The Samsung 980 Pro is still the epitome of a fast gaming SSD that will let you boot up instantly, and load massive games quickly.
Find out why it is still the favourite SSD for discerning gamers all over the world!
Samsung 980 Pro : Super Fast Gaming SSD!
When it was launched back in September 2020, the Samsung 980 Pro was amongst the best and fastest gaming SSD money could buy.
It boasted a brand new 8nm Samsung Elpis controller with a native PCIe 4.0 interface, as well as improved TurboWrite caching.
To keep it running at peak performance, the Elpis controller is nickel coated to improve heat dissipation. It also uses a heat spreader label to keep the NAND chips cool.
The 980 Pro SSD also uses Samsung’s latest V-NAND TLC flash memory, with storage capacities of up to 2 TB in an M.2 2280 form factor.
Each SSD comes with 512 GB to 2 GB of LPDDR4 cache, and uses some of its storage as a fast SLC cache of between 49 GB and 216 GB in size.
Thanks to this combination of both DRAM and SLC caching, the Samsung 980 Pro boasts sequential read speeds of 6.4 GB/s to 7.0 GB/s, and sequential write speeds of 2.7 GB/s to 5.1 GB/s.
Of course, once the write caches ran out, sustained write speed fell to 400 MB/s for the 250 GB model, 900 MB/s for the 500 GB model, and 1.7 GB/s for the 1 TB and 2 TB models. But this was generally not an issue for gaming PCs, where read speed is paramount.
Capacity
Fixed
Intelligent
Total
TurboWrite
Speed
After
TurboWrite
250 GB
4 GB
45 GB
49 GB
2.7 GB/s
0.4 GB/s
500 GB
4 GB
90 GB
94 GB
5.0 GB/s
0.9 GB/s
1 TB
6 GB
108 GB
114 GB
5.0 GB/s
1.7 GB/s
2 TB
6 GB
210 GB
216 GB
5.1 GB/s
1.7 GB/s
But note that TurboWrite requires you keeping approximately 20% of the drive’s storage capacity free or empty. If you fill up the drive beyond that, the Intelligent portion of TurboWrite will be reduced.
Also, to fully utilise the Samsung 980 Pro, your gaming PC should PCIe 4.0. It is backward compatible and will have no issues working with PCIe 3.0, but your drive will be limited to 3.5GB/s for sequential reads.
Samsung 980 Pro : Now A Fast SSD That Won’t Break The Bank!
When it was first released, the Samsung 980 Pro was not only expensive, it was much sought after and were consequently hard to come by.
The COVID-19 pandemic didn’t do us any favour, with computer part prices skyrocketing from a combination of increased demand and reduced production.
18 months later – the Samsung 980 Pro remains one of the better gaming SSDs money can buy, only it’s more affordable these days!
Of particular interest are the smaller 250GB and 500GB models. While they don’t offer that much storage space, they are much cheaper on a per GB basis.
Here is a look at the latest deals on the Samsung 980 Pro SSD globally :
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Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
The Acer TravelMate P6 – co-engineered with Intel for advanced mobile performance – is here!
Here is everything we know so far about this Project Athena laptop!
Acer TravelMate P6 : A Project Athena Laptop!
The Acer TravelMate P6 is designed for mobile professionals who have to be on-the-go. To do that, it is designed to be thin, light and yet tough and last long. It also comes with the ability to stay connected on both Wi-Fi and 4G LTE.
Co-Engineered With Intel
The Acer TravelMate P6 is co-engineered with Intel under the Project Athena program. This means it has been verified to deliver advanced mobile performance in responsiveness, instant wake and battery life.
Performance
The Acer TravelMate P6 can be configured with up to 10th Gen Intel Core i7 processors, with an optional NVIDIA GeForce MX250 GPU, and up to 24 GB DDR4 memory.
It comes with a fast PCIe x4 SSD, with up to 1 TB of storage – delivering high throughputs, as well as a large storage capacity.
High-Speed Connectivity
The Acer TravelMate P6 comes with Intel Wireless Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) technology, that delivers 3X faster speeds than Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac). It can be configured to support eSIM to let you to stay connected using 4G LTE.
Thin + Light + Lasts Long
The Acer TravelMate P6 has a premium magnesium-aluminium alloy chassis, and weighs just 1.1 kg and is only 16.6 mm thick.
Yet its battery will last up to 23 hours, with fast charging capability that lets it recharge up to 50% in less than 45 minutes!
Military Tough
The Acer TravelMate P6 is both MIL-STD-810G and 810F compliant, allowing it to withstand bumps, drops and other mishaps. It is also resistant to rain, humidity and extreme temperatures.
Secure
Users can log into the TravelMate P6 using Windows Hello via the fingerprint reader on the power button, or through the IR webcam that utilises biometric facial recognition. When not in use, the camera shutter can be physically closed for added security.
It also comes with an integrated Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 chip hardware-based protection for passwords and encryption keys.
The pre-loaded Acer ProShield includes a suite of security and management tools that help safeguard sensitive data, while Acer Office Management lets IT professionals deploy security policies and monitor assets from one unified interface.
Acer TravelMate P6 : Specifications
Acer is offering two variants in Malaysia, with these specifications :
Specifications
Acer Spin P6 2020 (Core i7)
Acer Spin P6 2020 (Core i5)
Model
P614-51TG-G2-78WZ
P614-51T-G2-55Z1
Display
14-inch Full HD IPS Touch Display
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro
Processor
Intel Core i7-10510U
Intel Core i5-10210U
Memory
8 GB LPDDR4, Upgradable to 24 GB
Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce MX250
Intel UHD Graphics
Storage
1 TB PCIe NVMe SSD
512 GB PCIe NVMe SSD
Weight
1.1 kg
Launch Price
RM 6,299
RM 4,899
Acer TravelMate P6 : Price + Availability
The Acer TravelMate P6 will be available in these regions, with these starting prices :
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North America : February 2020, starting at USD 1,149.99
EMEA : February 2020, starting at EUR 1,099
China : January 2020, starting at RMB 9,999
Here in Malaysia, it is available in two variants with a 3-year warranty, including a 1-year international traveller warranty :
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Kingston Technology just announced that their DC500 enterprise-grade SSDs are now certified VMware Ready. Find out what this means!
Kingston DC500 SSDs Are Now Certified VMware Ready!
After the VMware Ready validation process, the Kingston DC500 family of enterprise SSDs are now certified for VMware vSAN and vSphere in production environments.
The Kingston DC500 family of enterprise SSDs had earlier been validated by NAS providers like QNAP and Synology, but this is their first enterprise-class validation.
This gives their enterprise clients assurance that the Kingston DC500 SSDs can be deployed in production environments without worry.
The Kingston DC500 drives have been tuned using comprehensive QoS test scripts developed in-house that measure IO and latency patterns at varying block sizes and queue depths. This allows them to deliver low latency out to six 9s (99.9999 percent) of consistency while delivering high throughput and predictable IO.
The VMware Ready program is a co-branding benefit of the VMware Technology Alliance Partner (TAP) program that makes it easy for customers to identify partner products certified to work with VMware cloud infrastructure.
The Kingston DC500 SSD Family
The Kingston DC500 SSD family consists of two models – DC500R and DC500M that are tuned for different use cases :
Kingston DC500R : Read-Centric SSD
The Kingston DC500R is highly optimised for read-centric workloads, delivering high I/O speeds and response times at lower price points than write-intensive SSDs.
Kingston DC500M : Mixed-Use SSD
The Kingston DC500M, on the other hand, is tuned for mixed-use workloads which demand a mix of read and write operations. It offers greater write endurance with strict performance consistency for datacenters.
Kingston DC500 Common Features
Both Kingston DC500R and DC500M SSDs incorporate end-to-end data path protection, which guarantee that all data will be written to the SSD and is protected against transient errors.
They also include on-board Power-Loss Protection (PLP) using tantalum capacitors. This ensures that data-in-flight is written to the flash memory in the event of unexpected power loss. The PLP also ensures that the drives’ mapping table (FTL) is updated before the drive powers down.
These safeguards reduce the risk of data loss, and ensure that the drive will initialise properly when the server powers up again.
Kingston DC500 SSD Family Specifications
For your convenience, we compare both DC500R and DC500M models in this table :
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Intel just revealed Optane Memory H10, which combines Optane Memory with QLC 3D NAND storage! Here is a quick primer on the new H10 storage solution!
Intel Optane Memory H10 With QLC 3D NAND Storage!
Intel Optane Memory H10 combines Optane Memory with QLC 3D NAND storage on a single M.2 module to produce better responsiveness and storage capacity.
This tight integration allows both Optane Memory and a solid state drive to be added into thin and light notebooks, as well as space-constrained desktop form factors such as All-in-One PCs and mini PCs.
This eliminates the need for a secondary storage device, while offering a higher level of performance, compared to traditional Triple Level Cell (TLC) 3D NAND SSDs.
Intel Optane Memory H10 Benefits
The Intel Optane Memory H10 allows space-constrained designs to benefit from the performance boost from Optane Memory while enjoying a large, affordable storage capacity courtesy of Intel QLC 3D NAND.
When compared to a standalone TLC 3D NAND SSD system, Intel claims the H10 will offer these benefits :
Documents will launch 2X faster while multitasking
Games will launch 60% faster while multitasking
Media files will open up to 90% faster while multitasking
Intel Optane Memory H10 Models
Intel will offer these H10 configurations :
16 GB Optane Memory+ 256 GB QLC 3D NAND storage
32 GB Optane Memory+ 512 GB QLC 3D NAND storage
32 GB Optane Memory+ 1 TB GB QLC 3D NAND storage
The first systems will be available through OEMs such as Dell, HP, ASUS, Acer and others.
The H10 will also be available on mobile platforms, starting with the 8th Generation Intel Core U-Series, which will debut in the later part of Q2 2019.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
At CES 2019, GIGABYTE revealed their latest storage product – the AORUS RGB SSD Series! And they are launching it in not one, but two, form factors – AIC and M.2.
The GIGABYTE AORUS RGB SSD Series Revealed!
AORUS RGB M.2 SSD
The GIGABYTE AORUS RGB M.2 SSD is available in two storage capacities – 256 GB and 512 GB. It delivers sequential read speeds up to 3480 MB/s and sequential write speed up to 2000 MB/s and is built with anodized, aluminium heatsinks.
The AORUS RGB M.2 SSD also features digital LED lighting that synchronises with AORUS motherboard, and a hairline finish on its heatsink.
AORUS RGB AIC SSD
The AORUS RGB AIC SSD offers larger storage capacity sizes of 512 GB and 1 TB, with sequential read speeds up to 3480 MB/s and sequential write speeds up to 3080 MB/s.
It comes with a 5 mm thick dark grey aluminium matte heatsink with a cross-cut design for increased heat dissipation area, as well as a thick LAIRD thermal pad.
The AORUS RGB AIC SSD’s heatsink has also been treated with fine sandblasting on the surface, multi-step anodisation and laser engraving. Even its screw holes were CNC processed for accuracy and aesthetics.
Finally, it boasts frontside RGB lighting with default RGB wave patterns. You can also customise its lighting effects using the new RGB Fusion 2.0 app.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
GIGABYTE just revealed their 512 GB GIGABYTE M.2 SSD, an affordable solid state storage solution for the mainstream market. Learn more about GIGABYTE’s latest M.2 solid state drive!
The 512 GB GIGABYTE M.2 2280 SSD Revealed!
Based on the NVMe architecture, the 512 GB GIGABYTE M.2 SSD utilises PCIe Gen3 x2 lanes to deliver higher bandwidth and transfer speeds compared to the traditional SATA interface. Like the earlier 128 GB and 256 GB models, the 512 GB GIGABYTE M.2 SSD supports TRIM and S.M.A.R.T technologies.
The 512 GB GIGABYTE M.2 SSD is built around TLC flash memory, with Host Memory Buffer (HMB) to improve performance at a more affordable price point.
Why PCIe x2, Not PCIe x4?
With reduced SSD prices in recent years, many users have made the transition from SATA devices to M.2 devices. Despite the upgrade, storage performance from their M.2 SSDs is often bottlenecked by the utilization of SATA 6Gb/s lanes on their storage devices.
The SATA 6Gb/s interface cannot match the read/write speeds of the SSDs, holding back their storage devices. NVMe based storage devices that utilize PCIe Gen3 lanes circumvent this issue but these devices usually come with PCIe Gen3 x4 lanes which makes them significantly more expensive.
While users are looking for better performance, NVMe based PCIe Gen3 x4 solid state drives are expensive. GIGABYTE M.2 SSD is based on NVMe architecture but uses PCIe Gen3 x2 lanes to reduce cost, while using Host Buffer Memory (HMB) to maximise performance.
HMB technology uses system memory to cache and improve the SSD‘s performance. This eliminates the need for dedicated cache memory, allowing GIGABYTE to keep costs low.
GIGABYTE M.2 SSD Price + Availability
The GIGABYTE M.2 SSD series comes with a 3 year warranty, and three capacity sizes of 128GB, 256GB and the newly-announced 512GB. Here are some direct purchase links (with prices accurate as of 24 December 2018) :
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Tech ARP is now 20 years old! To celebrate, we partnered up with many of the world’s TOP BRANDS to thank you all for your loyal support with a TWENTY-WEEK GIVEAWAY! 😲 😲 😲
Tech ARP Is 20 Years Old & Going Strong!
Time sure FLIES when you are having fun! Twenty years ago, Ken, Chai and I got together to rebrand Adrian’s Rojak Pot as Tech ARP. We were having trouble explaining what rojak was, and that pot did not refer to marijuana / cannabis! 😂😂😂
That was in the good old days of sawing off pipe end caps to turn into CPU water coolers, and modifying SLAB (sealed lead acid batteries) into the world’s first power bank for our PDAs (remember those?).
Those sure were CRAZY DAYS! 😂😂😂
Somehow, we worked our way to the forefront of motherboard technology with our seminal BIOS Optimization Guide, which later got published as Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier : The Definitive BIOS Optimization Guide for PCs.
I don’t know how I did it, but somehow, we did all those crazy stuff while I was still in medical school! CRAZY days indeed!
