Samsung's 9100 Pro, Its First Pcie 5.0 Ssd and, as Always, Fashionably Late to the Party
The 9100 Pro doubles speeds over the 990 Pro, hitting 14,800MB/s, making it a step up from Samsung’s previous 990 Pro SSD nearly doubling speeds thanks to the PCIe 5.0 interface. The drive offers sequential read and write speeds of up to 14,800MB/s and 13,400MB/s, respectively, while also improving random read and write speeds to 2,200K IOPS and 2,600K IOPS. This performance boost puts it ahead of previous Samsung SSDs but brings it more in line with what competitors have been offering for some time.
The tardy arrival of this new technology underscores the industry's expectation for speed, where consumers' needs are increasingly driven by creative and high-performance applications.
Will the 9100 Pro's significant performance upgrades make a meaningful dent in the market share of slower, but still capable, SSDs currently on offer from established brands?
Micron, in collaboration with Astera Labs, has showcased the world's first PCIe 6.0 SSDs at DesignCon 2025, achieving unprecedented sequential read speeds of over 27 GB/s. This remarkable performance, which doubles the speeds of current PCIe 5.0 drives, was made possible through the integration of Astera's Scorpio PCIe 6.0 switch and Nvidia's Magnum IO GPUDirect technology. The advancements in PCIe 6.0 technology signal a significant leap forward for high-performance computing and artificial intelligence applications, emphasizing the industry's need for faster data transfer rates.
The introduction of PCIe 6.0 highlights a pivotal moment in storage technology, potentially reshaping the landscape for high-performance computing and AI by addressing the increasing demand for speed and efficiency.
As PCIe 6.0 begins to penetrate the market, what challenges might arise in ensuring compatibility with existing hardware and software ecosystems?
Micron has launched a prototype of its PCIe 6.x SSD featuring a remarkable sequential read speed of 27GB/s, marking a significant advancement over its previous models. This breakthrough was demonstrated at DesignCon 2025, where the SSD's performance was enhanced by Astera Labs' Scorpio P-Series Fabric Switch, showcasing the potential of PCIe 6.x technology in high-speed data transfer. While this innovation promises to address the growing demands of AI and cloud computing, widespread availability of PCIe 6.x storage solutions is still years away due to the need for an ecosystem that supports its capabilities.
The unveiling of this SSD highlights the rapid pace of technological advancement in the storage sector, indicating a shift towards more efficient data processing in the face of increasing computational demands.
What challenges do manufacturers face in ensuring compatibility and widespread adoption of PCIe 6.x technology across various platforms?
The Samsung T7 portable SSD offers incredible speeds of up to 1,050 MB/s, making it an excellent option for storing games, recording 4K videos, and transferring large files. Its compact size and lightweight design make it easy to carry around, while its rugged aluminum casing provides protection against drops and bumps. This discount brings the already-fast drive down to a highly competitive price.
The rapid adoption of portable SSDs like the Samsung T7 is driving innovation in data transfer speeds, potentially leading to even faster storage solutions in the future.
How will the increased accessibility of high-speed storage space impact the types of applications and industries that rely on it, such as professional video editing or gaming?
Seagate’s Ultra Compact SSD 10Gbps USB thumb drive delivers far better performance than generic 5Gbps or 400Mbps types, as well as free data recovery and other software perks. The drive is designed to be compact and portable, with a rectangular shape and a Type-C connector that can be easily accessed. With its fast 10Gbps performance and additional software features, the Ultra Compact SSD offers an attractive alternative for users who need reliable storage on-the-go.
This move highlights the importance of user experience in the tech industry, where form factor and convenience are increasingly being prioritized over raw processing power.
What role do smaller, more portable storage devices like the Seagate Ultra Compact SSD play in the broader shift towards cloud-based computing and the increasing dependence on mobile devices?
The Sabrent Rocket Enterprise PCIe 4.0 U.2/U.3 NVMe SSD has set a new benchmark for enterprise storage solutions, offering up to 7,000MB/s read speeds and handling over 56PB of data with one drive write per day durability. This massive 30.72TB model is designed to meet the demands of large-scale operations, including data centers and businesses requiring high-speed, high-endurance storage solutions. With its ultra-low bit error rate and sustained low-latency performance, this SSD is poised to disrupt the enterprise storage market.
The sheer scale of this SSD raises questions about the future of cloud storage and data management, particularly as AI tools and server applications increasingly require vast amounts of fast, reliable storage.
How will the adoption of such high-performance storage solutions impact the balance between costs and capabilities in enterprise IT infrastructure?
