Samsung Electronics, the world leader in advanced memory technology, today announced it has begun mass producing PM9E1, a PCle 5.0 SSD with the industry’s highest performance and largest capacity. Built on its in-house 5-nanometer (nm)-based controller and eighth-generation V-NAND (V8) technology, the PM9E1 will provide powerful performance and enhanced power efficiency, making it an optimal solution for on-device AI PCs. Key attributes in SSDs, including performance, storage capacity, power efficiency and security, have all been improved compared to its predecessor (PM9A1a).

“Our PM9E1 integrated with a 5nm controller delivers industry-leading power efficiency and utmost performance validated by our key partners,” said YongCheol Bae, Executive Vice President of Memory Product Planning at Samsung Electronics. “In the rapidly growing on-device AI era, Samsung’s PM9E1 will offer a robust foundation for global customers to effectively plan their AI portfolios.”

Thanks to the eight-channel PCIe 5.0 interface, the sequential read and write speeds of the new SSD have more than doubled compared to the previous generation, reaching up to 14.5 gigabytes-per-second (GB/s) and 13GB/s, respectively. This powerful performance enables faster data transfer even with data-intensive AI applications, allowing a 14GB large language model (LLM) to be transferred from the SSD to DRAM in less than a second.

The PM9E1 offers a range of storage options, including 512GB, 1 terabyte (TB), 2TB and the industry’s largest capacity of 4TB. The 4TB option is especially an optimum solution for PC users in need of high-capacity storage for large-sized files such as AI-generated contents, data-heavy programs and high-resolution videos, as well as tasks that require intensive workloads such as gaming.

Additionally, the significantly improved power efficiency of over 50% allows for longer battery life which is ideal for on-device AI applications.

For stronger security measures, Samsung has applied Security Protocol and Data Model (SPDM) v1.2 to the PM9E1. The SPDM specification provides ‘Secure Channel,’ ‘Device Authentication’ and ‘Firmware Tampering Attestation’ technologies that can help prevent supply chain attacks involving forgery or manipulation of stored data in the product during production or distribution processes.

Starting with PM9E1, Samsung plans to expand its advanced SSD offerings to global PC makers and expects to launch PCIe 5.0-based consumer products in the future to solidify its leadership in the on-device AI market.

Samsung Electronics, the world leader in advanced memory technology, today announced the release of the 990 EVO Plus, adding to its lineup of leading SSD products. With PCIe 4.0 support and latest NAND technology, the 990 EVO Plus is an ideal solution for consumers seeking enhanced performance and power efficiency on their PCs. Optimized for gaming, business and creative endeavors.

“Our daily lives are increasingly demanding more data with the images we share on social media and high-quality video streaming,” said Hangu Sohn, Vice President of Memory Brand Product Biz Team at Samsung Electronics. “The 990 EVO Plus is built for laptop and desktop PC users seeking faster processing speeds and expanded storage capacity.”

Enhanced Performance and Power Efficiency

The 990 EVO Plus is built on decades of Samsung’s pioneering semiconductor technology with proven reliability. Sequential read speeds come up to 7250 megabytes-per-second (MB/s) and write speeds up to 6300MB/s, an enhancement of up to 50% over the previous 990 EVO. The performance boost is thanks to Samsung’s latest 8th generation V-NAND technology and 5-nanometer (nm) controller, while an innovative nickel-coated heat shield minimizes overheating, allowing 73% higher power efficiency than its predecessor.

The 4TB model has an industry-leading random read speed of 1,050K IOPS and 1,400K input/output operations per second (IOPS) for random write. This remarkable performance nearly rivals that of SSD products with DRAM, despite not using DRAM cache, making it an optimal solution for gaming and AI tasks that require high performance.

Expanded Storage Capacity

The ever-increasing demand for high-capacity storage devices is driven by managing large-sized files, high-quality video editing and next-generation gaming. To meet today’s growing storage requirements, the 990 EVO Plus offers ample capacity with a 4TB model, exceeding the storage limits of the 990 EVO. The 990 EVO Plus is equipped with Samsung’s intelligent TurboWrite 2.0, revamped for maximized performance, offering rapid file transfer speeds and reduced lag.

Samsung Magician Software Support

Samsung Magician software presents a suite of optimization tools for enhanced functionality for all Samsung SSDs, including the 990 EVO Plus. Users can streamline the data migration process for SSD upgrades effortlessly and securely. In addition, Samsung Magician protects valuable data, monitors drive health and offers customized performance optimization.

The 990 EVO Plus will be available to consumers worldwide at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $109.99 for the 1TB model, $184.99 for the 2TB model, and $344.99 for the 4TB model. For more information — including warranty details — please visit samsung.com/SSD or semiconductor.samsung.com/internal-ssd/. For a user guide on how to install the 990 EVO Plus onto your laptop or computer, visit https://semiconductor.samsung.com/consumer-storage/ssdupgrade/

Samsung SSD 990 EVO Plus Specifications

	Samsung SSD 990 EVO Plus
Interface	PCIe® Gen 4.0 x4 / 5.0 x2 NVMe 2.01
Form Factor	M.2 (2280)
Storage Memory	Samsung V-NAND 3-bit TLC
Controller	Samsung In-house Controller
Capacity2	1 TB	2 TB	4 TB
Sequential Read/Write Speed 3,4	Up to 7,150 MB/s, 6,300 MB/s	Up to 7,250 MB/s, 6,300 MB/s	Up to 7,250 MB/s, 6,300 MB/s
Random Read/Write Speed (QD32) 3,4	Up to 850K IOPS, 1,350K IOPS	Up to 1,000K IOPS, 1,350K IOPS	Up to 1,050K IOPS, 1,400K IOPS
Management Software	Samsung Magician Software
Data Encryption	AES 256-bit Full Disk Encryption, TCG/Opal V2.0,
	Encrypted Drive (IEEE1667)
Total Bytes Written	600 TB	1200 TB	2400 TB
Warranty 5	Five-year Limited Warranty 6

* Product availability may vary depending on model and region.

¹ The NVM Express® design mark is a registered trademark of NVM Express, Inc.
² 1GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes by IDEMA. A certain portion of capacity may be used for system file and maintenance use, so the actual capacity may differ from what is indicated on the product label.
^3,4 Sequential and random performance measurements are based on IOmeter1.1.0. Performance may vary based on an SSD’s firmware version, system hardware & configuration.
Test system configuration: AMD Ryzen9 7950x 16-Core Processor CPU@4.5GHz, DDR5 4800MHz 16GBx2), OS-Windows 11 Pro 64bit, Chipset – ASRock X670E Taichi
⁵ Samsung Electronics shall not be liable for any loss, including but not limited to loss of data or other information contained on Samsung Electronics’ products or loss of profit or revenue which may be incurred by the user. For more information on the warranty, please visit samsung.com/SSD or semiconductor.samsung.com/internal-ssd/
⁶ Five years or total bytes written (TBW), whichever comes first. For more information on the warranty, please refer to the enclosed warranty document in the package.

Samsung Electronics, the world leader in advanced memory technology, today announced it has successfully developed the industry’s first PCIe 4.0 automotive SSD based on eighth-generation vertical NAND (V-NAND). With industry-leading speeds and enhanced reliability, the new auto SSD, AM9C1 is an optimal solution for on-device AI capabilities in automotive applications.

With about 50% improved power efficiency compared to its predecessor, the AM991, the new 256GB auto SSD will deliver sequential read and write speeds of up to 4,400 megabytes-per-second (MB/s) and 400MB/s, respectively.

“We are collaborating with global autonomous vehicle makers and providing high-performance, high-capacity automotive products,” said Hyunduk Cho, Vice President and Head of Automotive Group at Samsung Electronics’ Memory Business. “Samsung will continue to lead the Physical AI¹ memory market that encompasses applications from autonomous driving to robotics technologies.”

Built on Samsung’s 5-nanometer (nm) controller and providing a single-level cell (SLC) Namespace² feature, the auto SSD AM9C1 demonstrates high performance for easier access to large files. By switching from its original triple-level cell (TLC) state to SLC mode, users can enjoy boosted read and write speeds of up to 4,700MB/s and 1,400MB/s, respectively, while also benefiting from the added reliability of SLC SSDs.

The 256GB AM9C1 is currently being sampled by key partners and is expected to begin mass production by the end of this year. Samsung plans to offer multiple storage capacities for the AM9C1 ranging from 128GB to 2 terabytes (TB) to address the growing demand for high-capacity automotive SSDs. The 2TB model, which is set to offer the industry’s largest capacity in this product category, is scheduled to start mass production early next year.

Through intensified board-level tests, Samsung’s new auto SSD satisfies the automotive semiconductor quality standard AEC-Q100³ Grade 2, ensuring stable performance over a wide temperature range of -40°C to 105°C.

To further meet the high standards of the automotive industry in terms of durability and stability, Samsung also conducts various quality assurance processes. The company received ASPICE CL3 authentication⁴ for its UFS 3.1 product in March this year.

In an effort to obtain CSMS certification based on ISO/SAE 21434,⁵ Samsung will continue to actively enhance the technological reliability and stability of its automotive solutions.

“ASPICE and ISO/SAE 21434 certifications are milestones that affirm the reliability and stability of our technology,” said Hwaseok Oh, Executive Vice President at Samsung Electronics’ Memory Business. “Beyond these achievements, Samsung will continue to elevate its product stability and quality by consistently providing the best solution to key partners.”