Over the years, we moved from strength to strength, with Ken hand-developing our own backend, and Chai nurturing our budding forums.
Somehow, we persevered and by the miracle of surviving the passage of time, Tech ARP is Malaysia’s oldest tech website!
Today, we are still pretty much the same team, with Falcone, Dashken, Carolyn, Hui Xin, Alyssa, Kar Hoe and Brian Chong helping us out here and there. Thank you, guys!
The Tech ARP 20-Week Giveaway
To thank you all for sharing our crazy journey over the years, we have prepared a 20-week giveaway contest. Actually, a series of twenty weekly giveaway contests.
We worked with many of the world’s TOP BRANDS to bring you all some goodies. We are also sponsoring some of these giveaways ourselves. Here are some of the brands that will be sponsoring their own giveaways here soon :
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Acer – Special Edition Laptop!
AMD – AMD Ryzen CPUs!
BenQ – MONITOR!
Cooler Master – CPU coolers, gaming keyboards and more!
Dell – POWER COMPANIONS, speakers and more!
Edifier – Headphones!
GIGABYTE – Motherboards!
TP-LINK
Western Digital – SSDs + HDDs!
Where possible, we are opening up the giveaways WORLDWIDE. But where our brand partners wish to restrict their giveaways to certain regions or countries, we will notify you of that.
All we ask is that you use your genuine personal Facebook account in our Facebook contests. We will automatically disqualify anyone who uses a Facebook account that is primarily used for contests.
Crowdfunding Tech ARP
As we have been for the last twenty years, Tech ARP is a crowdfunded website. We do NOT charge for our articles. So if you wish to help us out, please feel free to donate to our cause. Thank you!
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
20th Anniversary Week 1 Giveaway
To kick things off, we are giving away the following prizes for the first week!
The Awesome Prize : Microsoft Lumia 950 Smartphone + Microsoft Display Dock + Tempered Glass Screen Protector
Cool Prize #1 : TP-Link Groovi Ripple Portable Bluetooth Speaker
Cool Prize #2 : TP-Link Groovi Ripple Portable Bluetooth Speaker
Cool Prize #3 : Olike Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 Car Charger with two USB ports
Cool Prize #4 : Olike Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 Car Charger with two USB ports
Contest Period :31 August to 7 September 2018
Eligibility :WORLDWIDE *
* Tech ARP will pay for standard shipping, but you may opt to pay for expedited or express shipping services.
Everyone definitely wants The Awesome Prize, but we want to know which of the Cool Prizes you prefer – the Groovi Ripple, or the Olike QC 3.0 car charger.
So post a comment in our official Facebook post on the Week 1 Giveaway, and tell us which you prefer :
a) TP-Link Groovi Ripple, or
b) Olike QC 3.0 Car Charger
BONUS :Liking and sharing our posts, or commenting and tagging your friends, will give you a higher chance of winning The Awesome Prize or the prize you want!
That’s it! It’s THAT simple!
Contest Mechanics
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At the end of the contest, we will randomly select FIVE contestants.
If any contestant fails to meet any of the rules above, another contestant will be randomly selected.
The Likes, Shares, Comments and Tags of the five verified contestants in the Tech ARP Facebook page will be calculated.
The Awesome Prize winner will be randomly selected from that pool.
The subsequent winners will be randomly selected from that pool, with prize preference given to those who are selected first.
Each contestant may only win one prize, so if his/her number is selected again, it will be discarded and a new number randomly selected.
Got it? Go and try it out!
Note On Gaming Accounts : Contestants who use gaming accounts will be automatically disqualified. Please use your personal Facebook accounts.
Week 1 Giveaway Winners!
We are very excited to announce the winners for the Week 1 Giveaway!
Mohd Fahmi wins the Microsoft Lumia 950 Smartphone + Microsoft Display Dock + Tempered Glass Screen Protector!
Faridah Akmal wins a TP-Link Groovi Ripple Portable Bluetooth Speaker!
Alister Lok wins a TP-Link Groovi Ripple Portable Bluetooth Speaker!
Mohd Khairul Zaman wins an Olike Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 Car Charger!
Ivan Ng wins an Olike Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 Car Charger!
Winners, please send your full details to contest @ techarp.com.
Full Name : Full Address : Mobile / Contact Number : Email Address :
LAST CALL : Those who do not submit their details by 12 PM, Friday, 19 October 2018 will forfeit their prizes.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
20th Anniversary Week 2 Giveaway
This week, Dell will be giving away prizes worth more than RM 2,000 / $500!
The Awesome Prizes : Dell PW7015M Power Companion (2 units)
Great Prizes : Dell AE215 Speaker System (2 units)
Meet the Dell Power Companion – a handy device that powers select Dell notebooks and ultrabooks, as well as up to two smartphones, tablets or other USB-enabled devices, ensuring users can be more productive on-the-go.
Lightweight and compact, and featuring a 12,000 mAh 4-cell battery that provides reliable power, this compact power solution is designed to deliver in-bag charging so you can stay powered without adding bulk to your bag.
The Dell 2.0 Speaker System (AE215) provides high quality sound experience that fits neatly into almost any desktop setup. With premium sound professionally tuned by award-winning Waves Maxx Audio and a compact and modern design, the speakers deliver a surprising amount of full, deep bass without adding clutter to your desk.
In addition, the Dell AE215 speakers also feature a headphone jack so you can plug in your favourite headphones for a private listening experience without interruptions.
The Dell WM514 Wireless Laser Mouse is a stylish, high-precision wireless mouse with long battery life. Its laser tracking feature allows for smooth tracking on virtually any surface, and provides quick response times and accurate clicking.
There is no greater option for a clutter-free workspace with its compact size, and unrestricted performance that allows mobile professionals to have all of the expected conveniences of a wireless mouse. The WM514 is also designed for comfort, allowing users to work or play for longer periods without the usual stress on the wrists or hands.
Dell’s AX210 offers great sound for a PC desk with little room. These speakers are a true upgrade in audio quality and functionality. Designed to complement any Dell computer, the speakers give users a unified aesthetic at home or in the office.
Whether you’re enjoying the latest movie, playing an action-packed game, or participating in a video conference, you will be at the center of excellent sound.
Contest Period :8 to 21 September 2018
Eligibility :WORLDWIDE *
* Tech ARP will pay for standard shipping, but you may opt to pay for expedited or express shipping services.
Tell us the sequence of the Great, Cool or Nice prizes that you prefer!
If you want a shot at winning the Awesome Prize, you will need to share our contest post in Facebook. If you want more chances to win the Awesome Prize, tag your friendsin our our contest post, or comment or like it.
Two winners will be randomly selected out of that poolto win an Awesome Prize each.
The subsequent winners will be randomly selected from contestants who correctly answered all five questions, with prize preference given to those who are selected first.
Each contestant may try multiple times but can only win one prize. If he/she has already won, a new contestant will be randomly selected.
Got it? Go and try it out!
Week 2 Giveaway Winners!
Here are the correct answers :
How many cells are there in the Dell PW7015M Power Companion?
– 4 Cells
What kind of sensor does the Dell WM514 wireless mouse use?
– Laser
How many models are in the 2018 Dell Precision 3000 Series Workstation family? See https://is.gd/ZM3mPj
– 4
Which Australian university uses Dell Precision workstations for all its engineering requirements? See https://is.gd/Uwpn5w
– Monash University
What Corning technology is used in the Dell S2719DM monitor? See https://is.gd/5YcTTD
– Iris Glass
We are very excited to announce the winners for the Week 2 Giveaway!
Dell PW7015M Power Companion Winners
– zy****@gmail.com
– forbi****2k@yahoo.com
Dell AE215 Speaker System – vee***@hotmail.com
– wchian****@hotmail.com
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
20th Anniversary Week 3 Giveaway
For the third week, Tech ARP will be sponsoring these awesome prizes!
Awesome Prize #1 : honor Band SS smartwatch
Awesome Prize #2 : honor Band SS smartwatch
Cool Prize #1 : VR Box virtual reality glasses
Cool Prize #2 : VR Box virtual reality glasses
Cool Prize #3 : Kaspersky Foldable Bluetooth Keyboard
Cool Prize #4 : Kaspersky Foldable Bluetooth Keyboard
Cool Prize #5 : Honor Tripod Selfie Stick
Cool Prize #6 : Honor Tripod Selfie Stick
Contest Period :17 September to 30 September 2018
Eligibility :WORLDWIDE *
* Tech ARP will pay for standard shipping, but you may opt to pay for expedited or express shipping services.
SHARE the main contest post, and the prizes you want to win on your Facebook wall. Please make sure it is PUBLIC, so we can verify.
BONUS :Liking and sharing our posts, or commenting and tagging your friends, will give you a higher chance of winning The Awesome Prize or the prize you want!
BONUS :Likes, shares, comments or tags on our many Samsung Galaxy Note9 posts will give you a higher chance of winning The Awesome Prize or the prize you want!
That’s it! It’s THAT simple!
Contest Mechanics
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At the end of the contest, we will randomly select TEN contestants.
If any contestant fails to meet any of the rules above, another contestant will be randomly selected.
The Likes, Shares, Comments and Tags of the ten verified contestants in the Tech ARP Facebook page will be calculated.
The two Awesome Prize winners will be randomly selected from that pool.
The subsequent winners will be randomly selected from that pool, with prize preference given to those who are selected first.
Each contestant may only win one prize, so if his/her number is selected again, it will be discarded and a new number randomly selected.
Got it? Go and try it out!
Note On Gaming Accounts : Contestants who use gaming accounts will be automatically disqualified. Please use your personal Facebook accounts.
Week 3 Giveaway Winners!
We are very excited to announce the winners for the Week 3 Giveaway!
Awesome Prize #1 Winner : Isaac Lee Eng Quin
Awesome Prize #2 : Ken-Boon Teoh
Cool Prize #1 : Yee Mee Chan
Cool Prize #2 : Thomas George
Cool Prize #3 : Jireh Phan
Cool Prize #4 : Spectre Phang
Cool Prize #5 : Vicky Loo
Cool Prize #6 : Ilrelda Koh
Winners, please send your full details to contest @ techarp.com.
Full Name : Full Address : Mobile / Contact Number : Email Address :
Note :Please submit your details by 12 PM, Wednesday, 14 November 2018 or you may forfeit your prize! 😀
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
20th Anniversary Week 4 Giveaway
For the 4th week, BenQ and Tech ARP will be sponsoring these awesome prizes!
The BenQ EW277HDR Eye-Care monitor is part of a new range of BenQ Eye-Care monitors that feature the new Eye-Care technologies like Brightness Intelligence Plus and Low Blue Light.
BenQ specifically highlighted these HDR monitors (including the BenQ EW277HDR) as the best choices to be paired with the PlayStation 4 Pro or PlayStation 4. Here are their key specifications :
BenQ EW3270U
4K UHD resolution – 3840 x 2160 pixels, HDR
31.5-inch VA panel with 95% DCI-P3 colour gamut
Brightness Intelligence Plus, Low Blue Light, Flicker-free
Would you like to own the BenQ EW277HDR Eye-Care monitor? Here’s how!
Contest Period :24 September to 25 October 2018
Eligibility :Malaysia Only *
* Because it is large and fragile, we require the winner to collect the monitor from us in Selangor or Kuala Lumpur, with Penang as a possibility too. If necessary, the winner may send a representative. We will require a photo to be taken with the winner or representative, with some social media posts.
You can then :
a) Post a comment in the contest post, and tag your friends. Make sure you also use the #BenQPS4Monitor hashtag. You can tell us which Cool Prize you prefer, for example, or why you want to win the BenQ monitor.
b) Sharethecontest post on your Facebook wall publicly, and use the #BenQPS4Monitor hashtag. You can tag your friends too for extra credit.
c) Sharethecontest post in a relevant group, using the #BenQPS4Monitor hashtag.
BONUS :Likes, shares, comments or tags on our many Samsung Galaxy Note9 posts will give you a higher chance of winning The Awesome Prize or the prize you want!
That’s it! It’s THAT simple!
Contest Mechanics
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At the end of the contest, we will randomly select TEN contestants.
If any contestant fails to meet any of the rules above, another contestant will be randomly selected.
The Likes, Shares, Comments and Tags of the ten verified contestants in the Tech ARP Facebook page will be calculated.
The Incredible Prize winner will be randomly selected from that pool.
The subsequent winners will be randomly selected from that pool, with prize preference given to those who are selected first.
Each contestant may only win one prize, so if his/her number is selected again, it will be discarded and a new number randomly selected.
Got it? Go and try it out!
Note On Gaming Accounts : Contestants who use gaming accounts will be automatically disqualified. Please use your personal Facebook accounts.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
20th Anniversary Week 5 Giveaway
For the fifth week, Tech ARP and Dotty’s will be sponsoring these awesome prizes!
Awesome Prizes #1 : 5 x iflix Subscription (1 Year)
Awesome Prizes #2 : 5 x Dotty’s RM 100 voucher
Contest Period :19 September to 29 October 2018
Eligibility :Malaysia Only (for Dotty’s) / Countries that iflix supports *
* The dotty vouchers are only valid in Malaysia. The iflix subscriptions are valid in Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Brunei, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt, Sudan, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Morocco and Uganda.
You can then :
a) Post a comment in the contest post, and tag your friends. Make sure you tell us which prize you prefer using these hashtags – #IWantFREEiflix or #IWantFREEDottys.
b) Sharethecontest post on your Facebook wall publicly, and use either hashtags. You can tag your friends too for extra credit.
c) Sharethecontest post in a relevant group, using either hashtags..
BONUS :Likes, shares, comments or tags on any of our many Facebook posts will give you a higher chance of winning one of the Awesome prizes!
That’s it! It’s THAT simple!
Contest Mechanics
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At the end of the contest, we will randomly select TEN contestants.
If any contestant fails to meet any of the rules above, another contestant will be randomly selected.
The Likes, Shares, Comments and Tags of the ten verified contestants in the Tech ARP Facebook page will be calculated.
The Incredible Prize winners will be randomly selected from that pool, with prize preference given to those who are selected first.