Sandisk's Extreme Pro Portable 8TB SSD is currently listed on Amazon for $490, offering significant savings from its original price of $700. This deal makes the drive an attractive option for those who require large-capacity storage for their game libraries or important files and projects. With its high-performance capabilities and rugged design, the Sandisk Extreme Pro Portable SSD is well-suited to meet the demands of photographers, videographers, and drone operators.
The popularity of portable SSDs in recent years highlights the growing need for reliable and efficient external storage solutions that can keep up with the increasing demands of media collection and processing.
As more professionals and gamers rely on cloud storage services for collaboration and data backup, will traditional external drives like the Sandisk Extreme Pro Portable SSD continue to hold their value or become less relevant in the long term?
The leaked specs and unofficial renders of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE and Tab S10 FE Plus suggest that Samsung is gearing up to launch a mid-range tablet series that could challenge Apple's entry-level iPads. The tablets are expected to feature modest specs, with 10.9-inch or 13.1-inch displays, Exynos 1580 chipsets, and up to 12GB of RAM. With their rumored prices and potential features like support for the S Pen stylus, these tablets may appeal to budget-conscious consumers looking for an alternative to iPads.
The mid-range tablet market is often overlooked in favor of premium offerings, but the success of Samsung's FE series could signal a shift towards more affordable options that still offer quality features.
Will Samsung's focus on mid-range tablets help to disrupt Apple's dominance in the market, or will it simply create a new segment for competing brands?
The latest updates on the upcoming Oppo Pad 4 Pro suggest that its charging speed may be slower than initially reported, with a new document revealed on the 3C database indicating support for only 80W SUPERVOOC fast wired charging. This is a downgrade from the rumored 100W fast charging and may impact user expectations for the device's performance. Oppo's decision to stick with 80W fast charging seems consistent with its approach for some of its flagship devices this year.
The slower charging speed of the Oppo Pad 4 Pro could be seen as an opportunity for consumers to prioritize other aspects, such as display size and overall design, which appear to have received significant upgrades in the upcoming model.
Will the incremental improvements in the Oppo Pad 4 Pro's design and charging capabilities be enough to justify its price point compared to similar devices from competitors like Samsung?
The 2TB MSI Spatium M461 SSD is currently on sale for $84, offering an unbeatable price of around 4 cents per GB. This discount brings the drive down from its recent average price of $99, making it a compelling option for those looking to upgrade their storage with fast performance. The drive's PCIe Gen 4 x4 interface and NVMe 1.4 standard interface provide speedy read/write speeds of up to 5,000/4,200 MBps.
This sale showcases the competitive pricing that SSDs have reached in recent years, making them an increasingly viable option for those looking to upgrade from traditional hard drives.
As solid-state storage technology continues to advance and prices come down, what implications will this have for the broader computer hardware market and consumer purchasing decisions?
The iQoo Z10 Turbo is tipped to launch with a series-first Pro sibling, powered by series-first MediaTek silicon. It is also now believed to charge faster than the Z9 Turbo - or its Endurance Edition - with a much bigger battery than either preceding Android smartphone. The Snapdragon 8s Gen 3-powered Z9 Turbo is thought to be supplanted by a direct successor with corresponding 8s Elite silicon, leaving its alleged "Z10 Turbo Pro" to rock the Dimensity 8400 as iQoo's first smartphone with that processor.
By emphasizing battery size and charging speed, iQoo may be attempting to offer a compelling value proposition in a crowded mid-range market where features are increasingly seen as more important than specifications.
As the Z10 Turbo Pro is projected to miss out on high-end ultrasonic fingerprint sensors and metal mid-frames, will its more affordable price point be enough to offset these perceived compromises for budget-conscious consumers?
The TeamGroup PD20 external SSD utilizes USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 technology, offering good performance for those who have compatible ports, but its late arrival raises questions about its relevance in a market increasingly shifting towards USB 4.0. With an attractive price point and decent construction, the drive falls short due to limited widespread support for the Gen 2x2 standard, which significantly hampers its potential user base. Ultimately, the PD20 serves as a reminder of the risks associated with investing in technology that may soon be outpaced by newer standards.
The PD20's performance could have been a game-changer had it arrived sooner, highlighting the importance of timing in technology releases amid rapid advancements.
Will the continued evolution of USB standards render current external SSDs obsolete in just a few years?