¹ AI such as robots and autonomous vehicles that perceives and interacts with the physical world through sensors.
² Provides SLC partition with better performance and reliability than TLC, allowing users to configure it in accordance to data type. However, when switched to SLC mode capacity decreases to 1/3 of the TLC.
³ Global standard that Automotive Component Manufacturers Association (ACMA) has established for the reliability evaluation procedures and criteria for automotive electronic components.
⁴ Automotive Software Process Improvement and Capability dEtermination (ASPICE) is a software development standard developed and distributed by the German Automotive Association (VDA) that evaluates the reliability and competence of automotive component manufacturers’ software development processes. It is divided into Capability Level (CL) stages 0 to 5, with CL3 meaning that an organization has established a systematic process and can effectively execute it.
⁵ Cyber Security Management System certification is an international standard designed to enhance cybersecurity in the automotive industry based on ISO/SAE 21434, covering cybersecurity processes and requirements from design to development, evaluation and mass production.

Samsung Electronics, a world leader in advanced memory technology, today announced the release of SSD 990 EVO — the newest addition to the company’s lineup of consumer SSDs — which delivers powerful performance with better energy efficiency. Designed to enhance everyday computing experiences like gaming, work and video/photo editing, the NVMe SSD is expected to be an ideal solution for a diverse range of users.

“Samsung has been leveraging its advanced memory technologies for optimized SSD solutions, and for our latest consumer product, we’ve combined both innovation and practicality to enhance the computing experiences for users,” said Hangu Sohn, Vice President of Memory Brand Product Biz Team at Samsung Electronics. “The 990 EVO balances performance, power efficiency and reliability, making it a versatile choice for the latest interface that is suitable for a variety of everyday tasks, including gaming, business workflow and creative endeavors.”

Enhanced Performance

The 990 EVO offers enhanced performance of up to 43% compared to the previous model, 970 EVO Plus. Sequential read speeds come up to 5,000 megabytes-per-second (MB/s) and write speeds up to 4,200 MB/s. Random read and write speeds also get a boost with up to 700K input/output operations per second (IOPS) and 800K IOPS, respectively.

By using Host Memory Buffer (HMB) technology to directly link to the host processor’s DRAM, the SSD can achieve optimized performance even with a DRAM-less design. Users upgrading from previous mainstream SSDs will experience significantly faster loading speeds for games and swift access to large files.

Improved Power Efficiency and Smart Thermal Solution

The Samsung 990 EVO improved power efficiency of up to 70% when compared to the 970 EVO Plus, allowing users extended usage on PCs without the constant concern for battery life. It also supports Modern Standby,¹ which enables an instant on/off function with uninterrupted internet connectivity and seamless notification reception, even in low-power states.

The 990 EVO’s heat spreader label effectively regulates the thermal condition of the NAND chip, allowing operations to consistently run at their highest levels without compromising drive integrity.

A Versatile SSD for Current and Future Computing

The 990 EVO is a versatile SSD created to meet current computing needs and in anticipation of future requirements. Users can experience seamless multitasking with a single SSD that caters to the demands of everyday such as gaming, business and creative workflow.

Supporting both PCIe 4.0 x4 and PCIe 5.0 x2 interfaces, the 990 EVO fits the needs for today’s PCs supporting PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots while it also offers compatibility along with thermal control and power savings for PCIe 5.0 interfaces in upcoming applications.

The 990 EVO comes in 1 terabyte (TB) and 2TB capacity options.

Samsung Magician Software Support

Samsung Magician software presents a suite of optimization tools for enhanced functionality for all Samsung SSDs, including the 990 EVO. Users can streamline the data migration process for SSD upgrades effortlessly and securely. In addition, Samsung Magician protects valuable data, monitors drive health and notifies timely firmware updates.

Currently available to consumers worldwide, the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) for 990 EVO is $124.99 for the 1TB model and $209.99 for the 2TB model. For more information — including warranty details — please visit samsung.com/SSD or semiconductor.samsung.com/internal-ssd/.

Samsung SSD 990 EVO Specifications

¹ For detailed information about Modern Standby, please visit the Microsoft website (https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/design/device-experiences/part-selection#ssd-storage).
² The NVM Express® design mark is a registered trademark of NVM Express, Inc.
³ 1GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes by IDEMA. A certain portion of capacity may be used for system file and maintenance use, so the actual capacity may differ from what is indicated on the product label.
^4,5 Sequential and random performance measurements are based on IOmeter1.1.0. Performance may vary based on an SSD’s firmware version, system hardware & configuration.
Test system configuration: AMD Ryzen9 7950x 16-Core Processor CPU@4.5GHz, DDR5 4800MHz 16GBx2 (PC5-38400), OS-Windows 11 Pro 64bit, Chipset – ASRock X670E Taichi
⁶ Samsung Electronics shall not be liable for any loss, including but not limited to loss of data or other information contained on Samsung Electronics’ products or loss of profit or revenue which may be incurred by the user. For more information on the warranty, please visit samsung.com/SSD or semiconductor.samsung.com/internal-ssd/
⁷ Five years or total bytes written (TBW), whichever comes first. For more information on the warranty, please refer to the enclosed warranty document in the package.

“For consumers who are looking for substitutes for traditional hard disk drives (HDDs), the T5 EVO — offering the largest-available capacity along with speed and durability in a compact design that fits in the palm of your hand — is an innovative, new external storage option,” said Hangu Sohn, Vice President of the Memory Brand Product Biz Team at Samsung Electronics. “The T5 EVO is built to fulfill the needs of a wide range of consumers with diverse lifestyles. Its capacity of up to 8TB, fast speeds, compact design and data protection from external shocks are well-suited for users who want to store and access data anywhere, anytime.”

Based on USB 3.2 Gen 1, the T5 EVO transfers data up to 3.8 times faster than external HDDs and delivers maximum performance through sequential read and write speeds of up to 460 megabytes per second (MB/s), making it easier to transfer large files.

Enhanced Portability and Ergonomic Design

The design concept of T5 EVO is “Compact and Light Ergonomic.” The portable SSD is engineered to provide a new experience with an ergonomic design that deviates from the size of a business card for the first time while still maintaining compact and light features. It measures 95mm in width, 40mm in length and 17mm in thickness, meaning consumers can have an 8TB portable storage device that is small enough to hold in one hand. This combination of compact size and large memory provides users with faster speeds, equivalent capacity and a smaller, lighter body — when compared to an external HDD. At 102 grams, the carefully designed weight of the product creates a sense of trust in its sturdiness as well.

The T5 EVO also has a black body and a titan gray ring, giving it a premium and sleek feeling with similar colors, and blends in naturally when placed with other host devices that are gray in color. The T5 EVO can be easily fastened to any bag or piece of luggage thanks to its metal ring design. Furthermore, its metal body and rubberized surface provide extra protection against external shocks — including from drops of up to two meters.

Store Millions of Photos and Songs With Speed and Ease

Even with its convenient design, the T5 EVO does not compromise capacity. With storage capabilities of up to 8TB of data, the T5 EVO can accommodate large files, high-resolution videos, photos and games, making it suitable for work and play. An 8TB T5 EVO can store more than 2 million 3.5-megabyte (MB) photos, 1.8 million 4MB music files, or 3,500 2-gigabyte (GB) videos.

Prioritizes Safety Through Thermal Guard Protection

The new Portable SSD prioritizes safety through thermal guard technology and security with hardware data encryption. Samsung’s Dynamic Thermal Guard technology safeguards against overheating and maintains optimal operating temperatures, in compliance with international safety standard IEC 62368-1. Moreover, the portable SSD supports Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) 256-bit hardware data encryption, giving users assurance and confidence when storing data.

Extensive Compatibility for a Wide Range of Users

The T5 EVO is compatible with a range of operating systems and host devices, such as macOS^®, Windows^®, smartphones/tablets, and gaming consoles. The T5 EVO also features Samsung Magician software, which provides a comprehensive set of drive management features, including real-time drive health check, genuine authentication check feature, performance benchmark and firmware updates.

The T5 EVO — available in 2TB, 4TB and 8TB sizes — comes with a USB Type-C-to-C cable and includes a three-year limited warranty. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices (MSRP) are $189.99 for the 2TB, $349.99 for the 4TB and $649.99 for the 8TB. The T5 EVO is available worldwide starting today. For more information, visit https://samsung.com/portable-ssd.