Each contestant may only win one prize, so if his/her number is selected again, it will be discarded and a new number randomly selected.
Got it? Go and try it out!
Note On Gaming Accounts : Contestants who use gaming accounts will be automatically disqualified. Please use your personal Facebook accounts.
Week 5 Giveaway Winners!
We are very excited to announce the winners for the Week 5 Giveaway!
Awesome Prize #1 Winner : Franco Kailsan
Awesome Prize #1 Winner : Liza Lee
Awesome Prize #1 Winner : Mohd Fahmi
Awesome Prize #1 Winner : Siew Hong Go
Awesome Prize #1 Winner : Haqeem Norazli
Awesome Prize #2 Winner : Vee Fah
Awesome Prize #2 Winner : Steven Khoo
Awesome Prize #2 Winner : Chai Ser Loon
Awesome Prize #2 Winner : Falcone
Awesome Prize #2 Winner : Cyrus Varrus
Winners, please send your full details to contest @ techarp.com.
Full Name : Full Address : Mobile / Contact Number : Email Address :
Note :Please submit your details by 12 PM, Wednesday, 28 November 2018 or you may forfeit your prize! 😀
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
20th Anniversary Week 6 Giveaway
For the sixth week, Pocophone be sponsoring these awesome prizes!
Awesome Prize : Pocophone F1
Cool Prize : Mi Band 2
Contest Period :1 November to 14 November 2018
Eligibility :Malaysia only for Pocophone F1, Worldwide for Mi Band 2
You can then :
a) Post a comment in the contest post, and tag your friends. Make sure you tell us which prize you prefer using these hashtags :
– #FreePocophoneF1 and #XiaomiMY, OR – #FreeMiBand2 and #XiaomiMY.
b) Sharethecontest post on your Facebook wall publicly, and use either hashtags. You can tag your friends too for extra credit.
c) Sharethecontest post in a relevant group, using either hashtags..
BONUS :Likes, shares, comments or tags on any of our many Facebook posts will give you a higher chance of winning one of the prizes!
Note : Use #FreePocophoneF1 if you are residing in Malaysia. It will qualify you for both the Pocophone F1 and the Mi Band 2. Use #FreeMiBand2 if you are residing outside of Malaysia. It will qualify you for the Mi Band 2.
That’s it! It’s THAT simple!
Contest Mechanics
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At the end of the contest, we will randomly select FIVE contestants.
If any contestant fails to meet any of the rules above, another contestant will be randomly selected.
The Likes, Shares, Comments and Tags of the five verified contestants in the Tech ARP Facebook page will be calculated.
The Incredible Prize and Cool Prize winners will be randomly selected from that pool, with prize preference given to those who are selected first.
Each contestant may only win one prize, so if his/her number is selected again, it will be discarded and a new number randomly selected.
Got it? Go and try it out!
Note On Gaming Accounts : Contestants who use gaming accounts will be automatically disqualified. Please use your personal Facebook accounts.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
20th Anniversary Week 7 Giveaway
For the seventh week, Western Digital be sponsoring these awesome prizes!
The WD Black NVMe SSD is dedicated for PC gamers who are looking to boost the performance of their gaming rigs.
Featuring sequential read/write speeds up to 3,400/2,800 MB/s, and the innovative Western Digital NVMe SSD storage architecture, it’s where blazing speed and top-tier performance combine to keep up with even the most demanding workloads. Innovative power management and thermal throttling consistently help prevent overheating to deliver smooth, fast performance.
With up to 600TBW, 1.75M hours MTTF and an amazing 5-years limited warranty, the WD Black NVMe SSD is the virtually invincible SSD you can rely on.
You can then :
a) Post a comment in the contest post, and tag your friends. Please let us know if you can self-collect the HDD using the hashtag #FreeHDD.
b) Sharethecontest post on your Facebook wall publicly, and use the #FreeHDD hashtag if you can self-collect the HDD. You can tag your friends too for extra credit.
c) Sharethecontest post in a relevant group. Please let us know if you can self-collect the HDD using the hashtag #FreeHDD.
BONUS :Likes, shares, comments or tags on any of our many Facebook posts will give you a higher chance of winning one of the prizes!
Collection : Winners of the HDDs must self-collect the WD Red hard disk drives in person, as we want to avoid the risk of damage during delivery. We can arrange to meet with the winners at these locations :
Selangor : Mutiara Damansara
Kuala Lumpur : TTDI
Penang : Seberang Jaya
Warranty : The drives are also provided as-is, without warranty from Western Digital or Tech ARP.
That’s it! It’s THAT simple!
Contest Mechanics
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At the end of the contest, we will randomly select TWENTY contestants who used the #FreeHDD hashtag.
If any contestant fails to meet any of the rules above, another contestant will be randomly selected.
The Likes, Shares, Comments and Tags of the twenty verified contestants in the Tech ARP Facebook page will be calculated.
The Cool Prize winners will then be randomly selected from the pool of verified contestants.
Each contestant may only win one prize, so if his/her number is selected again, it will be discarded and a new number randomly selected.
Got it? Go and try it out!
Note On Gaming Accounts : Contestants who use gaming accounts will be automatically disqualified. Please use your personal Facebook accounts.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
The new ADATA ISSS316 and IMSS316 3D NAND SSDs have just been launched. Discover what these two new solid state drives offer!
ADATA ISSS316 and IMSS316 3D NAND SSDs Launched!
ADATA launched 2 new solid-state drive (SSD) – the ADATAISSS316 2.5″ SSD and IMSS316 3D TLC mSATA SSD. Both are industrial-grade and equipped with next-generation 3D NAND Flash.
ADATA ISSS316 and IMSS316 Key Features
The ADATA ISSS316 and IMSS316 3D NAND SSDs provide higher storage capacity, efficiency, and reliability than 2D NAND and comes in capacities ranging from 32GB to 1TB. Both SSDs support LDPC (Low-Density Parity-Check) error correcting code technology to ensure data integrity and extended lifespans.
The ISSS316 delivers read/write speeds of up to 550/520MB per second while the IMSS316 delivers read/write speeds of up to 540/530MB per second.
The ISSS316 is ideally suited for computing, gaming, surveillance, healthcare, defense, and general automation industries. The smaller form factor of the IMSS316 makes it suitable for thin clients, and embedded applications.
Both SSDs support a number of technologies including Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology (S.M.A.R.T.). Both these technologies can indicate possible imminent drive failures and provide added stability and reliability.
NCQ and Windows TRIM Command can boost performance.
Customers can use ADATA’s SSD Toolbox which facilitates the monitoring and managing of the drives for convenient management of the SSDs. This added technology comes with drive status, wear level, and lifespan information.
ADATA ISSS316 and IMSS316 Price + Availability
The exact price and availability of the ADATA ISSS316 and IMSS316 SSDs vary by region.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
ADATA just unveiled their Ultimate SU630 solid state drive, expanding their business into 3D QLC NAND flash storage. Let’s take a look at the new ADATA SU630 3D QLC NAND SSD!
ADATA Launches SU630 Flash Storage!
The ADATA SU630 is a 2.5” SATA 6Gb/s SSD, and is their first 3D QLC NAND flash storage product. With next-generation QLC (Quad-Level Cell) 3D NAND Flash, the SU630 promises to deliver terrific value, great performance, and superb reliability.
Performance and Reliability without Breaking the Bank
Delivering excellent performance with the same great value as SSDs, the SU630 gives HDDs a run for their money. It comes in 240GB, 480GB, and 960GB capacities and sports 3D QLC NAND Flash to deliver improved reliability, longevity, and performance over its TLC counterparts.
Reinforced by performance-boosting SLC Caching, the SU630 reaches speeds of 520MB/s read, and 450MB/s write for smooth and fast boot, file transfers, and downloads.
The ADATA SU630 SSD also features characteristics that work to keep data safe, including a shock rating of 1500G/0.5ms and resilience to temperature changes (0°C ~ 70°C). It is also more energy-efficient and quieter than HDDs.
LDPC ECC Technology, SSD Toolbox, and Migration Utility
With support for LDPC (Low-Density Parity-Check) ECC (error correcting code) technology, the SU630 can detect and fix errors to ensure data integrity and deliver an extended lifespan. With the purchase of the SU630, users qualify to download ADATA’s SSD Toolbox and Migration Utility free of charge.
SSD Toolbox allows users to monitor and manage the SU630, with drive status, wear level, and lifespan information. The Migration Utility is especially helpful for users making the switch from HDD to SSD, as it allows for simple and straightforward backup and migration of data, including the operating system.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
The WD Black NVMe SSD may be fast, but WD is now introducing a faster WD Black 3D NVMe SSD that combines a new NVMe controller with 3D NAND! Check out the details below!
Today, they introduced the new WD Black 3D NVMe SSD, that features their own SSD architecture and controller, and paired with their 3D NAND. It was engineered from the ground up on a new NVMe architecture, using a new NVMe SSD controller paired with their 3D NAND.
The WD Black 3D NVMe SSD (Price Check) boasts a sequential read speed of up to 3.4 GB/s, and a sequential write speed of up to 2.8 GB/s! It also delivers up to 500,000 random read IOPS, and 400,000 random write IOPS, so it will easily handle any kind of workload, even the most intensive multi-threaded applications.
It comes in three capacities – 1 TB, 500 GB and 250 GB. The 1 TB model can handle up to 600 terabytes of writes (TBW) in its lifetime, while the 500 GB model can handle 300 TBW and the 250 GB model will handle up to 200 TBW.
2018 WD Black 3D NVMe SSD Specifications
Specifications
1 TB Black 3D NVMe
500 GB Black 3D NVMe
250 GB Black 3D NVMe
Model Number
WDS100T2X0C
WDS500G2X0C
WDS250G2X0C
Form Factor
M.2 2280
M.2 2280
M.2 2280
Interface
POIe 3.0 x8 (4 lanes)
POIe 3.0 x8 (4 lanes)
POIe 3.0 x8 (4 lanes)
Sequential Read
3.4 GB/s
3.4 GB/s
3.0 GB/s
Sequential Write
2.8 GB/s
2.4 GB/s
1.6 GB/s
Random Read
500,000 IOPS
410,000 IOPS
220,000 IOPS
Random Write
400,000 IOPS
330,000 IOPS
170,000 IOPS
Endurance
600 TBW
300 TBW
200 TBW
MTTF
1.75 million hours
1.75 million hours
1.75 million hours
Average Active Power
140 mW
110 mW
110 mW
Low Power (PS3)
100 mW
70 mW
70 mW
Slumber (PS4)
2.5 mW
2.5 mW
2.5 mW
Operating Temperature
0 °C to 70 °C
0 °C to 70 °C
0 °C to 70 °C
Shock
1,500 G
1,500 G
1,500 G
Operating Vibration
5.0 gRMS, 10–2000 Hz, 3 axes
5.0 gRMS, 10–2000 Hz, 3 axes
5.0 gRMS, 10–2000 Hz, 3 axes
Dimensions
22 mm wide
80 mm long
2.38 mm thick
22 mm wide
80 mm long
2.38 mm thick
22 mm wide
80 mm long
2.38 mm thick
Weight
7.5 g
7.5 g
7.5 g
Warranty
5 years
5 years
5 years
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2018 WD Black 3D NVMe SSD Price + Availability
The new WD Black 3D NVMe SSD (Price Check) is available at the end of July 2018 at the following price points :
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Western Digital today launched two portable SSD drives – the My Passport Wireless SSD and the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD. Let’s hear from WD’s Albert Chang on the key features of these new portable SSD drives. He will also introduce the upcoming G-Technology family of professional storage solutions!
The SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD
The rugged SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD (Price Check) delivers high-speed transfers with up to 550MB/s read speeds, making it perfect for saving and editing high resolution photos and videos. Its IP55 dust- and water-resistance rating mean it can stand up to hazards such as rain, splashes, spills and dust.
Offered in capacities up to 2 TB, the new SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD (Price Check) is perfect for extensive photo shoots – giving users the capacity to take their portfolio with them on the go, or back up instantly while out in the field.
High-speed transfers with up to 550MB/s read speeds
Rugged, water- and dust-resistant (IP55 rated)
Shock-resistant solid state core for greater durability
Compact and designed to fit in the palm of your hand
Works with both PC and Mac computers and comes with a 3-year limited warranty
The SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD (Price Check) delivers high-performance and capacity in a pocket-sized drive.
The SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD (Price Check) has a three-year limited warranty and is available now at all leading IT retail outlets across Malaysia & online stores including Lazada, 11street and Shopee. Here are its Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) :
G-Technology is a Western Digital brand that focuses on professional-grade storage solutions. Albert gives us a quick overview of G-Technology, and the kind of storage drives they create.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Western Digital today launched two portable SSD drives – the My Passport Wireless SSD and the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD. Let’s hear from WD’s Albert Chang on the key features of these new portable SSD drives. He will also introduce the upcoming G-Technology family of professional storage solutions!
My Passport Wireless SSD
The new My Passport Wireless SSD (Price Check) is an all in one portable drive that helps preserve photos and videos captured on cameras or drones. The device features one-touch card copy to enable editing and sharing of content out in the field, as well as a new capability to directly access the device within third-party mobile creative apps, like FiLMiC Pro and LumaFusion.
Built-in SD card reader with up to 65 MB/s read speeds and one-touch copy button that makes it easy to quickly back up photos and videos from an SD card without a computer or additional software
Durable, shock-resistant SSD inside that helps keep content safe from shock, vibrations and drops up to one (1) meter, even when the drive is in operation
Fast SSD transfer speeds (up to 390 MB/s read) when using the USB 3.0 port to move files to and from PC or Mac computers
All-day battery life (up to 10 hours of continuous use)
Wirelessly stream 4K videos and view photos with the My Cloud mobile app
The My Passport Wireless SSD (Price Check) is backed by a two-year limited warranty and will be available by end of July 2018 at all leading IT retail outlets across Malaysia & online stores including Lazada, 11street and Shopee. Here are its Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) :
G-Technology is a Western Digital brand that focuses on professional-grade storage solutions. Albert gives us a quick overview of G-Technology, and the kind of storage drives they create.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
The highlight of the WD Black NVMe SSD showcase at Computex 2018 was the massive 8TB SSD RAID array that is as fast as DDR4-2400 memory! Wonder how they accomplished this? Read on and find out!
