China Is About to Launch SSDs So Small You Insert Them Like a CHIP

A New Type Of SSD Promises To Combine The Compact Size Of A MicroSD With The Speed Of An M.2, Emerging As An Alternative For Mobile And Portable Gaming Devices.

MicroSD cards are small but slow. M.2 SSDs offer high speed, but they take up more space and have a closed design. Now, a new type of SSD coming from China may unite the best of both worlds. It has already been confirmed for two next-generation portable gaming devices.

The Chinese manufacturer Biwin calls the innovation “Mini SSD.” Another producer names it “1517.” The component measures just 15 mm x 17 mm x 1.4 mm, smaller than a penny and slightly larger than a MicroSD.

Impressive Performance

The Mini SSD achieves sequential read speeds of up to 3,700 MB/s and write speeds of 3,400 MB/s. It uses a PCIe 4×2 connection and will be available in 512 GB, 1 TB, and 2 TB versions.

For comparison, MicroSD Express cards, like those compatible with the Nintendo Switch 2, reach speeds of 985 MB/s. This represents less than a third of the new format’s speed. A traditional SD Express card can achieve 3,940 MB/s, but is nearly double the size.

Resistance And Application

M.2 drives still lead in absolute speed, but the Mini SSD bets on size and versatility. Biwin claims that the device can equip laptops, tablets, mobile phones, cameras, and other electronics, requiring only a dedicated slot. The system works similarly to SIM card trays on smartphones, released with a pin.

According to the manufacturer, the Mini SSD has an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. It also withstands drops from up to three meters, a useful feature especially for mobile devices.

Adoption In Gaming Portables

Two Chinese gaming portables have already incorporated the new SSD. Both were presented at ChinaJoy last week. The first is the GPD Win 5, a Strix Halo model with high-capacity battery and portable format. The second is the hybrid laptop/tablet OneXPlayer Super X from OneNetbook, which also uses the Strix Halo chip.

Both feature a dedicated slot for the Mini SSD, reinforcing the initial interest of the industry in the format.

Availability And Price

Despite the announcement, Biwin has not yet revealed prices for the Mini SSD. There are also no official sales listings. Therefore, we must wait to see if the technology will be widely adopted and if other manufacturers will follow suit.

Sign up

Connect with

Access

I allow you to create an account.

When you first accessed our site using a Social Access button, we collected your public profile information shared by the Social Access provider, based on your privacy settings. We also obtained your email address to automatically create an account for you on our website. Once your account is created, you will be logged into that account.

I disagreeI agree

Notify of

new follow-up comments new responses to my comments

Label

Name*

E-mail*

Save my data for the next time I comment.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser's cookies for the next time I comment.

ONESIGNAL ID

ONESIGNAL ID

I allow you to create an account.

When you first accessed our site using a Social Access button, we collected your public profile information shared by the Social Access provider, based on your privacy settings. We also obtained your email address to automatically create an account for you on our website. Once your account is created, you will be logged into that account.

I disagreeI agree

Label

Name*

E-mail*

Save my data for the next time I comment.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser's cookies for the next time I comment.

ONESIGNAL ID

ONESIGNAL ID

0 Comments

most recent

older Most voted

Built-in feedback

View all comments