Samsung Portable SSD T5 EVO Product Specifications
Interface	USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gbps)
Hardware Information	Capacities1		2TB	4TB	8TB
	Dimensions2		40 x 95 x 17mm
	Weight2		102 grams
Performance	Sequential Read3		Up to 460 MB/sec
	Sequential Write3		Up to 460 MB/sec
Durability	Drop Resistant4		Up to 2m
Security	Encryption		AES 256-bit hardware encryption
	Software5		Samsung Magician Software
Compatibility	Operating System6		Windows®, macOS®, Android
	Device6		PCs, Laptops, Tablets, Smartphones
Reliability	Temperature7	Operating	0°C to 60°C
		Non-Operating	-40°C to 85°C
	Humidity		5% to 95% non-condensing
	Shock	Non-Operating	1,500G, duration: 0.5ms, 3 axis
	Vibration	Non-Operating	20~2,000Hz, 20G
Certifications			CE, BSMI, KC, VCCI, RCM, FCC, IC, UL, TUV, CB, EAC, UKCA, BIS
RoHS Compliance			RoHS 2
Warranty8			Three (3) Year Limited Warranty

¹ 1GB=1,000,000,000 bytes, 1TB=1,000,000,000,000 bytes. Lower capacity may be demonstrated by your computer due to use of a different measurement standard.
² The actual product weight and size may vary depending on the product’s capacity and measurement method.
³ Max data transfer speed is measured based on Samsung’s internal testing standards with the enclosed cable. Performance may vary depending on host configuration, cable and user system environment.
⁴ Based on an internal free fall shock test conducted under controlled conditions. Drop resistance may vary depending on the actual environmental conditions. Damage caused by drop is not covered under warranty.
* Test condition: Device was dropped free-fall to a metal plate from 2-meter height.
** No warranty is provided for any physical damage to the product including bending or deformation of the ring.
⁵ Samsung Magician software is available in Windows^®, macOS^® and Android. It requires Windows^® 7 and higher, macOS^® High Sierra (10.13.6) and higher, or Android 5.1 (Lollipop) and higher. Older versions of the Windows^®, macOS^®, and Android operating systems may not be supported.
⁶ Compatibility with host devices may vary. Some operating systems may require T5 EVO reformatting. T5 EVO is backward compatible with USB 3.1, USB 3.0 and USB 2.0
⁷ Tc is measured at the hottest point on the case. Sufficient airflow is recommended to be operated properly on heavier workload within device operating temperature.
⁸ For more information on the warranty, please visit https://semiconductor.samsung.com/consumer-storage/support/warranty

Samsung Electronics, a world leader in advanced memory technology, today held its annual Memory Tech Day, showcasing industry-first innovations and new memory products to accelerate technological advancements across future applications — including the cloud, edge devices and automotive vehicles.

Attended by about 600 customers, partners and industry experts, the event served as a platform for Samsung executives to expand on the company’s vision for “Memory Reimagined,” covering long-term plans to continue its memory technology leadership, outlook on market trends and sustainability goals. The company also presented new product innovations such as the HBM3E Shinebolt, LPDDR5X CAMM2 and Detachable AutoSSD.

Jung-Bae Lee, President and Head of Memory Business at Samsung Electronics, used his keynote address to expand on how Samsung will overcome the challenges of the hyperscale era through innovations in new transistor structures and materials. For example, Samsung is currently preparing new 3D structures for sub-10-nanometer (nm) DRAM, allowing larger single-chip capacities that can exceed 100 gigabits (Gb). Following its 12nm-class DRAM that began mass production in May, 2023, Samsung is working on its next-generation 11nm-class DRAM, which is set to offer the industry’s highest density.

NAND flash breakthroughs that will shrink cell sizes and refine channel hole etching techniques are also in development, with the goal of ushering in 1,000-layer vertical NAND (V-NAND). Development is on track for Samsung’s ninth-generation V-NAND to provide the industry’s highest layer count based on a double-stack structure. The company has secured a functional chip for the new V-NAND and plans to start mass production early next year.

“The new era of hyperscale AI has brought the industry to a crossroads where innovation and opportunity intersect, presenting a time with potential for great leaps forward, despite the challenges,” said Lee. “Through endless imagination and relentless perseverance, we will continue our market leadership by driving innovation and collaborating with customers and partners to deliver solutions that expand possibilities.”

Introducing HBM3E ‘Shinebolt’

Today’s cloud systems are evolving to optimize compute resources, which require high-performance memory to handle high capacity, bandwidth and virtual storage capabilities. Building on Samsung’s expertise in commercializing the industry’s first HBM2 and opening the HBM market for high-performance computing (HPC) in 2016, the company today revealed its next-generation HBM3E DRAM, named Shinebolt.

Samsung’s Shinebolt will power next-generation AI applications, improving total cost of ownership (TCO) and speeding up AI-model training and inference in the data center. The HBM3E boasts an impressive speed of 9.8 gigabits-per-second (Gbps) per pin speed, meaning it can achieve transfer rates exceeding up to more than 1.2 terabytes-per-second (TBps).

In order to enable higher layer stacks and improve thermal characteristics, Samsung has optimized its non-conductive film (NCF) technology to eliminate gaps between chip layers and maximize thermal conductivity.

Samsung’s 8H and 12H HBM3 products are currently in mass production and samples for Shinebolt are shipping to customers. Leaning into its strength as a total semiconductor solutions provider, the company also plans to offer a custom turnkey service that combines next-generation HBM, advanced packaging technologies and foundry offerings together.

Other products highlighted at the event include the 32Gb DDR5 DRAM with the industry’s highest capacity, the industry’s first 32Gbps GDDR7 and the petabyte-scale PBSSD, which offers a significant boost to storage capabilities for server applications.

Redefining Edge Devices Through Powerful Form Factors

In order to process data-intensive tasks, today’s AI technologies are moving toward a hybrid model that allocates and distributes workload among cloud and edge devices. Accordingly, Samsung introduced a range of memory solutions that support high-performance, high-capacity, low-power and small form factors at the edge.

In addition to the industry’s first 7.5Gbps LPDDR5X CAMM2¹ — which is expected to be a true game changer in the next-generation PC and laptop DRAM market — the company also showcased its 9.6Gbps LPDDR5X DRAM, LLW² DRAM specialized for on-device AI, next-generation Universal Flash Storage (UFS), and the high-capacity Quad-Level Cell (QLC) SSD BM9C1 for PCs.

Paving the Road for Automotive Memory Solutions Leadership

With advancements in autonomous driving solutions, market demand is also rising for high-bandwidth, high-capacity DRAM and Shared SSDs, which share data with multiple System on Chips (SoCs).  Samsung presented its Detachable AutoSSD that allows data access from a single SSD to multiple SoCs through virtual storage.

The Detachable AutoSSD supports sequential read speed of up to 6,500 megabytes-per-second (MBps) with 4TB of capacity. As it comes in a detachable form factor, the SSD makes upgrades and adjustments easier for vehicle users and manufacturers. Samsung also displayed automotive memory solutions such as high-bandwidth GDDR7 and LPDDR5X with a more compact package size.

Technology That Makes Technology Sustainable

As part of its commitment to minimizing environmental impact, Samsung underscored a variety of innovations within its semiconductor operations that will contribute to increased energy efficiency for customers and consumers.

The company plans to secure ultra-low-power memory technologies that can decrease power consumption in data centers, PCs and mobile devices, while using recycled materials in portable SSD products to reduce its carbon footprint. Samsung’s next-generation solutions, such as the PBSSD, will also help reduce energy usage for server systems as they maximize space efficiency and rack capacity.

While collaborating with stakeholders across the semiconductor value chain, including customers and partners, Samsung’s semiconductor business will continue to play an active role in tackling global climate issues through its sustainability initiative, “technology that makes technology sustainable.”

To learn more about Samsung Semiconductor’s solutions and Samsung Memory Tech Day 2023, please visit: https://semiconductor.samsung.com/events/techday-memory-2023/. The recap of the event will be posted at a later date.

¹ CAMM: Compression Attached Memory Module.
² LLW: Low Latency Wide I/O.

“With advances in high-resolution photos and the rising popularity of 4K videos, professional content creators now face the necessity of transferring large amounts of data on a frequent basis,” said Hangu Sohn, Vice President of Memory Brand Product Biz Team at Samsung Electronics. “The T9 offers a solution for professionals to alleviate the challenges that come with managing their data, and Samsung will continue to provide optimized memory solutions that enable professionals to fully concentrate on achieving their creative potential.”

Superior Performance and Massive Storage Capacity

The T9 offers maximum sequential read/write speeds of 2,000 megabytes-per-second (MB/s) on the USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 interface. Approximately two times faster than the previous model T7, speeds of this level allow users to transfer a 4-gigabyte (GB) Full HD video in nearly two seconds.

The T9 comes in three different capacity options to fit the needs of every creator. With 1-terabyte (TB), 2TB and 4TB varieties, the T9 makes it possible to complete quick and frequent transfers while providing ample storage for large volumes of data. Its compact size, similar to that of a credit card, allows creators to carry their inspiration wherever they go with the least of limitations on their creative process.

Luxury Added to Ruggedness

The T9 delivers not only the functional advantages, but also unique design benefits under the concept of “luxury added to ruggedness” based on the “rugged” design concept of the T7 Shield. The curved diagonal lines and reverse carbon patterns on the surface of T9 gives the rubber a fabric-like feel for the user, like a luxurious wallet.

Unmatched Reliability and Thermal Control

Professional creators push the boundaries of what’s possible, and their data is invaluable. Resistant to drops of up to three meters high and guaranteed with a five-year limited warranty, the Portable SSD T9’s sturdy design is built to keep data safe with the reliability that users need and empowers them to pursue their most ambitious projects.

For creators who require fast and efficient large file transfers without slowdowns, the T9 is the perfect companion. With Samsung’s Dynamic Thermal Guard, it efficiently minimizes the performance drops that can be caused by overheating, ensuring consistent and fast transfer speeds. Moreover, the T9 is designed in compliance with the international safety standard IEC 62368-1, making it an ideal choice for a wide range of demanding tasks with minimal heat transfer.