Updated at 2018-06-22 : Our sincere apologies. We mixed up the system specifications for this SSD RAID Array. It’s actually an AMD Ryzen Threadripper system. We have since corrected the article to reflect this.
This 8TB SSD Is As Fast As DDR4 Memory!
As you can see here, Western Digital hit a throughput of 19 GB/s with the Western Digital Black NVMe SSDs (Price Check)! That is as fast as single-channel DDR4-2400 memory!
How To Create This Super-Fast 8TB SSD
The secret? Andrew Vo explains how they created this super-fast 8TB SSD RAID array using the Western Digital Black NVMe SSDs (Price Check) in this video.
This is what you will need, if you plan to replicate their project :
Each WD Black NVMe SSD is capable of a peak transfer rate of 2.8 GB/s (write) to 3.4 GB/s (read), so eight of them would have a theoretical throughput limit of 22.4 to 27.2 GB/s!
To hit 19 GB/s, you need to create a RAID 0 array of those eight 1 TB WD Black NVMe SSDs (Price Check), but you can’t use the motherboard’s RAID feature because you would be limited by the 32 Gbps / 4 GB/s DMI bottleneck.
Intel VROC
The ASUS Hyper M.2 X16 Card (Price Check) supports Intel Virtual RAID on CPU (VROC), which reassigns unused PCIe lanes of an Intel Skylake or Coffee Lake processor to boost transfer rates up to 128 Gbps or 16 GB/s.
Of course, those are the theoretical limits, and the actual throughput will be considerably lower than 16 GB/s. To go beyond that, you will need two ASUS Hyper M.2 X16 Cards (Price Check).
AMD Ryzen Threadripper
However, Western Digital used an AMD Ryzen Threadripper system instead. The Threadripper processor has 64 PCIe lanes – plenty for two Hyper M.2 X16 Card (Price Check).
In the end, Western Digital only hit 19 GB/s with two of these cards. This is 30% lower than the theoretical capability of a perfect RAID 0 array of eight 1 TB WD Black NVMe SSDs (Price Check), and 40% lower than the theoretical capability of two ASUS Hyper M.2 X16 Cards (Price Check).
However, without resorting to this method, a motherboard-based RAID 0 array of eight 1 TB WD Black NVMe SSDs (Price Check) would only deliver a maximum transfer rate of just 4 GB/s. Even that’s in a perfect world.
How Much Does This Super-Fast SSD RAID Array Cost?
Each 1 TB WD Black NVMe SSDs (Price Check) currently costs $399.99. So the eight SSDs alone cost a princely US$ 3,192 / € 2,765 / RM 12,779.
The ASUS Hyper M.2 X16 Card (Price Check) is much cheaper at just $59 each. That’s an additional US$ 118 / € 102 / RM 472.
All in, this 8 TB SSD RAID array will set you back US$ 3,247/ € 2,812 / RM 12,999. And that does not include the AMD Ryzen Threadripper system=.
No doubt, this is a very expensive project. But think about it – you now have a massive 8 TB SSD RAID 0 array that is as fast as DDR4-2400 memory!
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
In addition to their WD Black NVMe SSD showcase, Western Digital also showed off their wide range of portable SSD drives under the SanDisk, WD and G-Technology brands. Join us for our tour of the WD Portable SSD showcase at Computex 2018!
The WD Portable SSD Showcas
Western Digital currently has portable SSDs under three brands – SanDisk, WD and G-Technology. Western Digital’s Jared Peck gives us a tour of these portable SSDs, and their key features. He even demonstrates how crushproof the G-DRIVE portable SSD is!
SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD
The SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD is a tough, IP55 dust- and water-resistant drive. It offers capacities up to 2 TB, with transfer rates of up to 550 MB/s.
WD is increasing the capacity of their My Passport SSD drive to 2 TB. It offers up to 540 MB/s in transfer rate, with 256-bit AES hardware encryption built-in.
The WD My Passport Wireless SSD is the SSD version of the WD My Passport Wireless drive. Designed for photographers on-the-go, it not only comes with an internal battery and WiFi-AC connectivity, it also has a SD card reader built-in.
The G-Technology G-DRIVE Mobile SSD has a built-in heatsink that keeps the drive cool and makes it crushproof (up to 450 kg / 1000 lbs). It is also IP67 dust- and water-resistant.
The G-DRIVE Mobile Pro SSD uses NVMe and Thunderbolt 3 technologies to achieve transfer rates of up to 2,800 MB/s! It also comes with a heatsink core that doubles as a crushproof cage (up to 450 kg / 1000 lbs).
This is a desktop version of the G-DRIVE Mobile Pro drive above, although it’s arguably portable as well. It has an enterprise-grade SSD inside, with storage capacities of up to 7.68 GB, and transfer rates of up to 2,800 MB/s. You can even daisy-chain multiple G-DRIVE Pro SSDs together.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
On our second day at Computex 2018, we visited the WD Black NVMe SSD showcase, where Western Digital showed off how they achieved a phenomenal 19 GB/s throughput with this SSD! They also showcased a number of interesting gaming PCs powered by the WD Black NVMe SSD. Let’s take a look!
WD Black NVMe SSD Showcase @ Computex 2018
Western Digital’s Andrew Vo took us on a tour of the WD Black NVMe SSD showcase. He points out that the Western Digital Black NVMe SSD (Price Check) is their first 3D NAND product in the NVMe form factor, delivering 6X the performance of SATA drives.
Here are the WD Black NVMe SSD’s specifications :
Specifications
1 TB WD Black NVMe SSD
500 GB WD Black NVMe SSD
250 GB WD Black NVMe SSD
Model Number
WDS100T2X0C
WDS500G2X0C
WDS250G2X0C
Storage Capacity
1000 GB
500 GB
250 GB
Form Factor
M.2 2280
M.2 2280
M.2 2280
Interface
PCIe x4 Gen3
- up to 8 Gb/s
PCIe x4 Gen3
- up to 8 Gb/s
PCIe x4 Gen3
- up to 8 Gb/s
Sequential Read Speed
3,400 MB/s
3,400 MB/s
3,000 MB/s
Sequential Write Speed
2,800 MB/s
2,500 MB/s
1,600 MB/s
Random Read Speed
2,000 MB/s
1,640 MB/s
880 MB/s
Random Write Speed
1,600 MB/s
1,320 MB/s
680 MB/s
Endurance
600 TBW
300 TBW
200 TBW
Reliability (MTTF)
1.75 million hours
1.75 million hours
1.75 million hours
Power Consumption (Active)
140 W
110 W
110 W
Power Consumption (Sleep)
100 mW
70 mW
70 mW
Operating Temperature
0 °C to 70 °C
32 °F to 158 °F
0 °C to 70 °C
32 °F to 158 °F
0 °C to 70 °C
32 °F to 158 °F
Non-Operating Temperature
-55 °C to 85 °C
-67 °F to 185 °F
-55 °C to 85 °C
-67 °F to 185 °F
-55 °C to 85 °C
-67 °F to 185 °F
Shock
1,500 G @ 0.5 ms half sine
1,500 G @ 0.5 ms half sine
1,500 G @ 0.5 ms half sine
Dimensions
22 mm wide
80 mm long
2.38 mm thick
22 mm wide
80 mm long
2.38 mm thick
22 mm wide
80 mm long
2.38 mm thick
Weight
7.5 g
7.5 g
7.5 g
Limited Warranty
5 years
5 years
5 years
And here are some purchase links for these Western Digital SSDs :
Andrew also showed us how they hit a throughput of 19 GB/s with the Western Digital Black NVMe SSDs (Price Check)!
The secret? Use eight 1 TB WD Black NVMe SSDs (Price Check) in a RAID array! Each of those Western Digital SSDs is capable of a peak transfer rate of 2.8 GB/s (write) to 3.4 GB/s (read), so eight of them would have a theoretical throughput limit of 22.4 to 27.2 GB/s!
Western Digital also showed off several gaming PCs at their showcase. These were set-up for the explicit purpose of letting people try out and see how fast these gaming PCs ran with the WD Black NVMe SSD,
InWin WINBOT Gaming PC
This magnificent gaming PC is built using the InWin WINBOT chassis – an aluminium and plexiglass marvel that supports the largest E-ATX motherboards, and up to four SATA drives. It is available in three colour options – Black + Red, Black + Green and White + Blue.
iBuyPower Snowblind Gaming PC
The iBuyPower Snowblind gaming PC looks like a perfectly ordinary gaming PC, until you notice the transparent LCD display on its side! This large 1280 x 1024 transparent LCD display lets you display anything you want – your favourite photos or video clips – while still letting you see your PC components through it!
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
The 1TB WD Blue 3D NAND SSD is the first Western Digital solid state drive to feature their 64-layer 3D NAND technology that delivers higher storage capacities, performance and endurance, with lower power consumption. Let’s see if the 1TB WD Blue 3D NAND SSD delivers on that promise!
The WD Blue 3D NAND SSD Family
The WD Blue 3D NAND SSD family consists of four models built upon the same technology. They mainly differ in storage capacities, with some performance characteristics. Here’s a table comparing their key specifications :
Specifications
2 TB WD Blue 3D SSD
1 TB WD Blue 3D SSD
500 GB WD Blue 3D SSD
250 GB WD Blue 3D SSD
Model Number
WDS200T2B0A
WDS100T2B0A
WDS500G2B0A
WDS250G2B0A
Storage Capacity
2048 GB (Total)
2000 GB (Effective)
1024 GB (Total)
1000 GB (Effective)
512 GB (Total)
500 GB (Effective)
256 GB (Total)
250 GB (Effective)
Overprovisioning
48 GB (2.4 %)
24 GB (2.4 %)
12 GB (2.4 %)
6 GB (2.4 %)
SSD Controller
Marvell 88SS1074-BSW2
Marvell 88SS1074-BSW2
Marvell 88SS1074-BSW2
Marvell 88SS1074-BSW2
NAND Flash Type
64-layer WD 3D NAND (BiCS3)
64-layer WD 3D NAND (BiCS3)
64-layer WD 3D NAND (BiCS3)
64-layer WD 3D NAND (BiCS3)
SDRAM Cache
None
None
512 MB DDR3
256 MB DDR3
Interface
SATA 6 Gb/s
SATA 6 Gb/s
SATA 6 Gb/s
SATA 6 Gb/s
Peak Sequential Read
560 MB/s
560 MB/s
560 MB/s
550 MB/s
Peak Sequential Write
530 MB/s
530 MB/s
530 MB/s
525 MB/s
Random Read I/O
95,000 IOPS
95,000 IOPS
95,000 IOPS
95,000 IOPS
Random Write I/O
84,000 IOPS
84,000 IOPS
84,000 IOPS
81,000 IOPS
Write Endurance
500 TB
400 TB
200 TB
100 TB
Slumber Power
56 mW
56 mW
56 mW
56 mW
DEVSLP Power
5-12 mW
5-12 mW
5-7 mW
5-7 mW
Mean Time To Failure (MTTF)
Up to 1.75 million hours
Up to 1.75 million hours
Up to 1.75 million hours
Up to 1.75 million hours
Ambient Temperature
0°C to 70°C (Operating)
-55°C to 85°C (Non-Operating)
0°C to 70°C (Operating)
-55°C to 85°C (Non-Operating)
0°C to 70°C (Operating)
-55°C to 85°C (Non-Operating)
0°C to 70°C (Operating)
-55°C to 85°C (Non-Operating)
The 1TB WD Blue 3D NAND SSD (Price Check) comes in a deceptively light cardboard box. Let’s unbox it and take a closer look!
The 1TB WD Blue 3D NAND SSD (Price Check) is a low-profile 2.5″ drive, with a thickness of only 7 mm. This is thinner than the regular 9.5 mm drives, making it suitable for all 2.5″ drive bays, even in thin laptops.
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The WD 3D NAND Technology
Western Digital first announced their 64-layer 3D NAND technology, also known as BiCS3, last year. However, it was only slated for commercial volume production in the first half of 2017.
BiCS3 was developed jointly with their technology and manufacturing partner, Toshiba. It not only uses 64-layers, but also 3-bits-per-cell technology to achieve high capacity (256 to 512 gigabits per chip) and performance at a much lower cost.
SanDisk nCache 2.0 Technology
SanDisk nCache 2.0 is a proprietary pseudo-SLC caching technology that greatly increases the write performance of the solid state drive. Here is an old infographic (from their Ultra II SSD) that shows how it works :
A small portion (about 4%) of the NAND memory blocks are set to run in the SLC mode, which allows for a much higher write speed. This SLC portion serves as a fast write cache for all writes to the drive, allowing for write speeds of up to 530 MB/s.
The data is later transferred to the TLC portion using the special On Chip Copy feature. This proprietary feature allows the transfer to occur internally on-die without affecting any other transfers.
In a 1TB drive, about 40 GB is reserved for use as the nCache 2.0 write cache. That translates into an effective write cache size of about 13 GB.
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The Marvell 88SS1074 SSD Controller
The 1TB WD Blue 3D NAND SSD (Price Check) uses the Marvell 88SS1074 SSD controller, which boasts the following key features :
Supports up to 4 NAND channels, with up to 8 NAND chips per channel
Features Marvell’s third-generation NANDEdge low-density parity check (LDPC) technology
Supports SATA 3.2 (6.0 Gbps)
Toggle 2 and ONFI2 support at up to 400 MT/s
Integrated DEVSLP (Device Sleep) mode for low power support
Supports 256-bit AES hardware encryption
Built on 28 nm CMOS process
The Marvell NANDEdge LDPC technology allows for reliable on-the-fly error correction of the 3-bit TLC flash memory, with minimal impact on latency, performance and power consumption.
However, the Marvell 88SS1074 is likely to fall short in sustained throughput, because it only supports 4 NAND channels. Competing controllers like the Phison S10, for example, boast 8 NAND channels, allowing twice as many NAND chips to be accessed simultaneously.