The upcoming Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 processor for Windows PCs may offer up to 18 Oryon V3 cores, increasing core count by 50% compared to the current generation. The new chip's system in package (SiP) will incorporate both RAM and flash storage, featuring 48GB of SK hynix RAM and a 1TB SSD onboard. This next-generation processor is expected to be used in high-end laptops and desktops, potentially revolutionizing PC performance.
This significant upgrade in core count could lead to substantial improvements in multitasking and content creation capabilities for PC users, particularly those requiring heavy processing power.
What role will the integration of AI technology play in future Snapdragon X2 processors, given the processor's focus on high-performance computing and gaming applications?
Samsung has introduced its Galaxy S25 series, featuring high-performance specifications including the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 SD 8 Elite processor and Adreno 830 graphics, catering to both casual and demanding users. The series includes two models, the S25 and S25 Ultra, which boast display sizes of 6.20 inches and 6.90 inches, respectively, and have received strong reviews for their impressive display quality and overall performance scores. Priced at 1449 euros, the Galaxy S25 series is positioned as a premium offering in a competitive smartphone market.
The advancements in the Galaxy S25 series highlight Samsung's commitment to innovation and performance, potentially reshaping user expectations for future smartphones.
What features or improvements do consumers value most when choosing between high-end smartphone models in today's market?
The success of Samsung's upcoming Exynos 2600 chipset is seen as a top priority internally, with the company taking steps to ensure its yield rates meet targets. The Exynos 2600 is expected to be used in next year's Galaxy S26 series and is viewed as a way to attract clients back to Samsung Foundry. However, recent reports indicate that yields of the 2 nm nodes used for the chipset are significantly lower than required.
This focus on the success of the Exynos 2600 raises questions about the long-term viability of Samsung's in-house chip manufacturing strategy, particularly if it struggles to meet yield targets.
Can a successful launch of the Exynos 2600 help revitalize Samsung Foundry and challenge TSMC's dominance in the premium mobile chipset market?
AMD's latest processor, the 16-core Ryzen 9 9950X3D, delivers impressive performance gains over its predecessor, with single-threaded performance rivaling that of non-X3D counterparts and a 14% lead in PassMark benchmarking. The chip boasts elevated clock speeds and higher power limits thanks to its integration of AMD's 2nd generation V-Cache technology. While the cache configuration remains largely unchanged, the new X3D architecture promises significant thermal headroom and performance boosts.
The shift towards V-Cache technology could signal a major paradigm shift in CPU design, where thermal management becomes a key consideration in achieving higher clock speeds.
How will AMD's aggressive expansion of its Ryzen 9000X3D lineup impact the overall market dynamics for high-end desktop processors?
The Samsung Galaxy S36 has officially been shown off at MWC 2025, ditching its predecessor's Exynos SoC for a Snapdragon 6 Gen 3. The new device upgrades the fast charging on its 5,000 mAh battery to 45 Watts, allowing users to record HDR video using the 12 MP selfie camera. Samsung's newest mid-range Galaxy A smartphones, including the Galaxy A36, offer important generation-over-generation upgrades compared to their predecessors.
This latest move by Samsung underscores the importance of timely updates and refreshes in the smartphone market, particularly for mid-range devices that often form a significant chunk of overall sales.
How will the increasing adoption of newer SoCs and charging technologies impact the environmental sustainability of the smartphone industry?
How fast is too fast for a monitor? If you ask Samsung, then 500 refreshes every second still isn’t too fast for PC gaming. That’s the speed of the latest OLED monitor panel the company is showing off in Barcelona at Mobile World Congress 2025. The 27-inch 1440p display is aimed right at the “sweet spot” for PC gamers.
The relentless pursuit of higher refresh rates raises questions about the diminishing returns on human perception, sparking a debate about when increased frame rates become merely flashy upgrades.
Will the proliferation of ultra-high-refresh-rate displays accelerate market fatigue and lead to a new era of monitor price cannibalism?
Xiaomi's new tablet is set to become its fastest-charging device yet, with a power brick and cable capable of delivering up to 20 volts and 6 amps. The device has been certified by China's 3C regulator and is expected to feature a large 10,000mAh battery and a 14-inch OLED display. Xiaomi's latest tablet is also thought to be one of the company's more premium devices for 2025.
This new level of charging speed underscores the rapid evolution of power delivery technologies in consumer electronics, which could have significant implications for user experience and device design.
Will Xiaomi's focus on fast-charging capabilities lead to a broader trend towards prioritizing raw performance over other factors like battery life or environmental sustainability in future tablet designs?