Manage T9 With Samsung Magician Software 8.0

The Samsung Magician software provides an enhanced experience for users through features such as performance benchmark, security functions, firmware updates and real time health status check. Firmware update is a very important feature for memory products, and Magician software is ready to solve any field issues that might occur. With the new 8.0 version released in September 2023, all Samsung software such as Data migration, PSSD software, Card authentication tool, will be integrated to Magician software and the OS support range will be expanded, for Windows, Mac and Android user convenience.

Seamless Compatibility

With proven experience in Portable SSD compatibility, Samsung has designed the T9 to meet the USB Type-C power spec and to support the seamless workflow of professional creators. This has enhanced compatibility across operating systems such as Windows, macOS, smartphones and tablets, gaming consoles and professional high-resolution cameras. The T9 also comes with USB Type C-to-C and USB Type C-to-A cables.

With the manufacturer’s suggested retail prices (MSRP) of $139.99 for the 1TB, $239.99 for the 2TB and $439.99 for the 4TB, the Samsung Portable SSD T9 will be available to consumers worldwide on October 3, 2023.

Samsung Portable SSD T9 Product Specifications
Interface	USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 (20Gbps)
Hardware Information	Capacities1		1TB	2TB	4TB
	Dimensions2		88 x 60 x 14mm
	Weight2		122 grams
Performance	Sequential Read3		Up to 2,000MB/sec	Up to 2,000MB/sec	Up to 2,000MB/sec
	Sequential Write3		Up to 1,950MB/sec	Up to 1,950MB/sec	Up to 2,000MB/sec
Durability	Drop Resistant4		Up to 3m
Security	Encryption		AES 256-bit hardware encryption
	Software5		Samsung Magician Software
Compatibility	Operating System6		Windows®, macOS®, Android
	Device6		PCs, Laptops, Tablets, Smartphones
Reliability	Temperature7	Operating	0°C to 60°C
		Non-Operating	-40°C to 85°C
	Humidity		5% to 95% non-condensing
	Shock	Non-Operating	1,500G, duration: 0.5ms, 3 axis
	Vibration	Non-Operating	20~2,000Hz, 20G
Certifications			CE, BSMI, KC, VCCI, RCM, FCC, IC, UL, TUV, CB, EAC, UKCA, BIS
RoHS Compliance			RoHS 2
Warranty8			Five (5) Year Limited Warranty

¹ 1GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes, 1TB = 1,000,000,000,000 bytes. Lower capacity may be demonstrated by your computer due to use of a different measurement standard.
² The actual product weight and size may vary depending on the product’s capacity and measurement method.
³ Performance may vary depending on host configuration, cable and user system environment. To reach maximum sequential read/write speeds of up to 2,000 MB/s, respectively, the host device and connection cables must support USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 and the UASP mode must be enabled.
* Test system configuration: ASUS ROG STRIX Z590-E GAMING WIFI, Intel i9-10900K CPU @ 3.70GHz, 3696 MHz, 10 Core(s), 20 Logical Processor(s) / DDR4 8GB DRAM frequency1132.3 MHz / Win 11 Pro
⁴ Based on an internal free fall shock test conducted under controlled conditions. Drop resistance may vary depending on the actual environmental conditions. Damage caused by drop is not covered under warranty.
* Test condition: Device was dropped free-fall to a metal plate from 3-meter height.
** No warranty is provided for any physical damage.
⁵ Samsung Magician software is available in Windows^®, macOS^® and Android. It requires Windows^® 7 and higher, macOS^® High Sierra (10.13.6) and higher, or Android 5.1 (Lollipop) and higher. Older versions of the Windows^®, macOS^® and Android operating systems may not be supported.
⁶ Compatibility with host devices may vary. Some operating systems may require T9 reformatting. T9 is backward compatible with USB 3.2, USB 3.1, USB 3.0 and USB 2.0.
⁷ Tc is measured at the hottest point on the case. Sufficient airflow is recommended to be operated properly on heavier workload within device operating temperature.
⁸ The LED component of the T9 is warranted for five (5) years of typical use, typical use for the purposes of this warranty defined as four (4) hours of operation per day at temperatures of 40℃ or below. For more information on the warranty, please visit https://semiconductor.samsung.com/consumer-storage/support/warranty.

Offering blazing-fast speeds and ultimate power efficiency, the 990 PRO series is optimized for massive data volumes, such as 3D/4K graphics work, data analytics and high-quality games, making it the ideal SSD for today’s PCs, laptops, game consoles and computing systems. With improved total bytes written (TBW) ratings of up to 2,400TB, the 990 PRO series ensures increased SSD reliability and longevity, ideal for those with highly demanding workloads and large storage capacity needs.

“Today’s gamers and creative professionals require high-capacity, high-performance SSDs and Samsung’s new 4TB SSD 990 PRO is the perfect storage solution to meet their needs,” said Hangu Sohn, Corporate Vice President of the Memory Brand Product Biz Team at Samsung Electronics. “As the demand for high-resolution content and ultra-fast data-processing speeds continues to grow, high-performance NVMe² storage has become a core requirement.”

Best-in-Class Performance and Capacity

Featuring Samsung’s V8 technology and improved controller, the 4TB 990 PRO offers near-max performance in a PCIe 4.0 interface, with sequential read speeds of up to 7,450 megabytes-per-second (MB/s) and write speeds of up to 6,900MB/s. The newly expanded capacity of 4TB delivers boosted random read and write speeds of up to 1,600K and 1,550K IOPS³ respectively, making it the ideal solution for gamers, creative professionals and tech enthusiasts seeking top-tier performance and storage space.

With the fastest random read performance among PCIe 4.0 interface consumer SSDs on the market,⁴ the 4TB 990 PRO significantly reduces mid-game stalls and accelerates the loading of high-quality videos, increasing gamers’ enjoyment and immersion. For high-end games that support the latest in game-loading technology, the 990 PRO series can help reduce lag, allowing users to enjoy real-time gameplay experiences with consistently high frames per second (FPS).

Enhanced Power Efficiency and Reliable Thermal Control

The 990 PRO series achieves breakthrough power efficiency, with an up to 50% performance improvement in comparison to the previous 980 PRO series. It also incorporates a nickel coating on the controller and features a heat spreader label on the back side of the SSD, ensuring optimal temperature level maintenance and minimal performance fluctuations over time. The 990 PRO with Heatsink is equipped with an effective, slim heatsink, giving users the full experience in sustained high-performance computing and gaming capabilities. Furthermore, the drive is compatible with the latest game consoles, so it can speed up game installation and loading times, while also preventing performance drops that can result from overheating.

Single-Sided 4TB SSD for Ultra-Slim Laptops

Thanks to Samsung’s V8 1Tb high-density NAND and the company’s memory stacking technology, the 4TB 990 PRO was designed with a single-sided M.2 form factor, which makes it slimmer than other double-sided M.2 SSDs. This frees users from the concerns that double-sided M.2 SSDs can cause when installed into ultra-thin laptops, such as an inability to install the SSD or the risk of damaging other components. With a single-sided M.2 form factor, the streamlined design provides abundant storage capacity and sustainable performance.

Samsung Magician Software and Availability

The Samsung Magician software ensures optimal performance in SSDs by keeping firmware, drivers and other settings up to date, while also offering the flexibility to customize power and performance optimization, according to user preferences. Moreover, the software supports RGB functionality for the 990 PRO with Heatsink, so gamers have the option to customize color and LED effects. Set to be released in September 2023, the new version of Magician 8.0 will be an integrated software solution for SSDs, portable SSDs, memory cards and USB flash drives.

The 4TB capacity models of the 990 PRO and 990 PRO with Heatsink will be available in early October 2023. The 990 PRO series’ 1TB and 2TB models are currently available for purchase. For more information, including warranty details, please visit samsung.com/SSD or semiconductor.samsung.com/internal-ssd/.

Samsung SSD 990 PRO | 990 PRO With Heatsink Specifications

¹ PCIe: Peripheral Component Interconnect express.
² NVMe: Non-Volatile Memory express.
³ IOPS: Input/output Operations Per Second.
⁴ As of Aug, 2023, fastest random read performance among PCIe 4.0 interface consumer SSDs on the market, with random read speeds of up to 1,600K IOPS and random write speeds of up to 1,550K IOPS.
⁵ The NVM Express^® design mark is a registered trademark of NVM Express, Inc.
⁶ 1GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes by IDEMA. A certain portion of capacity may be used for system file and maintenance use, so the actual capacity may differ from what is indicated on the product label.
⁷ Sequential and random performance measurements are based on IOmeter1.1.0. Performance may vary based on an SSD’s firmware version, system hardware & configuration.
Test system configuration: AMD Ryzen 7 5800X 8-Core Processor CPU@3.80GHz, DDR4 3600MHz 16GBx2 (PC4-25600 Overclock), Windows 10 Pro 64bit, ASRock-X570 Taichi
⁸ Samsung Electronics shall not be liable for any loss, including but not limited to loss of data or other information contained on Samsung Electronics product or loss of profit or revenue which may be incurred by user. For more information on the warranty, please visit samsung.com/SSD or semiconductor.samsung.com/internal-ssd/.
⁹ Five years or total bytes written (TBW), whichever comes first. For more information on the warranty, please refer to the enclosed warranty document in the package.