SATA 6 Gb/s Interface
The 1TB WD Blue 3D NAND SSD (Price Check) is a Serial ATA drive, with native support for SATA 6 Gb/s interface. It is backward-compatible, so you will have no problem using it with older SATA 3 Gb/s controllers. However, the faster SATA 6 Gb/s interface is necessary for optimal performance because this SSD is capable of a peak transfer rate of 560 MB/s.
Like all Serial ATA drives, it comes with the standard SATA data (left) and power (right) connectors, and is hot-pluggable. That means you can connect and disconnect this solid state drive while the PC is still running. There is no jumper block, because there’s really nothing for you to set. It’s just plug and play!
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SSD Endurance
The 1TB WD Blue 3D NAND SSD (Price Check) is rated for a lifetime write lifespan of 400 TBW (Terabytes Written). That does not seem like a lot (equal to overwriting the drive just 400 times), but it is considered enterprise-grade endurance. Many consumer-grade SSDs of equivalent capacity are rated at around 75-100 TBW.
Based on a typical consumer DWPD (Drive Writes Per Day) of 20 GB per day, this 1TB WD Blue 3D NAND SSD (Price Check) will last at least 54 years.
Please note that this long lifespan is due to the large capacity. The 500 GB and 250 GB SanDisk Ultra 3D SSDs are rated at 200 TBW and 100 TBW respectively. That corresponds to an estimated lifespan of 27 years and 13.5 years respectively.
Like all other current SSDs, the 1TB WD Blue 3D NAND SSD (Price Check) comes with certain features to help extend its lifespan :
Wear Levelling
Unlike hard disk drives, flash-based SSDs write and overwrite data in large blocks of 512 KB to 1 MB in size. Even if you only need to write one byte of data, it has to erase and overwrite an entire block. This causes a lot of wear on the memory cells and greatly reduces their lifespan.
To help extend the lifespan of the drive, SSDs perform wear levelling by spreading the writes, so that the flash memory cells have equal wear. The lifespan of the memory cells remain unchanged, but it prevents some of them from failing earlier due to excessive wear.
Write Combine Cache
SSDs also use a write buffer to temporarily store and combine the writes before they are actually written to the flash memory. This reduces the number of block erases required, and consequently, extends the lifespan of the flash memory cells.
The 1TB WD Blue 3D NAND SSD (Price Check) uses the aforementioned nCache 2.0 technology instead of a dedicated SDRAM write combine cache. It reserves about 4% of the NAND blocks and uses them in the SLC mode.
The resulting nCache 2.0 write cache may not be as fast as an SDRAM cache, but it is much larger in size. The 1TB WD Blue SSD, for example, boasts a large 1 GB DDR3L memory cache, but that is nothing compared to the 13 GB (or so) SLC cache in the 1TB WD Blue 3D SSD.
TRIM
Current SSDs support the TRIM command, otherwise known as the ATA8-ACS-2 DATA SET MANAGEMENT command. Operating systems that support TRIM (e.g. Microsoft Windows 7) will notify the SSD when data blocks are deleted in the file system. This allows the SSD to perform garbage collection in the background – internally erasing the affected blocks so that they are ready to be written to.
Without the TRIM command, the SSD will not know when a block of data has been deleted by the operating system. When new data is written to the same block of data, it will force the SSD to perform the time-consuming read-erase-modify-write cycle, which not only cripples performance but also increases wear on the affected memory cells.
Multi-Stream
This is a new SSD technology that was introduced in May 2015, as part of the T10 SCSI Standard. Multi-stream greatly improves performance and extends lifespan by reducing or even eliminating garbage collection.
It achieves this by marking data writes that are associated with one another, or have a similar lifetime, with a unique stream ID. This allows the SSD controller to pack all data writes with the same stream ID into the same block.
When the operating system deletes data, it is likely that they are all packed into the same block. If the block has not been written to the SSD, then this eliminates the pending write operation completely. If the block has been written to the SSD, then this would only require that single block to be erased, instead of multiple blocks (which would happen if the data was not all packed into the same block).
SSD Maintenance
First of all, you should never, ever defragment solid state drives. Spatial fragmentation of data on the SSD has no effect on its performance. Fragmented data are accessed as quickly as nicely-packed blocks, so it’s pointless to defragment the data blocks. Doing so will only reduce the lifespan of the flash memory cells by putting them under additional wear.
3D NAND flash memory will only last about 1,000 erase/write cycles – about the same as TLC NAND memory. You will want to minimise the number of times each flash memory cell is erased.
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You should also use an operating system that supports the TRIM command. If you are using one of the following operating systems, then you have nothing to worry about :
Microsoft Windows 7, or better
Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2, or better
Linux 2.6.33, or better
FreeBSD 8.2, or better
Mac OS X Snow Leopard, or better
If not, you should consider upgrading your operating system. Otherwise, you will need to perform manual garbage collection on a regular basis, either using a manufacturer utility, or newer defragmentation software that specifically supports solid state drives.
Basically, these utilities will retrieve the list of free blocks from the operating system’s file system and pass it to the SSD in the form of TRIM commands, so that it will know which blocks to erase internally. Again, these utilities are not necessary if you are using an operating system that supports TRIM.
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We tested in both Windows 7 and Windows Vista, with the latest updates. We chose to use IO Meter 2008, AS SSD Benchmark, ATTO Disk Benchmark as well as our “old faithful”, WinBench 99 2.0, with the following tests :
Platter Data Transfer Profile
Business Disk WinMark 99
High-End Disk WinMark 99
Disk Transfer Rate (Beginning)
Disk Transfer Rate (End)
Business Disk WinMark 99 is a real-world simulation based on three office application suites – Microsoft Office 97, Lotus SmartSuite and Corel WordPerfect Suite 8, as well as a web browser, Netscape Navigator. They are quite dated, but should still reflect the usage patterns of users in an office environment using such applications. The test runs through a script that keeps multiple applications open, while it performs tasks that switches between those applications and Netscape Navigator. The result is the average transfer rate during the script run.
High-End Disk WinMark 99 is a real-world simulation based on AVS/Express 3.4, FrontPage 98, MicroStation SE, Photoshop 4.0, Premiere 4.2, Sound Forge 4.0 and Visual C++ 5.0. However, it differs by running the applications serially, instead of simultaneously. There are individual results for each application but in this comparison, we will be looking only at the weighted average score, which is the average transfer rate during the tests.
Unfortunately, WinBench 99 is not fully compatible with Microsoft Windows 7, registering a SetFilePointer error in the Disk Access Time test. So, we were not able to obtain any Disk Access Time results.
In addition, it would keep crashing if the hard drive was tested with a single partition. This is likely due to a limit on the size of the partition that is supported by WinBench 99. We came up with a workaround by dividing the hard disk drive into 5 partitions of equal sizes. We then tested each partition individually and averaged the results.
This 1TB WD Blue 3D NAND SSD (Price Check) has a maximum storage capacity of 1,024 GB, courtesy of eight 128 GB SanDisk 3D NAND chips. Of that, a mere 24 GB has been set aside for garbage collection, wear levelling and replacement of failing blocks.
Ordinarily, the limited 2.4% over-provisioning may impact long-term performance and lifespan. However, Western Digital mitigated that using a large 13 GB pseudo-SLC write cache they call nCache 2.0.
After it is formatted in NTFS, the actual formatted capacity is 1,000,202,039,296 bytes. This is slightly (202 MB) more than the official formatted capacity of 1,000 GB.
With about 124 MB of space allocated to the NTFS file system, the actual usable capacity is just above 1,000 GB.
Transfer Rate Profile
We compared the 1TB WD Blue 3D NAND SSD (Price Check) to the 1TB WD Blue SSD. As you can see, it has a sustained throughput of about 378 MB/s, which makes it almost twice as fast as the 1TB WD Blue SSD, which uses TLC NAND memory.
This chart shows you the range of memory cell-to-controller transfer rates for SSDs, or the range of platter-to-buffer transfer rates from the innermost track to the outermost track in HDDs.
Despite boasting an official peak read speed of 560 MB/s, the 1TB WD Blue 3D NAND SSD (Price Check) could only hit 386 MB/s. That is impressive in its own right, but puts it below the 256 GB OCZ Vector and the 240 GB HyperX Savage SSDs.
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The small random reads and writes are the most important tests for applications that make a lot of random accesses, so these would be key performance indicators for SSDs that are often used as boot drives.
The 1TB WD Blue 3D NAND SSD (Price Check) did incredibly well in this test, solidly beating the 1TB WD Blue SSD. Thanks to its built-in nCache 2.0 technology, it delivered almost twice the large random write performance of the 1TB WD Blue SSD!
Random Access Time
Test
1 TB WD Blue 3D NAND SSD
1 TB WD Blue SSD
Difference
512 KB Read
1.41 ms
2.19 ms
– 35.5%
512 KB Write
1.07 ms
2.04 ms
– 47.4%
4 KB Read
0.13 ms
0.17 ms
– 25.1%
4 KB Write
0.05 ms
0.08 ms
– 29.8%
The random write performance of the 1TB WD Blue 3D NAND SSD (Price Check) was truly stellar, in comparison to the 1TB WD Blue SSD.
Random CPU Utilization
Test
1 TB WD Blue 3D NAND SSD
1 TB WD Blue SSD
Difference
512 KB Read
29.50 %
7.16 %
+ 312.0%
512 KB Write
30.12 %
7.31 %
+ 312.3%
4 KB Read
32.53 %
9.94 %
+ 227.2%
4 KB Write
35.72 %
11.91 %
+ 199.9%
The only downside – the 1TB WD Blue 3D NAND SSD (Price Check) uses up a lot more CPU performance than the 1TB WD Blue SSD. About 3X more CPU performance, on average!
The sequential read and write performance indicators determine how fast you can copy and move files. This is also important in determining how fast you can launch an application or game.
The 1TB WD Blue 3D NAND SSD (Price Check) did marvellously in this test, coming in twice as fast as the 1TB WD Blue SSD in large, sequential reads and writes. It also had a large boost in small sequential read and write performance.
Sequential Access Time
Test
1 TB WD Blue 3D NAND SSD
1 TB WD Blue SSD
Difference
512 KB Read
1.03 ms
2.10 ms
– 51.2%
512 KB Write
1.06 ms
2.05 ms
– 48.3%
4 KB Read
0.05 ms
0.07 ms
– 26.7%
4 KB Write
0.05 ms
0.07 ms
– 22.4%
Sequential CPU Utilization
Test
1 TB WD Blue 3D NAND SSD
1 TB WD Blue SSD
Difference
512 KB Read
29.61 %
8.69 %
+ 240.7%
512 KB Write
29.11 %
5.76 %
+ 405.4%
4 KB Read
36.38 %
15.93 %
+ 128.4%
4 KB Write
35.69 %
15.42 %
+ 131.5%
Again, the 1TB WD Blue 3D NAND SSD (Price Check) took up a significant amount of CPU processing power.
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Even though the 1TB WD Blue 3D NAND SSD (Price Check) is rated for enterprise-class endurance, its Marvell 88SS1074 controller is just not capable of handling too many simultaneous operations. It appears to handle up to 8 simultaneous transactions.
Its nCache 2.0 technology appears to have compensated for its limited NAND channels, allowing it greatly supersede the performance of the 1TB WD Blue SSD, even though they both use the same SDD controller.
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AS SSD Benchmark
AS SSD Benchmark is a simple and easy-to-use SSD benchmark by Alex Intelligent Software. It not only tests the drive’s sequential transfer rates and access times, but also its performance at both single-threaded and multi-threaded 4K IOPS.
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ATTO Disk Benchmark
ATTO Disk Benchmark is a free benchmark that allows you to compare the performance of solid state drives using a variety of transfer sizes. It also allows us to determine if the SSD performs data compression to improve performance, and extend lifespan.
I/O Comparison
Results
Compressible Data
Non-Compressible Data
Minimum
Maximum
Minimum
Maximum
Read Speed
6.5 MB/s
145.1 MB/s
5.8 MB/s
143.6 MB/s
Write Speed
5.6 MB/s
137.2 MB/s
6.1 MB/s
134.2 MB/s
The Marvell 88SS1074 controller does not perform any data compression, which is why the performance results are the same for both compressible and non-compressible data. The 1TB WD Blue 3D NAND SSD (Price Check) reached its peak transfer rate with a block size of 1 MB.
Multiple I/O Comparison
Results
Compressible Data
Non-Compressible Data
Minimum
Maximum
Minimum
Maximum
Read Speed
8.8 MB/s
147 2 MB/s
10.2 MB/s
147.5 MB/s
Write Speed
8.3 MB/s
139.6 MB/s
9.0 MB/s
136.5 MB/s
With just 8 simultaneous transactions, the 1TB WD Blue 3D NAND SSD (Price Check) reached its peak transfer rate with a block size of 128 KB.
Our Verdict & Award
The first 1 terabyte solid state drive we tested was the 1TB WD Blue (WDS100T1B0A) SSD. While it had a large storage capacity, high endurance and a affordable price point, it was not particularly fast.
That changed with the introduction of the 64-layer 3D NAND technology, which not only increases storage capacity and performance, but also reduces cost and power consumption. Now we can have our cake and eat it too.
The 1TB WD Blue 3D SSD (Price Check) is the first Western Digital solid state drive to make use of the 64-layer 3D NAND technology and it sure impressed us with its performance.
Despite using the same SSD controller as the 1TB WD Blue, the 1TB WD Blue 3D NAND SSD (Price Check) was twice as fast in large reads and writes. It accomplished this without using any SDRAM cache, thanks to nCache 2.0 technology.
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The 1TB WD Blue 3D NAND SSD (Price Check) will work well as a boot drive, thanks to its excellent small random performance. It will be particularly attractive as an upgrade option for laptops still running on hard disk drives, or smaller SSDs.
Just note that its high performance requires a significant amount of CPU performance. So make sure you pair it with a fast processor.
We like its combination of great performance, large storage capacity and lower cost so much, we think it deserves our Editor’s Choice Award. Great work, Western Digital!
