new D2-320 ups the host interface bandwidth to 10 Gbps, using USB 3.2 Gen 2. This increases the maximum transfer speed to 1,075 MB/s, up from 410 MB/s on the D2-310. The actual transfer speeds will depend on the storage devices installed. The maximum volume size has also been increased to 44 TB from the previous 22 TB.

You get two 3.5-inch drive bays with SATA 6 Gbps interfaces, which you can use for HDDs, or SSDs, and access them as JBODs, where the mass-storage device mounts each disk and its separate volumes; or arrays, with the enclosure supporting RAID 0 and RAID 1. File systems supported include NTFS, APFS (MacOS), EXT4, exFAT, and FAT32. You toggle the RAID modes manually on the device, using a flat-head screwdriver. The device draws power from a power brick, and features a USB-C cable (type-A adapter included). A single 80 mm fan keeps the drives cool. Available now, the TerraMaster D2-320 is priced around $150.

Cooler Master has showcased a wide variety of new case designs, as well refreshed versions of enthusiast favorites at CES 2024—the NR200P Vision was given special placement on a purple lit podium. This striking revisement of CM's original NR200P model presents itself as a futuristic concept—a crowd of attendees was drawn to this compact spectacle. Cooler Master states that NR200P Vision's feature set would normally be reserved for high-end or studio-level enclosures, but they have worked on integrating these into a space-saving profile. Support for 240 and 280 mm liquid coolers is mentioned on their interactive tablet display, as well as a provision for large GPUs (356 mm long, 160 mm high) via a vertical mounting system. An extra holder will be included to keep everything firmly in place. TPU staffers noticed that the Vision was fitted with wood (effect?) feet, suggesting that some style notes have been taken from Fractal Design's book.

The NR200P Vision features vented steel construction and striking tempered glass side panels—Cooler Master claims that this headliner has the performance to match its good looks. The Taiwanese hardware manufacturer made some room at their booth for another NR200-series refresh—a NR200P V2 model was presented in black or white options. Past feedback has been taken onboard; the chassis design team has made sure to update the front I/O panel with a much requested USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type C port (offering up to 20 Gb/s transfer speeds). It seems that the NR200P Vision has received the same front-facing connectivity treatment.

Thermaltake continued its unveiling of new CTE C-series chassis models at CES 2024—TPU staff took a closer look at the C200 the other day. This is a dual-chamber ITX chassis available in black or "Snow" white; it utilizes Thermaltake's Centralized Thermal Efficiency (CTE) Form Factor design. According to the C200 spec sheet, PC builders can customize the interior with (up to) 6 x 120 mm case fans, there is also enough room for a single 280 mm AIO radiator.

The showcased black CTE C200 was configured with an array of Thermaltake SWAFAN EX14 ARGB fans, TOUGHLIQUID Ultra 280 All-In-One Liquid Cooler and a TOUGHPOWER GF3 ARGB 850 W PSU. The contained build included an Intel Core i5-13500 CPU, Thermaltake TOUGHRAM XG RGB D5 DDR5 memory, and an ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4070 12 GB graphics card.

Other World Computing www.OWC.com -- the leading end-to-end ecosystem solution provider of computer hardware, accessories, and software for both consumers and professionals - today introduced the Express 1M2, the first USB4 drive and fastest single blade NVMe OWC has ever offered.

Exceptional Speed, Ultimate Flexibility
The OWC Express 1M2 was purposefully built to maximize the performance capabilities of today's and tomorrow's USB4-equipped Macs and PCs. It offers photo and video professionals, DITs, and prosumers/performance enthusiasts real-world speeds up to 3151 MB/s. It also offers versatile compatibility to work with millions of existing Thunderbolt and USB-C machines and devices.