“Our new PM9C1a SSD will deliver a robust combination of superior performance, greater power efficiency and increased security, which are the qualities that matter most to PC users,” said Yong Ho Song, Executive Vice President of Memory Solution Product & Development at Samsung Electronics. “We are committed to creating storage that satisfies the diverse and changing market requirements as we continue to advance innovation in the PC SSD space.”

With top-tier speeds, the PM9C1a SSD is ideal for everyday use as well as for more demanding computing and gaming applications. Leveraging the PCIe 4.0 interface, Samsung’s PM9C1a boasts a 1.6x faster sequential read speed and a 1.8x faster sequential write speed than its previous storage offering (PM9B1), reaching 6,000 megabytes per second (MB/s) and 5,600MB/s, respectively. Additionally, random read and write speeds can support up to 900K input/output operations per second (IOPS) and 1,000K IOPS, respectively.

The PM9C1a also offers up to 70% more power efficiency per watt than its predecessor. This means the new SSD can handle the same amount of tasks using significantly less power. Furthermore, when a notebook PC goes into standby mode, the SSD will use approximately 10% less power.

To address the rising need for stronger security measures, the PM9C1a features powerful security. The SSD supports the Device Identifier Composition Engine (DICE) security standard created by the Trusted Computing Group (TCG), a global organization that develops open standards for computing security. DICE securely generates cryptographic keys inside the SSD, providing device authentication to protect against supply chain attacks — cyberattacks that target companies through vulnerabilities in their supplier network — as well as attestation to prevent any firmware tampering.

Samsung’s PM9C1a SSDs will be available in 256GB, 512GB and 1TB storage capacities in a M.2 form factor (22mm x 30mm, 22mm x 42mm, 22mm x 80mm).

“With continuing innovations in gaming, 4K and 8K technology as well as AI-driven applications, consumers’ need for high-performance storage is growing exponentially,” said KyuYoung Lee, Vice President of the Memory Brand Product Biz Team at Samsung Electronics. “The 990 PRO provides an optimal balance of speed, power efficiency and reliability, making it an ideal choice for avid gamers and creative professionals seeking uninterrupted work and play.”

Extreme Performance for an Immersive Gameplay Experience

Featuring Samsung’s latest V-NAND and a new proprietary controller, the 990 PRO series offers the highest speed currently available from the PCIe 4.0 interface.¹ The SSD delivers sequential read and write speeds of up to 7,450 megabytes per second (MB/s) and 6,900 MB/s, respectively, while random read and write speeds come in at up to 1,400K and 1,550K IOPS,² respectively. With up to a 55% improvement in random performance over the 980 PRO, the 990 PRO is particularly well-suited for heavy gaming as well as creative and productivity tasks.

High-performance NVMe SSDs are also critical in reaping the full benefits of the latest game console and gaming technologies. Powered by NVMe, the 990 PRO brings faster loading times to PCs and consoles for a more immersive gaming experience. When tested with Forspoken,³ Luminous Productions’ forthcoming action role-playing game supporting the latest game-loading technology, the map loading time was about one second, compared to four seconds for a SATA SSD and 28 seconds for a hard disk drive (HDD).

Ultimate Power Efficiency and Reliable Thermal Control

Built on a low-power architecture, Samsung’s newly designed controller dramatically improves the SSD’s power efficiency by up to 50% compared to the 980 PRO.⁴ Additionally, the 990 PRO employs a nickel coating on the controller and a heat spreader label on the drive for reliable thermal management. Samsung’s Dynamic Thermal Guard technology further ensures that the drive’s temperature stays in the optimal range.

The 990 PRO with Heatsink version offers an additional layer of thermal control while its RGB lights add more style to the drive.

Samsung’s 990 PRO is also an excellent solution for laptop and desktop upgrades as well as for build-your-own PCs, providing a significant performance boost while using less power for increased battery life and thermal management.

The 990 PRO will be available worldwide starting this October with the manufacturer’s suggested retail prices (MSRP) of $179 for the 1TB model and $309 for the 2TB. A 4TB capacity version will become available from next year. For more information, including warranty details, please visit samsung.com/SSD or semiconductor.samsung.com/consumer-storage/internal-ssd/.

Samsung NVMe SSD 990 PRO Series Specifications

¹ PCIe 4.0’s highest theoretical sequential read speed is 8000 MB/s — 990 PRO reaches 7,450 MB/s as of Q3 2022.

² Sequential and random performance measurements are based on IOmeter1.1.0. Performance may vary based on SSD’s firmware version, system hardware & configuration.

* Test system configuration: AMD Ryzen 7 5800X 8-Core Processor CPU@3.80GHz, DDR4 3600MHz 16GBx2 (PC4-25600 Overclock), Windows 10 Pro 64bit, ASRock-X570 Taichi

³ FORSPOKEN © Luminous Productions Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved. FORSPOKEN, LUMINOUS PRODUCTIONS and the LUMINOUS PRODUCTIONS logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Square Enix Co., Ltd.

* Test system configuration: AMD Ryzen 9 5900X 12-Core Processor 3.70 GHz, AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT 16GB, DDR4-2666 (16GB x2), Windows 11 Pro 21H2

⁴ 980 PRO provides power efficiency of 1,129/877 MB per watt for sequential read/write while 990 PRO’s is 1,380/1,319 MB per watt for sequential read/write, based on internal test results of the 1TB capacity model.

⁵ 1GB=1,000,000,000 bytes by IDEMA. A certain portion of capacity may be used for system file and maintenance, so the actual capacity may differ from what is indicated on the product label.

⁶ Samsung Electronics shall not be liable for any loss, including but not limited to loss of data or other information contained on Samsung Electronics product or loss of profit or revenue which may be incurred by user. For more information on the warranty, please visit samsung.com/SSD or semiconductor.samsung.com/consumer-storage/internal-ssd/.

⁷ Five years or total bytes written (TBW), whichever comes first. For more information on the warranty, please refer to the enclosed warranty document in the package.

All devices in the T7 Series offer a read speed of 1,050 megabytes per second (MB/s) and a write speed of 1,000 MB/s, delivering reliable high speeds up to 9.5 times faster than external hard disk drives (HDD) without degradation in performance.

Whether you’re storing critical business documents, games, or movies, the T7, T7 Touch and T7 Shield do it all in a palm-sized package. The 85-by-57-millimeter T7 and T7 Touch and 88-by-59-millimeter T7 Shield offer the user credit card-sized portability.

Optimized to be compatible across a variety of devices, including PC, Mac, Android devices and gaming consoles, the T7, T7 Touch and T7 Shield come with increased security to ensure data is protected even if the device gets lost. The T7 Touch even offers the option of unlocking with a touch of your finger or with a password, so you can keep your private files secure without sacrificing convenience.

What’s more, Samsung’s T7 Shield is its most durable PSSD yet — built to withstand falls of up to 3 meters. The T7 Shield is IP65-certified as both water and dust-resistant yet weighs a mere 98 grams, making it the perfect compact storage device for those who work on the go.

Designed to store everything from large work files to photos and videos of memorable moments, the T7 Series provides users with the ease of mind that their data is secure in devices that are built to last. Take a look at the infographic below to learn more about the groundbreaking features of the T7, T7 Touch and T7 Shield.

Samsung Electronics, the world leader in advanced memory technology, today unveiled an array of next-generation memory and storage technologies during Flash Memory Summit 2022, held at the Santa Clara (California) Convention Center, August 2-4. In a keynote titled “Memory Innovations Navigating the Big Data Era,” Samsung spotlighted four areas of technological advancement driving the big data market — data movement, data storage, data processing and data management — and revealed its leading-edge memory solutions addressing each field.

Petabyte Storage: Maximizing Server Utilization

To maximize data center efficiency in an increasingly data-driven world, Samsung introduced a next-generation storage technology, ‘Petabyte Storage.’ The new solution will allow a single server unit to pack more than one petabyte of storage, enabling server manufacturers to sharply increase their storage capacity within the same floor space with a minimal number of servers. High server utilization will also help to lower power consumption.

Memory-Semantic SSD: AI- and ML-Optimized Storage

Samsung announced its ‘Memory-semantic SSD’ that combines the benefits of storage and DRAM memory. Leveraging Compute Express Link (CXL) interconnect technology and a built-in DRAM cache, Memory-semantic SSDs can achieve up to a 20x improvement in both random read speed and latency when used in AI and ML applications. Optimized to read and write small-sized data chunks at dramatically faster speeds, Samsung’s Memory-semantic SSDs will be ideal for the growing number of AI and ML workloads that require very fast processing of smaller data sets.

Telemetry: Enabling More Reliable Data Center Management

As SSDs become more widely adopted in data centers, technology to manage these storage drives with the highest degree of reliability is becoming increasingly critical. Samsung’s telemetry technology gathers human-readable metadata from key components inside customers’ SSDs such as NAND flash and DRAM as well as SSD controllers and firmware. Based on this broad set of telemetry information, data centers can detect and prevent any potential problems ahead of time, enabling a more reliable and efficient operation.

Updates to Prior Milestones

Additionally, Samsung informed its keynote audience of important product updates to previously-announced mobile storage and high-performance SSD milestones.

The industry’s first UFS 4.0 mobile storage, developed by Samsung in May, is scheduled to enter mass production this month. The new UFS 4.0 will be a critical component in flagship smartphones that require large amounts of data processing for features like high-resolution images and graphics-heavy mobile games, and will later be used in mobility, VR and AR.