WD Blue 3D NAND SSD Prices & Warranty
The WD Blue 3D SSDs are available in storage capacities from 250 GB to 2 TB in the 2.5-inch / 7mm cased drive form factor, at the following price points :
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Transcend Information, Inc. (Transcend) is proud to announce that four of its cutting-edge products have been awarded the 2018 Taiwan Excellence Award for their innovation. The winners include the StoreJet 25M3E and StoreJet 25C3 portable hard drives, CM42 M.2 SSD enclosure kit, and ESD220C portable SSD.
The 2018 Taiwan Excellence Award
The Taiwan Excellence Awards are granted by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) on behalf of the Ministry of Economic Affairs. Nominees are put through a rigorous evaluation based on four major criteria – R&D, design, quality, and marketing to be identified outstanding and offer “Innovative Value”. According to TAITRA, 503 products from 226 companies received awards this year.
The 4 Transcend Winners Of The 2018 Taiwan Excellence Award
StoreJet 25M3E and StoreJet 25C3 Portable Hard Drive
The award-winning StoreJet 25M3E (1 TB) is equipped with a SuperSpeed USB 3.1 Gen 1 / USB 3.0 interface that allows users to store and back up their files with incredible transfer rates. Featuring three-stage shock protection system that meets U.S. military drop-test standards, the StoreJet 25M3E offers a fully data protection stored in the drive.
The other winning portable hard drive, StoreJet 25C3 (2 TB | 1 TB), features an extra-slim design at just 9.95mm, taking up little space in users’ briefcase on business. Despite its slim dimensions, the StoreJet 25C3 is available in high capacities of up to 2TB and high-speed transfer rates, allowing users to easily store and backup all of their files to a single location.
CM42 M.2 SSD Enclosure Kit
Transcend’s CM42 M.2 SSD enclosure kit (M.2 2242 | M.2 2280/2260) is designed specifically for M.2 SATA SSDs. By following the quick and easy installation guide, users can transform an M.2 SATA SSD into a portable USB 3.1 Gen 1 external drive to maximize utilization. The M.2 SSD enclosure features a lightweight aluminum construction, making it both portable and durable while on the move.
The M.2 SSD enclosure uses the USB 3.1 Gen 1 interface incorporated with UASP that enhances its transfer speeds. To accommodate devices with different USB ports, the M.2 SSD enclosure is engineered to convert to a USB Type-C port, offering flexibility of being used on different platforms with either USB Type-A or Type-C port.
In addition to the Taiwan Excellence Award, the CM42 M.2 SSD enclosure kit also received Japan’s Good Design Award 2017.
ESD220C Portable SSD
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Transcend’s ESD220C portable SSD (480 GB | 240 GB | 120 GB) features both portability and reliability. Taking full advantage of the SuperSpeed USB 3.1 Gen 1 interface and built-in SLC caching technology, the ESD220C achieves exceptional transfer speeds faster than external hard drives.
Engineered with a RAID engine and LDPC (Low-Density Parity Check) coding, a powerful ECC algorithm, and built-in wear-leveling technology, the ESD220C is a reliable data storage that ensures data integrity during transmission.
Besides, the ESD220C is designed with a USB Type-C port and can be used with on-the-go mobile devices, offering the flexibility of being used on different platforms. Its credit-card size can also fit in user’s wallet for businesspeople to take important files on their travels.
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Western Digital colour-codes their hard disk drives not to make the drives look sexier, or to help sell more hard disk drives. They created the WD drive colours to help users understand the distinct advantages or use of each drive family. In this article, Western Digital will help us show you how to choose the best drive for your PC.
Every Drive Has A Purpose
There is no better person than Albert Chang, Senior Manager of Product Marketing at WD Asia Pacific, to explain why every drive has a purpose. He also points out a key point that users often forget to factor when consumers purchase a drive – the TCO (Total Cost of Ownership).
That’s right. The TCO is often overlooked, because that is ultimately the price you are paying over the lifetime of a drive. So make sure you don’t just buy the cheapest possible drive, because that may result in a high TCO… including the loss of priceless data.
Introducing The Five WD Drive Colours
Here is a quick primer on the five WD drive colours, and how they can help you determine the best drive for your PC.
Now, let’s take a closer look at each WD drive colour, and find out what advantages each drive colour boasts!
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WD Blue For Mainstream PCs
The WD Blue (Price Check) family are focused on offering highly-affordable drives with large storage capacities.
The WD Blue family does not just consist of hard disk drives. Western Digital also offers WD Blue SSHDs (solid state hybrid drives) and WD Blue SSDs (solid state drives).
For more information, you can read these WD Blue articles :
The WD Black family (Price Check) is targeted at power users and gamers who want the fastest possible hard disk drives for their PCs.
The WD Black drives offer a much higher spindle speed, a very large cache, and a fast processor. For more information, you can read these WD Black articles :
The WD Red (Price Check) family of NAS drives is specifically designed for the “always on” environment of a NAS enclosure. They run cooler and vibrate less, greatly increasing their reliability and lifespan in NAS enclosures.
The WD Red drives are also optimised for NAS usage patterns (80% reads, 20% writes), so you will be able to access your files faster than with a regular hard disk drive.
For more information, you can read these WD Red articles :
WD Purple drives (Price Check) are designed to handle the high-temperature, “always-on” environment of the CCTV and DVR systems. Regular drives will fail quickly under such conditions.
They are also designed to handle multiple video streams without dropped frames, or gaps in recorded footage… and do this 24/7 without rest!
For more information on the WD Purple, and why it is the best drive for surveillance and CCTV systems, please read :
Qualified for nearline storage use in datacenters, datacenter hard disk drives like WD Gold (Price Check) are designed to offer high storage capacities at maximum performance and reliability while operating continuously 24 hours a day in large drive arrays.
So if you want nothing but the best drive to secure your company’s data, there can be no doubt that the WD Gold (Price Check) is the ultimate storage solution.
For more information, you can read these WD Gold articles :
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The 1TB SanDisk Ultra 3D SSD is the first SanDisk solid state drive to feature their 64-layer 3D NAND technology that delivers higher storage capacities, performance and endurance, with lower power consumption. Let’s see if the 1TB SanDisk Ultra 3D SSD delivers on that promise!
The SanDisk Ultra 3D SSD Family
The SanDisk Ultra 3D SSD family consists of four models built upon the same technology. They mainly differ in storage capacities, with some performance characteristics. Here’s a table comparing their key specifications :
The 1TB SanDisk Ultra 3D SSD (Price Check) comes in a deceptively light cardboard box. Let’s unbox it and take a closer look!
The 1TB SanDisk Ultra 3D SSD (Price Check) is a low-profile 2.5″ drive, with a thickness of only 7 mm. This is thinner than the regular 9.5 mm drives, making it suitable for all 2.5″ drive bays, even in thin laptops.
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The WD 3D NAND Technology
Western Digital first announced their 64-layer 3D NAND technology, also known as BiCS3, last year. However, it was only slated for commercial volume production in the first half of 2017.
BiCS3 was developed jointly with their technology and manufacturing partner, Toshiba. It not only uses 64-layers, but also 3-bits-per-cell technology to achieve high capacity (256 to 512 gigabits per chip) and performance at a much lower cost.
SanDisk nCache 2.0 Technology
SanDisk nCache 2.0 is a proprietary pseudo-SLC caching technology that greatly increases the write performance of the solid state drive. Here is an old infographic (from their Ultra II SSD) that shows how it works :
A small portion (about 4%) of the NAND memory blocks are set to run in the SLC mode, which allows for a much higher write speed. This SLC portion serves as a fast write cache for all writes to the drive, allowing for write speeds of up to 530 MB/s.
The data is later transferred to the TLC portion using the special On Chip Copy feature. This proprietary feature allows the transfer to occur internally on-die without affecting any other transfers.
In a 1TB drive, about 40 GB is reserved for use as the nCache 2.0 write cache. That translates into an effective write cache size of about 13 GB.
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The Marvell 88SS1074 SSD Controller
The 1TB SanDisk Ultra 3D SSD (Price Check) uses the Marvell 88SS1074 SSD controller, which boasts the following key features :
Supports up to 4 NAND channels, with up to 8 NAND chips per channel
Features Marvell’s third-generation NANDEdge low-density parity check (LDPC) technology
Supports SATA 3.2 (6.0 Gbps)
Toggle 2 and ONFI2 support at up to 400 MT/s
Integrated DEVSLP (Device Sleep) mode for low power support
Supports 256-bit AES hardware encryption
Built on 28 nm CMOS process
The Marvell NANDEdge LDPC technology allows for reliable on-the-fly error correction of the 3-bit TLC flash memory, with minimal impact on latency, performance and power consumption.
However, the Marvell 88SS1074 is likely to fall short in sustained throughput, because it only supports 4 NAND channels. Competing controllers like the Phison S10, for example, boast 8 NAND channels, allowing twice as many NAND chips to be accessed simultaneously.
SATA 6 Gb/s Interface
The 1TB SanDisk Ultra 3D SSD (Price Check) is a Serial ATA drive, with native support for SATA 6 Gb/s interface. It is backward-compatible, so you will have no problem using it with older SATA 3 Gb/s controllers. However, the faster SATA 6 Gb/s interface is necessary for optimal performance because this SSD is capable of a peak transfer rate of 560 MB/s.
Like all Serial ATA drives, it comes with the standard SATA data (left) and power (right) connectors, and is hot-pluggable. That means you can connect and disconnect this solid state drive while the PC is still running. There is no jumper block, because there’s really nothing for you to set. It’s just plug and play!
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SSD Endurance
The 1TB SanDisk Ultra 3D SSD (Price Check) is rated for a lifetime write lifespan of 400 TBW (Terabytes Written). That does not seem like a lot (equal to overwriting the drive just 400 times), but it is considered enterprise-grade endurance. Many consumer-grade SSDs of equivalent capacity are rated at around 75-100 TBW.
Based on a typical consumer DWPD (Drive Writes Per Day) of 20 GB per day, this 1TB SanDisk Ultra 3D SSD (Price Check) will last at least 54 years.
Please note that this long lifespan is due to the large capacity. The 500 GB and 250 GB SanDisk Ultra 3D SSDs are rated at 200 TBW and 100 TBW respectively. That corresponds to an estimated lifespan of 27 years and 13.5 years respectively.
Like all other current SSDs, the 1TB SanDisk Ultra 3D SSD (Price Check) comes with certain features to help extend its lifespan :
Wear Levelling
Unlike hard disk drives, flash-based SSDs write and overwrite data in large blocks of 512 KB to 1 MB in size. Even if you only need to write one byte of data, it has to erase and overwrite an entire block. This causes a lot of wear on the memory cells and greatly reduces their lifespan.
To help extend the lifespan of the drive, SSDs perform wear levelling by spreading the writes, so that the flash memory cells have equal wear. The lifespan of the memory cells remain unchanged, but it prevents some of them from failing earlier due to excessive wear.
Write Combine Cache
SSDs also use a write buffer to temporarily store and combine the writes before they are actually written to the flash memory. This reduces the number of block erases required, and consequently, extends the lifespan of the flash memory cells.
The 1TB SanDisk Ultra 3D SSD (Price Check) uses the aforementioned nCache 2.0 technology instead of a dedicated SDRAM write combine cache. It reserves about 4% of the NAND blocks and uses them in the SLC mode.
The resulting nCache 2.0 write cache may not be as fast as an SDRAM cache, but it is much larger in size. The 1TB WD Blue SSD, for example, boasts a large 1 GB DDR3L memory cache, but that is nothing compared to the 13 GB (or so) SLC cache in the 1TB SanDisk Ultra 3D SSD.
TRIM
Current SSDs support the TRIM command, otherwise known as the ATA8-ACS-2 DATA SET MANAGEMENT command. Operating systems that support TRIM (e.g. Microsoft Windows 7) will notify the SSD when data blocks are deleted in the file system. This allows the SSD to perform garbage collection in the background – internally erasing the affected blocks so that they are ready to be written to.
Without the TRIM command, the SSD will not know when a block of data has been deleted by the operating system. When new data is written to the same block of data, it will force the SSD to perform the time-consuming read-erase-modify-write cycle, which not only cripples performance but also increases wear on the affected memory cells.
Multi-Stream
This is a new SSD technology that was introduced in May 2015, as part of the T10 SCSI Standard. Multi-stream greatly improves performance and extends lifespan by reducing or even eliminating garbage collection.
It achieves this by marking data writes that are associated with one another, or have a similar lifetime, with a unique stream ID. This allows the SSD controller to pack all data writes with the same stream ID into the same block.
When the operating system deletes data, it is likely that they are all packed into the same block. If the block has not been written to the SSD, then this eliminates the pending write operation completely. If the block has been written to the SSD, then this would only require that single block to be erased, instead of multiple blocks (which would happen if the data was not all packed into the same block).
SSD Maintenance
First of all, you should never, ever defragment solid state drives. Spatial fragmentation of data on the SSD has no effect on its performance. Fragmented data are accessed as quickly as nicely-packed blocks, so it’s pointless to defragment the data blocks. Doing so will only reduce the lifespan of the flash memory cells by putting them under additional wear.
3D NAND flash memory will only last about 1,000 erase/write cycles – about the same as TLC NAND memory. You will want to minimise the number of times each flash memory cell is erased.
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You should also use an operating system that supports the TRIM command. If you are using one of the following operating systems, then you have nothing to worry about :
Microsoft Windows 7, or better
Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2, or better
Linux 2.6.33, or better
FreeBSD 8.2, or better
Mac OS X Snow Leopard, or better
If not, you should consider upgrading your operating system. Otherwise, you will need to perform manual garbage collection on a regular basis, either using a manufacturer utility, or newer defragmentation software that specifically supports solid state drives.
Basically, these utilities will retrieve the list of free blocks from the operating system’s file system and pass it to the SSD in the form of TRIM commands, so that it will know which blocks to erase internally. Again, these utilities are not necessary if you are using an operating system that supports TRIM.