InWin Development Inc. (InWin), a leading innovator in PC enthusiast and gaming hardware, has introduced the first ever fully modular case, the ModFree PC chassis. Fully interchangeable and expandable, it allows PC enthusiasts to freely transform the design, layout, and structure to meet their exact needs and preferences in hardware and cooling. InWin offers a Base Edition preset featuring Mod-I and Mod-II modules along with three InWin Jupiter AJ140 ARGB case fans. The Deluxe Edition preset comes with Mod-I, Mod-II, and two Mod-III modules, and four Jupiter AJ140 fans too.

ModFree: An Easy, Sustainable System
The ModFree ecosystem is designed around toolless interlocking clips that allow users to easily swap modules around. Unlike conventional chassis, ModFree uses an inverted motherboard design that allows users to showcase their hardware from the left side of the desk instead of competing for space with the mouse pad on the right. Investing in this ecosystem ensures an upgrade to add more cooling or more space is just a module away, which also helps to reduce the environmental impact considering you would no longer need to build an entire new system anytime you need to upgrade. ModFree offers a 3D interactive assembly guide with easy-to-follow demonstrations and ideas for how to use each module. Users can also experiment with designs directly in the app.

We're excited to announce that Xbox Series X Console Wraps are launching this year, and pre-orders have already started. We know gamers want to be able to customize their consoles and show support for their favorite games, and we are delivering an option that's more affordable and more sustainable than purchasing a special edition or limited edition console. With the launch of Series X Console Wraps, you can customize the console you already have. There are three striking designs to choose from - complete your Starfield setup with a Starfield design that pairs perfectly with the recently released Starfield Controller and Headset, and we are also launching two camo colors to choose from, Arctic Camo and Mineral Camo.

The wraps were designed specifically for Series X and have a custom, precision fit. Every detail was taken into consideration to ensure your console performance is preserved- vents are all clear, and small feet were added to the bottom of the wraps to ensure air can flow freely through the console. Made with solid core panels that are layered with high-tech fabric finishes, the wraps are folded around your console and secured with a hook and loop enclosure. The interior of the wraps are printed with silicone designs that keep the wrap in place.

SolidRun has announced the world's first rugged system design that combines 8-core AMD Ryzen 7040 series processors with multiple Hailo-8 AI accelerators to create its Bedrock R7000 Edge AI for artificial intelligence (AI) applications. This new member in SolidRun's Bedrock family of fanless modular industrial PCs is specifically designed to meet demanding vision-based situational awareness in harsh environments.

The new system integrates with the AMD Ryzen 7840HS processor, a state-of-the-art 4 nm APU with 8C/16T Zen 4 CPU and integrated RDNA 3 Radeon 780M GPU. The 20 native PCIe Gen 4 lanes and up to three Hailo-8 AI accelerators can be fully utilized together with NVMe Gen4x4 storage, dual 2.5 Gbit Ethernet and 4x4K displays. The CPU and all devices are passively cooled by the innovative fanless cooling system of the Bedrock R7000 in an industrial temperature range of -40°C to 85°C.

Kolink has brought back one of their fan-favourite PC cases, this time with fancy improvements. Meet the Kolink Inspire K2 Plus! Whilst many features remain the same - if it ain't broke, don't fix it, amiright? - there are a number of ease-of-use upgrades integrated within the design. Plus, an aesthetic glow-up. We all love a glow-up. If your Micro-ATX case is looking a bit shabby or you're itching to start a new build, stick around and see how this classic Kolink chassis has been improved. There may even be some surprise cables, too!

What's New
The Kolink Inspire K2 Plus builds on the much-loved design of its predecessor. There are subtle and more obvious changes that have been made to the chassis. The internals have been improved to facilitate better component support. Enjoy superior accommodation for your high-end hardware and integrated radiator mounts. New features have even been added. Unlike the original K2, this version sports a dedicated PSU chamber to help maintain temperatures and keep the interior looking clutter-free.

