Micron’s client model, Essential Reminiscence, has been placing further concentrate on the SSD market over the previous couple of quarters. The model was advertising and marketing entry-level QLC drives within the 2018 – 2022 timeframe. Lately, emphasis has additionally been positioned on cutting-edge SSDs – each inner (such because the Gen4 T500 and Gen5 T700) and exterior (such because the X10 Professional). Vertical integration, coupled with Micron being the primary flash producer to attain quantity manufacturing of 200+ layer 3D NAND, has been essential to Essential’s success in these segments.
On the 2024 CES, Micron had a few attention-grabbing USB4 SSD know-how demonstrations for its resellers / companions and invited media. These are primarily merchandise beneath growth (with no ensures that they’d make it to the market of their present type). Each merchandise are bridge-based options utilizing the ASMedia ASM2464PD USB4 to NVMe accent controller. The important thing replace over the favored ASM2364 (USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 upstream, and PCIe 3.0 x4 downstream) is the shift to a 40 Gbps USB4 upstream port together with a PCIe 4.0 x4 hyperlink downstream. The ability supply part of the Sort-C specification can be applied throughout the controller.
The moveable SSD model has a gumstick form-factor, with the clear casing housing a M.2 2280 SSD – a 2TB Gen4 Micron 3400 OEM drive on this case.
The drive is anticipated to be passively cooled, with the bigger form-factor enabling a thermal efficiency just like that of the X10 Professional / X9 Professional. Bridge-based options are the usual choice for high-performance moveable SSDs.
Comparable configurations (bridge + DRAM-equipped M.2 SSD) such because the SanDisk Excessive PRO v2 (E81) have yielded wonderful all-round efficiency for a variety of workload varieties. We count on the identical to proceed within the USB4 period. That stated, distributors like ADATA utilizing the identical bridge have opted for lively cooling to keep away from thermal throttling of their USB4 PSSD. It stays to be seen if this design will stay fanless in its last type (and if it does, thermal efficiency can be an attention-grabbing side to investigate).
The USB4 desktop SSD is a relatively distinctive product. That is an actively cooled design with a small fan, and makes use of a U.3 SSD inside. Different distributors like OWC have tried a number of M.2 SSDs configured with software program RAID in a large-sized enclosure, however this one has a single high-capacity drive (8TB within the pattern being demonstrated).
Designed for stacking (with out daisy-chaining assist), the eSSD additionally requires exterior energy. The drive may also energy notebooks by the USB4 connection, which might make up for the presence of a discrete energy adapter. Specifics of the ability supply will solely be out there when the product is formally launched. This product may very well be made extra engaging by having some downstream USB Sort-A / Sort-C ports (eSSD in a dock). That stated, there are two points that may in all probability make this the efficiency and consistency king of USB4 SSDs – the presence of a fan, and using a Gen4 U.3 SSD (which is most certainly an enterprise drive that advertises worst-case efficiency and never speeds within the SLC cache area).
The present crop of USB4 SSDs are targeted on efficiency, and sacrifice power- and energy-efficiency. These points will probably be addressed by native USB4 UFD controllers like Phison’s U21. Silicon Movement tends to maintain controllers beneath wraps till reference designs are able to ship (if the introduction of the SM2320 was something to go by). We count on exterior / moveable SSD distributors to finally add native UFD controller-based merchandise to their USB4 lineup, however that appears unlikely to occur within the first half of 2024.