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We tested in both Windows 7 and Windows Vista, with the latest updates. We chose to use IO Meter 2008, AS SSD Benchmark, ATTO Disk Benchmark as well as our “old faithful”, WinBench 99 2.0, with the following tests :
Platter Data Transfer Profile
Business Disk WinMark 99
High-End Disk WinMark 99
Disk Transfer Rate (Beginning)
Disk Transfer Rate (End)
Business Disk WinMark 99 is a real-world simulation based on three office application suites – Microsoft Office 97, Lotus SmartSuite and Corel WordPerfect Suite 8, as well as a web browser, Netscape Navigator. They are quite dated, but should still reflect the usage patterns of users in an office environment using such applications. The test runs through a script that keeps multiple applications open, while it performs tasks that switches between those applications and Netscape Navigator. The result is the average transfer rate during the script run.
High-End Disk WinMark 99 is a real-world simulation based on AVS/Express 3.4, FrontPage 98, MicroStation SE, Photoshop 4.0, Premiere 4.2, Sound Forge 4.0 and Visual C++ 5.0. However, it differs by running the applications serially, instead of simultaneously. There are individual results for each application but in this comparison, we will be looking only at the weighted average score, which is the average transfer rate during the tests.
Unfortunately, WinBench 99 is not fully compatible with Microsoft Windows 7, registering a SetFilePointer error in the Disk Access Time test. So, we were not able to obtain any Disk Access Time results.
In addition, it would keep crashing if the hard drive was tested with a single partition. This is likely due to a limit on the size of the partition that is supported by WinBench 99. We came up with a workaround by dividing the hard disk drive into 5 partitions of equal sizes. We then tested each partition individually and averaged the results.
This 1TB SanDisk Ultra 3D SSD (Price Check) has a maximum storage capacity of 1,024 GB, courtesy of eight 128 GB SanDisk 3D NAND chips. Of that, a mere 24 GB has been set aside for garbage collection, wear levelling and replacement of failing blocks.
Ordinarily, the limited 2.4% over-provisioning may impact long-term performance and lifespan. However, SanDisk mitigated that using a large 13 GB pseudo-SLC write cache they call nCache 2.0.
After it is formatted in NTFS, the actual formatted capacity is 1,000,202,039,296 bytes. This is slightly (202 MB) more than the official formatted capacity of 1,000 GB.
With about 124 MB of space allocated to the NTFS file system, the actual usable capacity is just above 1,000 GB.
Transfer Rate Profile
We compared the 1TB SanDisk Ultra 3D SSD (Price Check) to the 1TB WD Blue SSD. As you can see, it has a sustained throughput of about 410 MB/s, which makes it almost twice as fast as the 1TB WD Blue SSD, which uses TLC NAND memory.
This chart shows you the range of memory cell-to-controller transfer rates for SSDs, or the range of platter-to-buffer transfer rates from the innermost track to the outermost track in HDDs.
Despite boasting an official peak read speed of 560 MB/s, the 1TB SanDisk Ultra 3D SSD (Price Check) could only hit 411 MB/s. That is impressive in its own right, but puts it below the 256 GB OCZ Vector and the 240 GB HyperX Savage SSDs.
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The small random reads and writes are the most important tests for applications that make a lot of random accesses, so these would be key performance indicators for SSDs that are often used as boot drives.
The 1TB SanDisk Ultra 3D SSD (Price Check) did incredibly well in this test, solidly beating the 1TB WD Blue SSD. Thanks to its built-in nCache 2.0 technology, it delivered almost twice the large random write performance of the 1TB WD Blue SSD!
Random Access Time
Test
1 TB SanDisk Ultra 3D
1 TB WD Blue SSD
Difference
512 KB Read
1.35 ms
2.19 ms
– 38.3%
512 KB Write
1.06 ms
2.04 ms
– 48.0%
4 KB Read
0.13 ms
0.17 ms
– 22.8%
4 KB Write
0.05 ms
0.08 ms
– 29.9%
The random write performance of the 1TB SanDisk Ultra 3D SSD (Price Check) was truly stellar, in comparison to the 1TB WD Blue SSD.
Random CPU Utilization
Test
1 TB SanDisk Ultra 3D
1 TB WD Blue SSD
Difference
512 KB Read
30.21 %
7.16 %
+ 321.9%
512 KB Write
29.72 %
7.31 %
+ 306.8%
4 KB Read
32.15 %
9.94 %
+ 223.4%
4 KB Write
35.61 %
11.91 %
+ 199.0%
The only downside – the 1TB SanDisk Ultra 3D SSD (Price Check) uses up a lot more CPU performance than the 1TB WD Blue SSD. About 3X more CPU performance, on average!
The sequential read and write performance indicators determine how fast you can copy and move files. This is also important in determining how fast you can launch an application or game.
The 1TB SanDisk Ultra 3D SSD (Price Check) did marvellously in this test, coming in twice as fast as the 1TB WD Blue SSD in large, sequential reads and writes. It also had a nice boost in small sequential read and write performance.
Sequential Access Time
Test
1 TB SanDisk Ultra 3D
1 TB WD Blue SSD
Difference
512 KB Read
1.02 ms
2.10 ms
– 51.2%
512 KB Write
1.06 ms
2.05 ms
– 48.3%
4 KB Read
0.05 ms
0.07 ms
– 26.8%
4 KB Write
0.05 ms
0.07 ms
– 22.1%
Sequential CPU Utilization
Test
1 TB SanDisk Ultra 3D
1 TB WD Blue SSD
Difference
512 KB Read
30.17 %
8.69 %
+ 247.1%
512 KB Write
30.11 %
5.76 %
+ 422.7%
4 KB Read
36.07 %
15.93 %
+ 126.4%
4 KB Write
35.74 %
15.42 %
+ 131.9%
Again, the 1TB SanDisk Ultra 3D SSD (Price Check) took up a significant amount of CPU processing power.
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Even though the 1TB SanDisk Ultra 3D SSD (Price Check) is rated for enterprise-class endurance, its Marvell 88SS1074 controller is just not capable of handling too many simultaneous operations. It appears to handle up to 8 simultaneous transactions.
Its nCache 2.0 technology appears to have compensated for its limited NAND channels, allowing it greatly supersede the performance of the 1TB WD Blue SSD, even though they both use the same SDD controller.
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AS SSD Benchmark
AS SSD Benchmark is a simple and easy-to-use SSD benchmark by Alex Intelligent Software. It not only tests the drive’s sequential transfer rates and access times, but also its performance at both single-threaded and multi-threaded 4K IOPS.
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ATTO Disk Benchmark
ATTO Disk Benchmark is a free benchmark that allows you to compare the performance of solid state drives using a variety of transfer sizes. It also allows us to determine if the SSD performs data compression to improve performance, and extend lifespan.
I/O Comparison
Results
Compressible Data
Non-Compressible Data
Minimum
Maximum
Minimum
Maximum
Read Speed
11.6 MB/s
426.1 MB/s
11.6 MB/s
427.1 MB/s
Write Speed
7.6 MB/s
526.3 MB/s
7.6 MB/s
525.1 MB/s
The Marvell 88SS1074 controller does not perform any data compression, which is why the performance results are the same for both compressible and non-compressible data. The 1TB SanDisk Ultra 3D SSD (Price Check) reached its peak transfer rate with a block size of 1 MB.
Multiple I/O Comparison
Results
Compressible Data
Non-Compressible Data
Minimum
Maximum
Minimum
Maximum
Read Speed
25.8 MB/s
559 2 MB/s
26.7 MB/s
580.5 MB/s
Write Speed
16.2 MB/s
538.1 MB/s
16.1 MB/s
538.1 MB/s
With just 8 simultaneous transactions, the 1TB SanDisk Ultra 3D SSD (Price Check) reached its peak transfer rate with a block size of 128 KB.
Our Verdict & Award
The first 1 terabyte solid state drive we tested was the 1TB WD Blue (WDS100T1B0A) SSD. While it had a large storage capacity, high endurance and a affordable price point, it was not particularly fast.
That changed with the introduction of the 64-layer 3D NAND technology, which not only increases storage capacity and performance, but also reduces cost and power consumption. Now we can have our cake and eat it too.
The 1TB SanDisk Ultra 3D SSD (Price Check) is the first SanDisk solid state drive to make use of the 64-layer 3D NAND technology and it sure impressed us with its performance.
Despite using the same SSD controller as the 1TB WD Blue, the 1TB SanDisk Ultra 3D SSD (Price Check) was twice as fast in large reads and writes. It accomplished this without using any SDRAM cache, thanks to nCache 2.0 technology.
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The 1TB SanDisk Ultra 3D SSD (Price Check) will work well as a boot drive, thanks to its excellent small random performance. It will be particularly attractive as an upgrade option for laptops still running on hard disk drives, or smaller SSDs.
Just note that its high performance requires a significant amount of CPU performance. So make sure you pair it with a decent processor.
We like its combination of great performance, large storage capacity and lower cost so much, we think it deserves our Editor’s Choice Award. Great work, SanDisk!
SanDisk Ultra 3D SSD Price Check
The SanDisk Ultra 3D SSDs are available in storage capacities from 250 GB to 2 TB in the 2.5-inch / 7mm cased drive form factor.
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June 22, 2017 – Western Digital Corporation, (NASDAQ: WDC) today introduced its fastest WD brand portable drive yet, the My Passport SSD. Featuring blazing-fast speeds and award-winning design, the new My Passport SSD is designed for content creators and tech enthusiasts to manage massive files on the go.
My Passport SSD – A New State of Storage
Featuring speeds of up to 515 MB/s, the My Passport SSD is the fastest My Passport drive offered by the WD brand. The new, super fast drive is designed for the latest generation of computers with a USB Type-C port and is USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10Gb/s) ready with a USB Type-C to Type-C cable and an adapter to use with the more traditional USB Type-A ports found on many computers.
Built for PC and compatible with Mac, My Passport SSD offers peace-of-mind with 256-bit AES hardware encryption and password protection, and is also 6.5-foot drop tested for shock-resistance to withstand 1500G of force, to help keep precious data safe.
My Passport SSD is the perfect storage solution to rapidly manage large photo and video libraries, quickly back up files and important documents, run virtual machines from, or expand your SSD-laptop storage anywhere you take your computer. The new drive is available in 1 TB, 512 GB and 256 GB capacities, and comes with WD Backup software that enables users to automatically back up their stuff.
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Pricing and Availability
The My Passport SSD is backed by a three-year limited warranty, and will be available at select retailers and distributors starting 07 July 2017.
The My Passport SSD has a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of RM 2,099 (~US$ 499) for 1 TB, RM 1,039 (~US$ 249) for 512 GB and RM 579 (~US$ 139) for 256 GB, respectively.
Western Digital partners online retailer, Lazada, with an exclusive launch to offer consumers with a special 2-week promotion starting today until 06 July 2017 :
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Taipei, Taiwan – June 15, 2017– ADATA Technology today launched the industrial-grade ADATA IM2P3388 PCIe Gen3x4 M.2 2280 solid state drive. It employs 3D MLC NAND Flash and an SMI controller to deliver performance several times faster than SATA III SSDs, with read up to 2500MB/s and write reaching 1100MB/s.
The M.2 2280 form factor fits easily in the IT setup of industrial and enterprise users, while the IM2P3388 can withstand a wide temperature range, shocks, and vibration. The IM2P3388 is offered in up to 1TB and supports a range of features such as S.M.A.R.T, TRIM, power fail protection, and secure erase.
The ADATA IM2P3388 Key Features
Ultra-fast 3D MLC NAND M.2 SSD
The IM2P3388 complies with NVMe 1.2 specifications to provide performance optimized for low latency, big bandwidth PCI Express 3.0 x4 (four lanes). Users tap up to 2500MB/s read and 1100MB/s write, greatly accelerating data transfers to help increase productivity and efficiency.
ADATA is offering the IM2P3388 in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB. All models carry premium 3D MLC NAND that has been carefully sorted, tested, and verified to the highest standards. SLC and DRAM caching provide speed boosts for sustained performance during even the most intense activity sessions, preventing bandwidth or IOPS drop offs.
Reinforced for industrial applications
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In addition to a wide temperature range of -40 to 90 degrees Celsius, the power efficient IM2P3388 is also rated for 20G vibration resistance and 1500G/0.5ms shock tolerance. It can work normally in diverse climates, notably relative humidity of 5% to 95%.
The ADATA IM2P3388 undergoes extensive testing to ensure EMI and ESD proofing. To protect data around the clock, the IM2P3388 has sensors to constantly monitor its status, covering estimated lifespan, power failure prevention, and data recovery. With the ADATA SSD Toolbox app, it supports secure erase to permanently remove sensitive data, wear leveling to promote balanced Flash utilization, and TCG Opal 2.0 encryption for improved data security and privacy protection.
Paving the way for greater SSD adoption
Traditionally, industrial users had to compromise capacity to get storage durability and performance. The IM2P3388 signals a continued shift towards the integration of high speed, compact, and large capacity M.2 SSD products in sectors such as manufacturing, data centers, surveillance, and transportation.
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May 25, 2017 – Kingston today announced the Kingston KC1000 NVMe PCIe SSD. Shipping in mid-June, the M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD is over 2x faster than SATA-based SSDs and over 40x faster than a 7200RPM hard disk drive.
The Kingston KC1000 NVMe PCIe SSD
The Kingston KC1000 is built for the power user, providing the ultimate, low-latency performance boost for resource-demanding applications including high-resolution video editing, data visualization, gaming and other data intensive workload environments where traditional storage solutions are unable to keep pace with data demand.
The demands of today’s performance power users are constantly being put to the test as new data-intensive applications push the boundaries of what can be achieved with even the market’s high performance professional workstations and most powerful gaming rigs.
The KC1000 is the perfect solution to meet the needs of media and design professionals, gaming enthusiasts and anyone who needs ultra-low latency storage performance to end data bottlenecks.
This native NVMe device offers one of the industry’s most powerful storage solutions for high-resolution content delivery, virtual reality applications, accelerated game play or a competitive edge for the creative professional on tight deadlines.
The Kingston KC1000 delivers up to 290,000 IOPS and will ship in mid-June in 240GB, 480GB and 960GB capacities. The high-performance SSD supports the PCIe Gen3 x4 interface and the latest NVMe protocol.