The Framework Laptop 16 is extremely rigid and durable, while also being surprisingly light and thin through use of a combination of magnesium alloy and machined aluminium parts for the enclosure. The laptop is under 18 mm thick, which is unusually slim for a 16" high-performance, upgradeable system. If you choose to add discrete graphics using a Graphics Module, the back section of the laptop extends to just under 21 mm thick, enabling much higher thermal capacity for the GPU. This is a substantially more mechanically complex product than the Framework Laptop 13, with a larger screen size, higher performance parameters, and two new module systems with the Input Modules and Expansion Bay. With all of that, we've still achieved a clean, minimal industrial design, with no externally visible fasteners.

We've done this through careful design work, architecting the system to be made of two core mechanical parts: a molded magnesium alloy Bottom Cover and a CNC aluminium Top Cover. Both of these are items we make in collaboration with one of the most advanced enclosure manufacturers in the world, Catcher Technology. We fabricate the parts at Catcher's massive, highly-automated facility in Tainan, Taiwan, where there are vast fields of molding and milling machines.

Gamdias has diversified its PC case product range with multiple new models introduced at this year's Computex. Their headline "prime lifestyle" E-ATX enclosure is the dual chamber NESO P1 full-tower case - its unique trapezoidal shape was certainly eye-catching and the two glass panels provide a panoramic view of interior-mounted hardware. A modular pedestal system grants horizontal and vertical orientations "seamlessly while leveraging solid airflow and stability. A new case orientation provides a fresher look and unlocks an entirely new building experience." Gamdias states that the NESO P1's dimensions are (L x W x H) 490 x 310 x 495 mm.

A one-touch button mechanism makes it simple and straightforward to access the case interior for builds, upgrades and maintenance. The NESO P1 features fully perforated mesh panels that allow for optimum airflow routes, these can be configured to adjust intake and exhaust functionality depending on case orientation. Gamdias has thoughtfully added 8x8 rotatable PCIe slots and created an interior space with plenty of room (up to 426 mm) which accommodates for the flexible installation of horizontal and vertical GPUs, including the largest examples from the GeForce RTX 40-series.

AZZA, a leading manufacturer and provider of computer cases, power supplies, and PC components, presents new show-stopping cases and unveils a community project at Computex 2023. Starting off with the Sanctum 810, a spacious square glass enclosure with powerful airflow capabilities, and the Mesa 811 a stunning, asymmetrical clear-cut showpiece with individually removable glass and aluminium sheets.

The showcase also includes the Neo 500, a new mid-tower case with subtle front fans inside a chic mesh front panel, and Augment 510, a sturdy, premium aluminium enclosure encompassing mesh front and top panels. AZZA will officially unveil Design Beyond Limits, a community project that invites creatives to collaborate on creating a new case design. AZZA will be at Nangang Exhibition Hall 1, 4F booth no. L0401a from May 30th to June 2nd, 2023.

After a three year hiatus, In Win Development Inc. (InWin), will rejoin COMPUTEX 2023 in full force. This year, InWin will showcase its growing range of high performance AIO cooling solutions, professional-grade cooling fans, new ATX 3.0 power supplies, updates to its iBuildiShare initiative, and exciting collaborative products with some of the PC industry's top brands.

Chilling New Products
See InWin's latest MR and TR series AIO liquid coolers that can really take the heat, chilling even the hottest chips down to the core. Cooling enthusiasts are in for a treat with the introduction of the new InWin Neptune fan series that's destined to cool the hottest of hardware!

Apricorn, the leading manufacturer of software-free, 256-bit AES XTS hardware-encrypted USB drives, today announced the release of the USB 10Gbs Aegis NVX. Employing proprietary architecture, The Aegis NVX is the first Apricorn encrypted device to feature an NVMe SSD inside. Initial capacity offerings will be 500 GB, 1 TB, and 2 TB, with a price range of $339.00 - $739.00 MSRP.

The NVX was conceived to address the immediate protection of raw data delivered directly from its source at high speeds, such as high-definition video cameras with the capability to write to an external SSD via USB C or HDMI. The NVX's high-speed read/write capabilities at 1,000 MB/s are sought after in the fields of military intelligence, digital forensics, filmmaking and healthcare where write speeds over 600 Mb/s are critical.