Samsung also announced market availability of two enterprise SSDs. Its PM1743, a CES 2022 Innovation Awards honoree, is the industry’s first PCIe 5.0 SSD, while the PM1653 is the first 24G SAS SSD, both now in mass production. The company further highlighted its paradigm-shifting SmartSSD and CXL DRAM, which have been designed to avoid bottlenecks in current memory and storage architectures.

“The IT industry is facing a new set of challenges brought on by the explosive growth in big data, and this underscores the importance of a robust, cross-industry ecosystem,” said Jin-Hyeok Choi, keynote speaker and executive vice president of Memory Solution & Product Development at Samsung Electronics. “We are committed to developing transformative memory technologies that can bring far-reaching changes in how we move, store, process and manage data for future AI, ML and HPC applications, as we navigate these challenging tides together with industry partners.”

▲ The four men behind the development of Samsung Electronics’ T7 Shield Portable SSD: Minseok Kim, the circuit designer, Hanhong Lee, the mechanical designer, Sangjin Jung, the product planner, and Gyejin Jun, the product designer.

As video creation has become a sought-after profession, and high-resolution cameras and high-definition video have become the norm, storing data safely, easily and conveniently has become more important than ever.

In the past, external hard disk drives (HDDs), also known as hard drives, were the main type of storage device used for saving data. Nowadays, solid-state drives (SSDs) have become the preferred device for external storage due to their fast speeds, increased security, as well as their small size and light weight compared to HDDs.

Samsung Electronics, the world’s No.1 NAND flash manufacturer, has set a new standard for portable SSDs with the launch of the T7 Shield: the company’s newest portable SSD with exceptional performance, reliability and security.

To get the inside story on the development of the product, Samsung Newsroom met with the four developers of the T7 Shield: Minseok Kim, the circuit designer, Hanhong Lee, the mechanical designer, Sangjin Jung, the product planner, and Gyejin Jun, the product designer.

An SSD Above All: A Device Boasting the Industry’s Highest Level of Performance

The T7 Shield Portable SSD is equipped with the latest V-NAND technology and ultra-fast interface Non-Volatile Memory express (NVMe) controller. The main part of SSDs is the memory semiconductor, and more specifically, NAND flash memory. NAND flash is a type of non-volatile memory in which saved data is not lost even if the electricity is cut off. Since the T7 Shield is an SSD product made by Samsung, the top NAND flash manufacturer in the world, consumers can be confident in the product.

The T7 Shield is a follow-up to the T7 Touch, which was an honoree at the 2020 CES Innovation Awards. Not only does it support USB 3.2 Gen2 interface, the most commonly used interface, but it also boasts the best performance in the industry. The 2TB model’s read speed is 1,050 megabytes per second (MB/s). Similarly, the device’s Turbo Write technology provides sequential write speeds of up to 1,000 MB/s, delivering fast transfer speeds all in a device the size of a business card. “These fast speeds enable 1GB of data to be transferred in a second, so transferring a full movie file, around 4GB, with full HD picture quality only takes 4 seconds,” Jung explained.

The T7 Shield securely protects data even if the device is lost thanks to its 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) hardware encryption. In addition, the T7 Shield comes with Samsung’s Magician software, giving users the ability to manage their device settings. This software allows users to check the performance and status of their device (such as the amount of storage used and temperature), conduct firmware updates, initialize the device and more.

Taking Durability One Step Further With Samsung’s First Waterproof and Dustproof SSD

One of the characteristics that sets the T7 Shield apart from others is that it’s waterproof and dustproof. The T7 Shield is a portable device, built to be taken wherever the user may need it. Due to potential exposure to outside elements in different environments, it’s important that the user can take their data anywhere without fear of it being lost or damaged. The T7 Shield is the first Samsung SSD that is IP65-certified as waterproof and dustproof. “An IP65 rating means that the device has an IPX5 waterproof level and an IP6X dustproof level,” Jung explained. “This means you don’t have to worry when using the T7 Shield, even if you accidentally spill water on it or if you are outside on a rainy day.”

“We were able to increase its level of waterproofing by designing the device to have silicon rubber on the exterior with a separate seal,” said Lee. “In order to provide an equal level of performance compared to our previously released products, we conduct total inspections using air pressure. The unique features of the T7 Shield will be even more noticeable in different environments.”

Even though portable SSD products are meant to be carried around, when dropped, data can sometimes be lost from the shock of the fall. However, the T7 Shield is durable enough to withstand a drop shock of up to 3 meters, 1 meter higher than the previous model. “All 4 corners of the T7 Shield have been designed to be protected with rubber, so it is more resistant to external shocks,” Lee said. “There’s no need to be afraid of your data being damaged even if you accidentally drop it while using it in your daily life.”

Power Optimization Designed To Achieve Unprecedented Performance

When using an SSD, there are two issues that may go unnoticed by most users, but pose an inconvenience for heavy users who often transfer large files: lowered performance and overheating. “Consumers were inconvenienced by the lowered performance when working with large files, but the T7 Shield has addressed this through power optimization,” Kim said. “Now, consumers can use the device without experiencing much difference in performance even when storage is full.”

Usually, when a device provides high speeds, it heats up as a result. Some may think that in order to maintain performance when transferring large files, the device needs to generate more heat. However, this is not the case with the T7 Shield. “We’ve minimized heat generation through an optimized power design,” said Kim.

Additionally, the surface of the device is made of a rubber material that has low thermal conductivity, helping users to comfortably handle the device with minimal heat transfer. “We’ve designed the device in line with safety standards so that the amount of heat the device produces is safe even when transferring very large files,” Kim said.

The T7 Shield is compatible with a variety of devices, including PC, Mac, Android smartphones and gaming consoles. It also comes with the two types of USB-C cables (C-to-C and C-to-A), allowing users to connect it to other devices. “Older device specifications, like USB 2.0, support lower electricity, so it was difficult to achieve compatibility across these devices,” said Kim. “But the T7 Shield detects the connected USB accessory and adjusts the device’s power accordingly.”

A Robust, Sophisticated Design and Various Colors for All Customer Preferences

The main eye-catching feature of the T7 Shield is its robust and sophisticated design. In particular, the curves of the exterior and its detailed texture display a modern vibe, while the rubber surface makes holding the device feel more secure. Unlike other SSD products that are rough and hard to handle, the T7 Shield provides users with comfort and stability.

“Since SSDs are always used in connection with other devices, achieving harmony is important,” Jun said. “We tried to make the T7 series adaptable to any environment while maintaining the identity of the series. We tried to strike the right balance in order to make the unique charm of the T7 Shield stand out even more,” he explained.

The T7 Shield comes in two sizes, 1TB and 2TB, and in three colors. “We offer the basic color black to represent the unique waterproof and dustproof qualities of the T7 Shield,” said Jun. “We also offer blue as it represents water, and we also offer beige, which represents soft sand. Users have these options to choose from according to their preference.” The product is also more eco-conscious. The amount of packaging materials used has been reduced by a third compared to those of the T5, the predecessor to the T7 Shield, and greenhouse gas emissions have been minimized during the manufacturing process.

Providing an Enhanced and Ultra-Fast External Storage Experience Based on Reliability

When asked to describe the T7 Shield in one word, Lee chose “reliability.” He explained that the device is “reliable both in terms of convenience and durability, as it can be easily connected to other devices through its high performance and compatibility, and its shock-resistant design safely protects precious data.”

What kind of consumers is the T7 Shield best for? “It can be the best option for all kinds of consumers, including experts who often engage in outdoor activities, such as video producers and photographers, gamers who play the latest large-scale games, as well as consumers who deal with high-definition videos,” said Jung. “Personally, rather than singling out a certain consumer group, I’d like to strongly recommend the T7 Shield to all consumers who are very serious about data storage.”

Safely storing data is the main function of portable SSDs, meaning the level of trust and confidence in the device among users is crucial. Samsung has built consumer confidence in its products in the global market and has led the portable SSD market. Stay tuned to see how Samsung continues to develop industry leading innovations going forward.

Samsung Electronics, the world leader in advanced memory technology, today announced that it has successfully developed a second generation of its pioneering SmartSSD.

The new proprietary computational storage incorporates data processing functionality within a high-performance SSD. Unlike existing SSDs, Samsung’s SmartSSD can process data directly, thereby minimizing data transfers between the CPU, GPU and RAM. This technology can avoid the bottlenecks that often occur when moving data between storage devices and CPUs, resulting in markedly improved system performance and much higher energy efficiency.

The SmartSSD is playing an increasingly important role, especially with the growth of next-generation technologies such as AI, machine learning and 5G/6G, which require large amounts of data processing.

Leveraging software and intellectual property (IP) developed by customers, along with in-built Arm cores, Samsung’s second-generation SmartSSD enables much more efficient data processing. Compared to conventional data center solid-state drives, processing time for scan-heavy database queries can be slashed by over 50%, energy consumption by up to 70% and CPU utilization by up to 97%.

Since its development in 2020 through the joint efforts of Samsung and AMD, the first-generation SmartSSD is being supplied to global IT companies including video communications platform providers. The first-generation SmartSSD was recognized as an Innovation Awards Honoree at CES 2021 for its outstanding performance and energy efficiency.