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The Kingston KC1000 provides accelerated boot and load speeds and increases sequential read/write performance, as well as offering improved endurance and energy efficiency. It is perfect for users seeking instant, breakthrough performance improvements for:
High-resolution video editing
Virtual and augmented reality applications
CAD software applications
Streaming media
Graphically intensive video games
Data visualization
Real-time analytics
The KC1000 is backed by a limited five-year warranty and legendary Kingston support.
Kingston KC1000 NVMe PCIe SSD Features and Specifications
180.98mm x 120.96mm x 21.59mm (with HHHL AIC – standard bracket) 181.29mm x 80.14mm x 23.40mm (with HHHL AIC – low-profile bracket)
Weight:
10g (M.2)
76g (with HHHL AIC – standard bracket)
69g (with HHHL AIC – low-profile bracket)
Vibration operating: 2.17G Peak (7-800Hz)
Vibration non-operating: 20G Peak (20-1000Hz)
MTBF: 2,000,000
Warranty/support: Limited 5-year warranty with free technical support
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Plextor just announced the debut of the Plextor M8Se series solid state drives (SSDs) that built around the ultra-high-speed NVMe interfaces. The drives also use the industry’s flagship TLC NAND and control chip components, and specialized heat sinks with streamlined aesthetic design.
The Plextor M8Se NVMe SSD Series
The Plextor M8Se series also caters to a variety of user requirements for SSD upgrades or system assembly, with both PCIe and M.2 2280 specifications. The PCIe version adopts lines drawn from fluid mechanics and a professional blue and black high-performance heat sink design. This presents dynamic ultra-fast speed aesthetics, along with more efficient thermal conductivity that can quickly eliminate the heat generated by M8Se’s high speed transmission and help the computer system maintain optimal operating efficiency.
The M8Se series has the most trustworthy service life and stability of any SSD. The Marvell control chip and Toshiba Super-High-Performance TLC NAND flash memory also allow the M8Se series to have outstanding performance, read/write service life, capacity, and stability, even better than the usual TLC SSD.
The M8Se series is powered by the latest generation NVMe PCIe Gen 3x 4 super high-speed transmission interface that delivers high bandwidth and low latency that allows sequential read/write access speeds of up to 2,450/1,000 MB/s and random read/write speeds of up to 210,000/175,000 IOPS. Whether it’s for work, fun, or multimedia applications, the M8Se is the perfect solution to speed up your system and provide the ultimate user experience.
Equipped with Plextor firmware technology and advanced LDCP debugging capability, the M8Se series has greatly enhanced read/write reliability. Its exclusive PlexNitro write cache technology can ensure the most reliable read/write performance, and its extended SSD service life guarantees peace of mind to long-term users.
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The Plextor M8Se Series Availability
The Plextor M8Se series is anticipated to officially reach the market in June 2017. In addition to providing the PCle expansion card and M.2 2280 specifications, capacities of 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB are also available to satisfy players’ diverse needs for system construction and expansion.
The M8Se series products have passed Plextor’s stringent quality tests, with a 1.5 million hour MTBF (mean time between failures) guarantee in addition to a 3-year warranty period.
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Transcend Information Inc. is proud to introduce the Transcend SSD430, an industrial-grade solid-state drive.
The Industrial-Grade Transcend SSD430 SSD
Compatible with SATA III 6Gb/s specifications, the Transcend SSD430 delivers impressive transfer speeds of up to 560MB/s read and 490MB/s write. In addition to blazing speed, Transcend’s SSD430 features excellent reliability and comes in a small, stylish case. The drive is loaded with low-density parity check (LDPC) error-correction code (ECC) and advanced protective technologies, making it an excellent choice for industrial needs.
Top-quality 3D MLC NAND chips translate into greater transfer efficiency
The industrial-grade SSD430 solid-state drive is constructed of 3D MLC NAND flash chips. 3D engineering has increased SSD430’s speeds to an incredible sequential 560MB/s read and 490MB/s write; the random transfer efficiency is also boosted to 310MB/s read and 350MB/s write.
Low power consumption and high reliability are also hallmarks of 3D NAND. Transcend’s SSD430 is manufactured for a long-term, stable operation for various types of data and application, and is suited for industrial PCs, automated machinery, and fanless industrial systems.
Improved ECC ensures data reliability
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The Transcend SSD430 solid-state drive is equipped with a DDR3 DRAM cache and a SLC cache to boost read and write speeds. The SSD430 also comes equipped with advanced LDPC ECC to secure data. In addition, the drive features Device Sleep mode, Power Shield, Intelligent Block Management, and Global Wear Leveling, all designed to enhance device endurance and reliability.
SSD Scope Pro
Available for customization, Transcend’s proprietary SSD Scope Pro software package is an easy-to-use software that monitors industrial-grade SSD health and helps it run more efficiently over the long term. Tools include drive information and S.M.A.R.T. status monitoring, diagnostic scan, secure erase, health indication, system clone, and remote monitoring.
Warranty
Transcend’s SSD430 solid-state drive is available in 120GB and 240GB capacities, and is covered by Transcend’s three-year limited warranty.
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Transcend Information, Inc. (Transcend ) is pleased to introduce its next generation portable storage device for the business professionals – the pocket-sized portable SSD, ESD220C and ESD400. Aimed at business professionals, the ultra-compact design makes Transcend ESD220C and ESD400 incredibly easy to take your data anywhere and provides high-speed performance on the go.
The Transcend ESD220C
If you’re a business professional with needs for an extremely compact yet blazing fast portable storage device, the Transcend ESD220C (Amazon) portable SSD is the perfect companion you’ve been looking for.
It features capacity of up to 480GB, form factor that’s no larger than a credit card (77mm x 55.7mm x 9.6mm) and weighed at only 52g that guarantees a perfect fit in your wallet or purse and a layer of anti-scratch coating so that it looks sharp even after the long run.
To meet the needs of business professionals, the Transcend ESD220C (Amazon) is specifically designed with a USB Type-C port, offering the flexibility of being used on different platforms to accommodate devices with different USB ports. While a USB Type-C to Type-A cable is included, users can use their own adapter or compatible cable to attach the ESD220C to on-the-go (OTG) mobile or USB Type-C devices.
This feature offers the convenience and flexibility for business professionals to access the data for work without having to pull out the laptop all the time.It also features support for UASP and USB 3.1 Gen 1 as well to deliver exceptional transfer speed of up to 410MB/s and 400MB/s read and write speed respectively when used with your workstation or laptop computer with USAP-enabled.
The Transcend ESD220C (Amazon) comes with Transcend’s free to download software, Transcend Elite data management software that comes with data encryption feature to prevent unauthorized users from accessing sensitive data stored on the drive, and the extremely convenient one-touch auto backup feature that allows business professionals to cut down the time used for file transfer and backup to the minimum.
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The Transcend ESD400
For business professionals who is looking into replacing their traditional portable HDD with a more compact portable storage device that offers blazing-fast transfer speed and high storage capacity, look no further than the ESD400 portable SSD.
The Transcend ESD400 (Amazon | Lazada) features not only support for SuperSpeed USB 3.0 and UASP for that blazing-fast transfer speed of 410MB/s read and 380MB/s write, but also a whopping high storage capacity of up to 1TB that allows you to save almost everything you need for your work with ease.
Measuring at just 92mm x 62mm x 10.5mm and weighing a mere 56g, the poker card sized Transcend ESD400 (Amazon | Lazada) portable SSD can easily fits into any of your pocket or travel pouch for the ease of travel.
With Transcend’s proprietary Transcend Elite data management software, business professionals can configure for the easy one-touch backup feature to perform quick and easy instant backup with a single touch on the button on the device enclosure, and keep important files up to date, organized and protected with ease.
Warranty
Both the Transcend ESD220C (Amazon) and ESD400 (Amazon | Lazada) portable SSD are backed by Transcend’s Three-year Limited Warranty.
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Taipei, 30 March 2017 – GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd is proud to release the all-new advanced capability to utilize Intel Optane Memory on its 200 Series Motherboards. Intel Optane Memory enhances traditional mechanical drives, and even the newer generation SSDs, and NVMes by caching frequently used applications and files for rapid access.
Since its launch, GIGABYTE’s 200 series motherboards have had Intel Optane Memory ready technologies onboard. With a simple BIOS update and a 7th Gen Intel Core processor installed, users can enable this performance enhancement to experience their PC like never before.
“Intel Optane Memory is a game-changer for this industry. With the market still relying heavily on mechanical drives for storage capacity, Optane will make traditional drives new again,” said Henry Kao, Vice President of GIGABYTE’s Motherboard Business Unit. “By giving mechanical HDDs a means to keep up with new SSDs and NVMes, Optane is the way of the future.”
Intel Optane Memory
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Intel Optane memory delivers high-speed response when combined with large storage drives. Installed in the M.2 memory module, Intel Optane accelerates operation while maintaining the current system storage capacity to improve productivity and an overall PC computing experience.
Applications and games can now install quicker and launch faster with minimal latency. Not only is this technology revolutionary, it is affordable to all who want to experience shorter boot times, faster application launches, and an extraordinary gaming experience.
BIOS updates to enable Optane support for GIGABYTE’s 200 Series are available for users to download on the GIGABYTE and AORUS product pages.
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24 February 2017 – Western Digital Corporation, a global storage technology and solutions leader, today announced its fastest, high-capacity USB flash drive to date with the launch of its high-performance 256GB* SanDisk Extreme PRO USB 3.1 Solid State Flash Drive. The new drive delivers the speed, capacity, and reliability of an SSD in the convenient form factor of a small USB flash drive, and is ideal for creative professionals, tech enthusiasts, or anyone who creates and shares massive files.
A game-changer in the USB storage category, the drive is capable of read speeds up to 420MB/s and write speeds up to 380MB/s. With its unprecedented speeds, you can transfer full-length 4K movie to the drive in less than 15 seconds. With its USB 3.1 interface, people can rapidly access and move files on the go, without having to worry about a cable. The new drive also features a sophisticated design with a durable aluminum metal casing and a retractable connector for ultimate style and reliability.
“The combination of SSD performance and a compact USB form factor offers the ultimate performance and convenience for moving files easily and quickly,” said Peter Mah, regional director of SanDisk APAC marketing for Western Digital Corporation. “With its increased capacity and blazing speeds, the SanDisk Extreme PRO USB 3.1 Solid State Flash Drive is our sleekest, most powerful SanDisk USB device yet.”
The SanDisk Extreme PRO Solid State Flash Drive is available up to 256GB, giving consumers plenty of room to manage large files. For added file protection, it includes the SanDisk SecureAccess software, which offers 128-bit file encryption and password protection. The drive also comes with a limited lifetime warranty.
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SanDisk Extreme PRO USB 3.1 Pricing and Availability
The SanDisk Extreme PRO USB 3.1 Solid State Flash Drive is now available in Malaysia in capacities of 128GB and 256GB with MSRPs of MYR 469 / ~US$ 104 and MYR 769 / US$ 170, respectively.
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Taipei, 15 Febuary 2017 – ADATA Technology, a leading manufacturer of highperformance DRAM modules, NAND Flash products, and mobile accessories today launched the XPG SX950 SSD and its accompanying gaming-styled EX500 drive enclosure.
Loaded with up to 960GB of 3D MLC NAND and driven by a SMI controller, the SX950 utilizes a custom ADATA PCB and is backed by an extra-strict chip sorting process to ensure an SSD that can handle prolonged high demand. Performance reaches 560MB/s read and 530MB/s write.
Bearing the signature XPG look, the EX500 is aimed at gamers and case modders, boasting a textured enclosure and a vibrant yet aggressive feel. It arrives with a spacer and bracket for easy install on desktops and notebooks. For users that would like to use the SX950 as external storage, the EX500 offers a stylish, durable, and easy-install enclosure that pairs instantly with desktops, notebooks, and game consoles via high speed USB 3.1.
ADATA XPG SX950 SSD & EX500
Gamers enjoy the benefits of 3D NAND
ADATA is completing its transition to stacked memory, or 3D NAND. This allows for SSDs with bigger capacities without a correlating increase in prices paid by end users. The SX950 uses durable 3D MLC (multi-level cell) NAND Flash and SMI controller. Consumers can choose from 240GB, 480B, and 960GB versions of the SX950. Not only denser (higher capacity), 3D NAND is also roughly 10% faster than 2D NAND and so the SX950 outpaces its predecessor, the SX930 – reaching 560MB/s read and 530MB/s write.
Optimized for gaming applications
The SMI controller and ADATA-designed firmware have been tested extensively with some of the most demanding PC and console titles available. The SX950 features SLC Cache and DRAM Cache Buffer to maintain speeds and withstand high demand periods such as during asset streaming in open world games, texture streaming, and even loading times for large levels. To prolong SSD lifespan, ADATA includes data shaping and wear leveling algorithms in the firmware. RAID Engine is supported for easy integration in drive arrays.
Complete package for easy install
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Contrary to bare SSDs, the SX950 lives up to XPG standards by arriving fully loaded. In the box users can find a 2.5mm spacer/riser so the SX950 can easily slide into 7mm and 9.5mm bays on ultrabooks and notebooks. Desktop users can opt to use the included 3.5” bracket and install kit. Either way, the SX950 delivers neat and quick installation on gaming desktops and notebooks. It also provides extended peace of mind with a 6-year warranty backing up its quality.
EX500: the drive enclosure for gamers
Fitting any 2.5” SSD/HDD, the EX500 offers an aggressively-styled enclosure aimed at passionate gamers looking for storage expansion. Tool-free installation, secure locking, and impact-resistant construction make it ideal for gamers at home and on the go, as it delivers high speed via USB 3.1. The EX500 is “plug and game” compatible with PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
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The new WD Blue and WD Green solid state drives are the first product of Western Digital’s acquisition of SanDisk in May 2016. However, it was not Western Digital’s first acquisition of a solid state manufacturer, or even their first solid state drive.
Western Digital acquired the SSD manufacturer, SiliconSystems and released the WD SiliconDrive family in 2009. However, the SiliconDrive family didn’t gain much traction. The SanDisk acquisition though was much larger and far more substantial. Western Digital not only gained access to a wide array of SSD and NAND intellectual property, they now have a substantial and stable NAND flash supply.