The Oppo Pad 4 Pro is expected to feature a significantly larger display than its predecessor, graduating to a ~13- or 14-inch tier, and will adopt a new resolution of 3.4K, compared to 3K in the Pad 3 Pro. The next-gen tablet will retain the Oppo Pad series' signature refresh rate of 144Hz, but is believed to be LCD rather than OLED. This upgrade will likely enable faster performance and improved visuals, making it a major draw for consumers seeking high-end Android tablets.
The proliferation of larger, higher-resolution displays in flagship tablets highlights the industry's ongoing quest for greater immersion and visual fidelity, reflecting shifting consumer preferences towards more cinematic viewing experiences.
What implications might this trend have for the development of future display technologies, particularly those focused on energy efficiency and long-term sustainability?
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra's minor upgrades to its camera hardware and software features may not be enough to justify the purchase for those who already own a newer model, such as the Galaxy S24 Ultra or an older Samsung smartphone. The phone's improved camera capabilities, including enhanced zoom quality and Nightography mode, will likely become available via future software updates, reducing the incentive to upgrade immediately. Despite this, the new device still boasts top-notch performance and features that will satisfy existing owners.
The incremental nature of these upgrades raises questions about the value proposition of annual flagship releases in a market where technological advancements can often be replicated through iterative software updates.
How will Samsung's approach to hardware and software updates impact the overall strategy for its flagship devices, particularly in terms of pricing and competition with other manufacturers?
Lexar ARMOR series SD cards claim to be 37 times stronger than standard memory cards and can withstand extreme conditions such as drops from up to 5 meters, ensuring reliable use in challenging environments. The stainless steel build provides superior resistance to bending, breaking, and overheating, while the IP68 rating ensures they remain dustproof and waterproof. With high-speed performance and advanced features like lifetime recovery tool access, these cards are designed for professional photo editors and video editors.
The adoption of stainless steel materials in memory cards may set a new industry standard for durability, forcing competitors to reevaluate their product designs and manufacturing processes.
How will the widespread use of durable memory cards impact the long-term sustainability of electronic devices and reduce e-waste?
Chinese researchers are working to develop molecular hard drives with high capacity, which use organometallic molecules to boost data density and efficiency. These drives have the potential to store six times the amount of data compared to current mechanical models, overcoming limitations in traditional binary storage systems. The new technology relies on self-assembled monolayers of complex molecules, applied using a conductive atomic force microscope tip, to achieve ultra-low power consumption.
The development of molecular hard drives represents a significant shift towards more efficient and powerful data storage, which could have far-reaching implications for industries reliant on digital information.
Will the increased capacity and reduced energy requirements of molecular hard drives lead to widespread adoption, or will concerns over environmental sensitivity and durability hinder their development?
It's time to upgrade your PS5's storage! Japanese storage solutions company Nextorage just launched three new 4TB NVMe SSD models in the U.S., offering a significant discount on all three models for a limited time. The company is putting all three models on sale, with the 4TB M.2 NVMe G-LE SSD (without heatsink) available at 50% off for $249.99. On the other hand, the two remaining models will be available at 40% off for just $299.99.
The discounted prices of these high-capacity storage drives make it an attractive option for those looking to expand their PS5's storage without breaking the bank.
As the gaming industry continues to evolve and more games become increasingly demanding, it will be interesting to see how the performance and capacity of SSDs like these Nextorage models hold up in the long term.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is now available with up to $800 off, making it an attractive option for those seeking a large-screen tablet that balances productivity with portability. Its 14.6-inch AMOLED display and 120Hz refresh rate provide vibrant colors and seamless performance. The tablet's AI capabilities and software longevity make it an excellent choice for users invested in the Samsung ecosystem.
The emphasis on large-screen tablets like the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra highlights the evolving relationship between screen size, productivity, and user experience, raising questions about the future of laptop-like devices in a more portable format.
Will the growing demand for larger screens drive innovation in tablet design, potentially leading to new form factors that strike a better balance between portability and power?
The upcoming Nvidia RTX Pro 6000 Blackwell GPUs are expected to feature improved performance and higher memory capacities, positioning them as key components in professional workstations. The dual-flavored launch indicates a growing trend of workstation GPUs with enhanced capabilities, catering to specific industry demands. With two variants in the pipeline, Nvidia's strategy for these high-end graphics cards is yet to be fully understood.
This development suggests that Nvidia is further pushing the boundaries of workstation GPU design, where performance and memory capacity are key considerations for professional users.
Will the RTX Pro 6000 Blackwell GPUs' increased core count and memory lead to a new era of accelerated computing for fields such as AI and data science?