“Commercialization of the first-generation SmartSSD, in collaboration with AMD, established that the computational storage market has great potential,” said Jin-Hyeok Choi, Executive Vice President and Head of Memory Solution Product & Development at Samsung Electronics. “With the upgraded processing functionality of the second-generation SmartSSD, Samsung will be able to easily address increasing customer needs in the database and video transcoding sectors, as we expand the boundaries of the next-generation storage market.”

“Powered by Xilinx Versal Adaptive SoCs from AMD, second-generation Samsung SmartSSDs enable improved CPU efficiency and greatly reduced energy consumption by efficiently integrating the computing and storage functions in data centers,” said Sina Soltani, Corporate Vice President of Sales, AECG, Data Center and Communication Group at AMD. “As data-intensive applications continue to grow, second-generation Samsung SmartSSDs will deliver the superior performance and efficiency required for this expanding market.”

Samsung Electronics is leading efforts to standardize SmartSSD technology through close collaboration with the Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA) and with NVM Express, while seeking to expand the boundaries of SmartSSD devices through technological validation for a wide variety of applications.

“Creative professionals and consumers want durable, high-performance and reliable SSDs with the assurance their data will remain safeguarded, even when dropped, exposed to water or used outdoors,” said KyuYoung Lee, Vice President of Memory Brand Product Biz Team at Samsung Electronics. “The T7 Shield offers extensive compatibility, enabling consumers to use the new SSD on multiple devices including PC, android smartphone and game console.”

IP65-Rated Durability

The T7 Shield is Samsung’s most durable PSSD to date, making it ideal for outdoor content creators or travelers who need data-rich experience without having to worry about data loss from exposure to the elements or life’s mishaps. Carefully engineered by Samsung from the inside out, the T7 Shield is shock-resistant from drops of up to three meters,² while being IP65-certified as dustproof and water resistant.³ Despite the new rugged design, the T7 Shield is compact and lightweight, weighing a mere 98 grams.

Exceptional Performance

The T7 Shield delivers a read speed of 1,050 megabytes per second (MB/s) and a write speed of 1,000 MB/s,⁴ which are the fastest transfer speeds currently available based on the USB 3.2 Gen2 standard.⁵ It is approximately twice as fast as its predecessor, the T5, and up to 9.5 times faster than external hard disk drives (HDDs),⁶ saving consumers, digital creators and professionals valuable time.

Samsung has also optimized the inside and outside of the product, by changing the surface material and improving the software in the T7 Shield, to solve the performance degradation and overheating that occur when transferring large files. Due to this change, there is no performance degradation even when files of 2TB are moved at once, and heat generation is minimized, which help solve the inconvenience that consumers may experience. Through this, it is possible to transmit data stably without performance drop,⁷ even when performing data-heavy, continuous tasks such as high-quality video recording, editing, encoding and rendering. This alleviates concerns over inconsistent drive performance.

Wide Compatibility and Strong Security

Designed to work across multiple devices, Samsung’s T7 Shield can store large numbers of pictures, games as well as 4K and 8K videos whether on a PC, Mac, Smartphone (Android), or game console.⁸ Additionally, the T7 Shield has strengthened security (*256-bit AES, Advanced Encryption Standard) with hardware encryption so that consumer data can be safely protected even if the T7 shield is lost. Plus, it provides access to Samsung’s Magician Software⁹ which lets users to conveniently manage the drive.

Eco-Conscious Packaging

As with Samsung’s other portable SSD lineups, the T7 Shield uses one-third of the tray packaging compared to prior generations, while minimizing greenhouse gas emissions during its production through production efficiency.

Available in beige, black and blue to satisfy user preferences, the T7 Shield is offered in 1TB and 2TB sizes, making it suitable for a wide range of use cases. The drive comes with a USB Type-C-to-C cable and a USB Type-C-to-A cable, and includes a three-year limited warranty with the manufacturer’s suggested retail prices (MSRP) of $159.99 for the 1TB and $289.99 for the 2TB. The T7 Shield is available worldwide starting today. For more information, please visit https://samsung.com/portable-ssd.

Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield Product Specifications

¹ CES 2020 Innovation Awards honoree

² The drop test was conducted under controlled conditions. Drop resistance may vary depending on the actual environmental conditions. Damage caused by drop is not covered under warranty.
*Test condition: Device was dropped free-fall to a metal plate from 3-meter height.

³ IP (Ingress Protection) ratings define degrees of protection provided by mechanical casings and electrical enclosures against water and dust. T7 Shield has a IP65 rating based on internal testing conducted under controlled conditions. Water and dust resistance capabilities may vary depending on the actual environmental conditions. Damage caused by liquid and dust are not covered under warranty.
**IPX5 Test condition: Device was exposed to fresh water projected from a nozzle (Φ6.3mm) 3 meters away at 12.5 l/min for 3 minutes.
**IP6X Test condition: Device was exposed to 2kg/m³ of active dust with a pressure under 2kPa for 8 hours in a vacuum chamber.

⁴ Test system configuration: ASUS Z270 ROG MAXIMUS IX HERO (USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C), Intel (R) Core (TM) i7-7700K CPU @ 4.20GHz, OS- Windows 10 19H2.

⁵ USB 3.2 Gen2 is the standard protocol offered on most consumer and pro model laptops. Throughput is limited due to device ports, not the SSD. Performance may vary depending on host configuration. To reach maximum read/write speeds of up to 1,050/1,000MB/s, respectively, the host device and connection cables must support USB 3.2 Gen2, and the UASP mode must be enabled.

⁶ Based on internal test results compared to a Samsung external HDD 1TB (HX-MTD10EA)

⁷ The T7 Shield maintains above 900MB/s of sequential write speed with the 1TB model and 1,000MB/s with the 2TB in ambient temperature (25℃).

⁸ Compatibility with host devices may vary. Some operating systems may require reformatting of the T7 Shield.
Please find the compatible devices list on https://samsung.com/samsungssd.

⁹ For further information, visit https://semiconductor.samsung.com/consumer-storage/magician.

¹⁰ 1GB=1,000,000,000 bytes, 1TB=1,000,000,000,000 bytes. Lower capacity may be demonstrated by computers due to use of a different measurement standard.

¹¹ Exact weight of product may vary by capacity.

¹² Max data transfer speed is measured based on Samsung’s internal testing standards with the enclosed cable. Performance may vary depending on host configuration, cable and user system environment.

¹³ T7 Shield has a IP65 rating based on internal testing conducted under controlled conditions. Water and dust resistance capabilities may vary depending on the actual environmental conditions. Damage caused by liquid and dust are not covered under warranty.
*IPX5 Test condition: Device was exposed to fresh water projected from a nozzle (Φ6.3mm) 3 meters away at 12.5 l/min for 3 minutes.
**IP6X Test condition: Device was exposed to 2kg/m³ of active dust with a pressure under 2kPa for 8 hours in a vacuum chamber.

¹⁴ The drop test was conducted under controlled conditions. Drop resistance may vary depending on the actual environmental conditions. Damage caused by drop is not covered under warranty.

¹⁵ T7 Series Software’s minimum System Requirements: Windows 7 or higher, Mac OS X 10.10 or higher, Android Lollipop or higher.

¹⁶ Case Temperature is measured at the hottest point on the case. Sufficient airflow is recommended to be operated properly on heavier workload within device operating temperature.

¹⁷ Samsung Electronics shall not be liable for any loss, including but not limited to loss of data or other information contained in Samsung Electronics products and in storage devices, or loss of profit or revenue which may be incurred by user. For more information on warranty, please visit https://samsung.com/portable-ssd.

To provide greater storage efficiencies and value for customers managing data at scale, Samsung Electronics and Western Digital, two of the world’s largest storage providers, have recently partnered to help usher in the standardization of next-generation data placement, processing and fabrics storage technologies (D2PF), including Zoned Storage.

The two companies believe the adoption of next-generation storage standards is the most effective way to ensure that hardware and software can be effectively combined within the system stack to maximize performance and functionality while reducing costs. In bringing this vision to fruition, Samsung and Western Digital are encouraging a wide-ranging industry collaboration among storage stakeholders. Through collaboration, the companies can help assure customers that storage ecosystem vendors support the new technology standards and system architectures for efficiently handling today’s data workloads as well as tomorrow’s.

The Reality of Today’s Data Infrastructures

We are well into the zettabyte (ZB) era, a period characterized by quantities of data so vast that understanding it has become trickier than ever. The mind-numbing amounts of data being produced today emphasizes the urgency of rethinking how data centers and cloud infrastructures are designed and operated.   

Amid this backdrop of hypergrowth looms the potential for fragmentation around standards and systems that could delay the ecosystem’s efforts to meet growing storage demands.

“We have entered into a golden era for data consumption, analytics and storage. One of the surest ways to undo all that good would be if the industry were to implement conflicting systems and standards,” said Cheolmin Park, Vice President of Memory Global Sales & Marketing at Samsung Electronics. “From AC versus DC in the old electric wars to Betamax versus VHS, history teaches us that industries which lack clear standards and formats see periods of missed opportunities and wasteful spending. The adoption of effective standards will minimize complexity, drive out inefficiency and reduce the cost of products and services, which benefits vendors and end-users alike. If data storage is to meet the future needs of end-users, what the industry needs now is broad consensus on Zoned Storage.”