Cooler Master introduces Oracle Air, the inaugural product of its innovative storage enclosure line, designed to complement the modern digital experience. Leveraging state-of-the-art NVMe M.2 technology, this elegant aluminium SSD enclosure, delivers blazing-fast, effortlessly scalable, and portable storage solutions tailored for gaming enthusiasts and digital nomads alike. When one's daily routine entails traversing various locations while igniting innovative concepts and crafting artistic creations on the fly, reliable data storage becomes essential for safeguarding those invaluable moments.

Offering sturdy protection for creative assets during transit, Oracle Air also ensures swift data transmission to make the most of every moment in a busy lifestyle. Designed for effortless integration, users can easily switch between multiple SSDs or expand storage capacity without dealing with screws or tools. With built-in MOLLE compatibility, Oracle Air can be smoothly attached to backpacks and other carrying options, ensuring one's progress stays close at hand while exploring the world.

In Win launches its Foldable POC Mini-ITX Tower - the latest iBuildiShare series case you can shape yourself! In Win Development Inc. (In Win), a leading innovator in PC enthusiast gaming hardware, has introduced its POC Mini-ITX tower PC chassis. POC is the latest addition to In Win's iBuildiShare series. Encouraging the development of dexterity skills both inside and out of a PC.

DIY PC builders of all ages can assemble a Mini-ITX enclosure from this vibrant modular kit by actually bending and shaping each panel. Similar to the art of origami, but using 0.8 mm foldable SECC steel panels instead of paper. This durable, lightweight material can withstand multiple bends. Delivered flat-packed, POC minimizes packaging materials and weight, reducing environmental impact.

ASUS ROG has started selling its RTX 4090 XG Mobile external graphics card in China and Japan this week. Japanese customers are being charged a cool $3000 for the pint-sized powerhouse external GPU, and Chinese buyers are getting a slightly better deal at $2700. It should be noted that this eGPU is the (GN21-X11) mobile variant of the GeForce RTX 4090, and not the full fat desktop version. The newly updated XG Mobile enclosure can only be connected to an ASUS Flow laptop, which limits the scope of compatibility to an already very expensive range of devices. The proprietary connection standard will keep customers in the ASUS ROG mobile hardware ecosystem - but their higher end laptop models can be configured with the very capable GeForce RTX 4070 mobile GPU, so the RTX 4090 XG Mobile seems to appeal to a very small buying niche.

The XG Mobile interface uses the PCIE Gen 3 x8 standard of connection, and the GPU has access to a dedicated 63 GB/s of bandwidth. This beats the Thunderbolt 4 standard of 40 Gb/s, by a 57% margin. The enclosure acts as a docking station - its features include an up to 2.5 Gbit Ethernet, a single HDMI 2.1 port, one DisplayPort 1.4 with G-Sync support and three USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (3x Type-A + 1x Type-C). ASUS ROG has engineered the docking station/enclosure to be as compact as possible (21.7 cm x 16.5 cm x 3.26 cm), when compared to competing products from other manufacturers. The whole package weighs in at 1.3 kg, which will ensure decent portability for gamers on the move.

In response to the increasing demand for powerful computing that can be relied on in a wide range of even the most challenging installation environments, leading industrial computing manufacturer and solution provider, OnLogic (www.onlogic.com), has unveiled their Helix 401 fanless industrial computer. The compact device is designed for use in edge computing, industry 4.0, Internet of Things (IoT), and many other emerging applications and will make its public debut at Embedded World 2023.

"You may never see them, but industrial computers are everywhere, working diligently to power technology solutions of every shape and size. These systems need to be small and reliable while still being just as powerful as high-end desktop machines," says Mike Walsh, Senior Product Manager at OnLogic. "The Helix 401 balances size and performance while providing a wide range of configuration possibilities to help users tailor it to their specific application. It's small enough to fit in your hand, similar in size to Intel's popular NUC, but capable enough to drive advanced automation solutions and power the next great smart agriculture, building automation or energy management innovation."