Focusing on the Future of Zoned Storage

As part of Samsung and Western Digital’s agreement, the companies are focusing their initial efforts on creating a healthy ecosystem and solid application support around Zoned Storage.

Currently, large-scale data infrastructure relies on tens of thousands of solid-state drives (SSDs) and hard-disk drives (HDDs). With such massive scale and the vast amounts of data that these systems manage, even the smallest data placement inefficiencies in system architecture or storage devices can result in burdensome costs.

Zoned Storage is an open-source, standards-based initiative that enables data center storage infrastructure to scale efficiently and effectively. For hyperscale cloud and enterprise vendors, some of which possess ZB-scale storage needs, Zoned Storage will help to improve asset utilization, lower latency and reduce costs.

Zoned Storage is comprised of two technologies: Shingled Magnetic Recording (SMR) in HDDs and Zoned Namespaces (ZNS) in SSDs. At the core of Zoned Storage are devices such as ZNS SSDs. These drives divide their address space into distinct zones, streamlining the drive architecture by equipping the host with the ability to place data in the appropriate zone.

Future-Forward Technology for a Data-First World

As an innovative storage solution, Zoned Storage has unconventional data-writing rules. Zones can be written sequentially starting from the beginning of a zone, and the data within a zone cannot be arbitrarily overwritten. Therefore, it is highly important that the industry aligns around the host software stack that enables storage systems to optimally leverage the power of Zoned Storage. This host-device model alignment is a crucial theme of the overall initiative. Samsung, Western Digital and other ecosystem partners are committed to contributing required software components that will enable Zoned Storage to thrive via the open-source community.

Implementing Zoned Storage on the host allows system software and hardware to work in unison with much greater efficiency. ZNS reduces the need for over-provisioning and can eliminate difficulties connected with Quality of Service (QoS) variability and write amplification. As a result, the solution can increase capacity thanks to a higher device density and provide sustained performance even when a device is close to full capacity. Furthermore, ZNS boasts greater endurance than traditional storage methods as the data does not need to be constantly rewritten.

Whether a device is SAS-SATA (HDD or SSD) or NVMe SSD, Zoned Storage can be highly effective, and will enable more efficient system-wide performance management for everyone’s benefit.

“The implementation and continued development of Zoned Storage will empower the storage industry to strike a balance between cost, latency and performance through the use of intelligent architectures,” said Wim De Wispelaere, Vice President, Strategic Initiatives at Western Digital. “As an industry, we are at a point where we must align around the technologies and systems that will drive data storage in the near future and for decades to come — in the most intelligent and efficient way possible.”

For the Benefit of All

This collaboration between Samsung and Western Digital reflects both companies’ belief that critical new standards are needed for the storage sector to keep pace with data demand. 

The two companies have already launched an initiative involving Zoned Storage devices including ZNS SSDs. As part of an effort to enable open and scalable data center architectures, they founded the Zoned Storage Technical Work Group, which SNIA approved in December 2021, and are working with the Linux Foundation to set up a similar project workgroup. Within these industry organizations, Samsung and Western Digital will help to define high-level models and frameworks for any innovative Zoned Storage technology.

ZNS is the first of numerous D2PF collaborations designed to pave the way for innovative new data centers and cloud services. Samsung and Western Digital are committed to enabling a high degree of cooperation among key stakeholders in generating storage solutions that nicely suit a data-first world, along with everyone in it.

Samsung Electronics and Western Digital (Nasdaq: WDC) today announced that they have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for a unique collaboration to standardize and drive broad adoption of next-generation data placement, processing and fabrics (D2PF) storage technologies. The companies will initially focus on aligning their efforts and creating a vigorous ecosystem for Zoned Storage solutions. These steps will enable the industry to focus on countless applications that ultimately create greater value for customers.

This marks the first time that both Samsung and Western Digital have come together as technology leaders to create widespread alignment and stimulate awareness for important storage technologies. Focusing on enterprise and cloud applications, the partnership is expected to spur a range of collaborations around technology standardization and software development for D2PF technologies like Zoned Storage. With this collaboration, end-users can have confidence that these emerging storage technologies will have support from multiple device vendors as well as from vertically integrated hardware and software companies.

“Storage is the essential foundation for how people and businesses consume and use data. To enable today’s needs and tomorrow’s next big ideas, we must innovate, collaborate and keep pace as an industry in bringing new standards and architectures to life,” said Rob Soderbery, EVP and GM, Flash Business Unit at Western Digital. “In order for a technology ecosystem to be successful, overall frameworks and general solution models must come together so they do not suffer from fragmentation, which delays adoption and adds unnecessary complexity for software stack developers.”

Soderbery added, “For years Western Digital has been laying the foundation for the Zoned Storage ecosystem by contributing to the Linux kernel and open-source software community. We are excited to bring these contributions to this joint initiative with Samsung in facilitating wider adoption of Zoned Storage for users and application developers.”

“This collaboration is a testament to our relentless effort to exceed customers’ needs now and in the future, and holds special meaning in how we anticipate it will actively grow into a larger basis of engagement for Zoned Storage standardization,” said Jinman Han, Corporate EVP, Head of Memory Sales & Marketing at Samsung Electronics. “Our collaborative efforts will embrace hardware and software ecosystems to ensure that as many customers as possible can reap the benefits of this highly important technology.”

The two companies have already kickstarted an initiative around Zoned Storage devices, including ZNS (Zoned Namespaces) SSDs and SMR (Shingled Magnetic Recording) HDDs. Through organizations such as SNIA (Storage Networking Industry Association) and the Linux Foundation, Samsung and Western Digital will define high-level models and frameworks for next-generation Zoned Storage technologies. With a commitment to enable open and scalable data center architectures, they have founded the Zoned Storage TWG (Technical Work Group), which was approved by SNIA in December 2021. The group is already defining and specifying common use cases for Zoned Storage devices, as well as host/device architecture and programming models.

In addition, this collaboration is expected to serve as a starting point to expand zone-based (e.g. ZNS, SMR) device interfaces, as well as future-generation, high-capacity storage devices with enhanced data placement and processing technologies. At a later stage, these initiatives will be expanded to include other emerging D2PF technologies such as computational storage and storage fabrics including NVMe over Fabrics (NVMe-oF).

About Western Digital

Western Digital creates environments for data to thrive. As a leader in data infrastructure, the company is driving the innovation needed to help customers capture, preserve, access and transform an ever-increasing diversity of data. Everywhere data lives, from advanced data centers to mobile sensors to personal devices, our industry-leading solutions deliver the possibilities of data. Western Digital data-centric solutions are comprised of the Western Digital®, SanDisk® and WD® brands.

For more information about Zoned Storage, please visit ZonedStorage.io.

Since the PCIe 5.0 specification was first released in 2019, new server processors supporting the interface, along with peripheral devices, have been introduced to the market one after another. In response to that rapid growth, Samsung Electronics recently developed the PM1743 – a high-performance PCIe 5.0 SSD based on the company’s advanced sixth-generation V-NAND. The new device will help process vast amounts of data more quickly as the increasing popularity of AI services drives market demand for high-performance servers.

Ushering in a new generation of solid-state storage, the PCIe 5.0 SSD is twice as fast as PCIe 4.0 drives, offering a bandwidth of 32 gigatransfers per second (GT/s) and featuring an EDSFF (E3.S) form factor with a thickness of 7.5mm. This allows for easy server scalability, while its enhanced power efficiency and advanced security and reliability support greater speed and accuracy. Together, these elements have the potential to make life and work a little better for everyone.

Incorporating the PM1743 into high-performance server systems maximizes systems’ efficiency and enables superfast data processing. This will not only help save time, but also enable convenient solutions to enhance our personal and professional lives.

The video below highlights how the PM1743 works and how it can help make work and life more comfortable. In a nutshell, the new SSD supports the fast and accurate analysis of huge amounts of data across a variety of fields including everything from smart farms to healthcare and finance.

Samsung Electronics, the world leader in advanced memory technology, today unveiled its new enterprise solid-state drive (SSD) featuring Zoned Namespace (ZNS) technology — the PM1731a. Leveraging ZNS, the SSD will maximize available user capacity and offer an extended lifespan in storage server, data center and cloud environments.

“Samsung’s ZNS SSD reflects our commitment to introducing differentiated storage solutions that can substantially enhance the reliability and lifetime of server SSDs,” said Sangyeun Cho, senior vice president of the Memory Software Development Team at Samsung Electronics. “We plan to leverage quad-level cell (QLC) NAND technology in our next-generation ZNS drives to enable higher thresholds for storage performance and capacity in the enterprise systems of tomorrow.”

ZNS allows data to be grouped based on their usage and access frequency, and stored sequentially in independent zones within an SSD. Without the need to move and rearrange data, ZNS SSDs can significantly reduce the number of write operations, lowering the drive’s write amplification factor (WAF) — the amount of actual writes performed by the drive compared to writes initially instructed by the host system. The closer the WAF is to one, the more efficient the SSD and the longer it will last.

Based on ZNS, the new Samsung SSD can achieve a WAF close to one, a major improvement over typical server SSD values between three and four. This will make the drive last up to four times longer than conventional NVMe SSDs, making it a greener, more sustainable solution for server infrastructures. ZNS also allows users to take advantage of the SSD’s full capacity by eliminating the need for overprovisioning, which would have required reserving some storage space for background tasks. These improvements will enable enterprise customers to handle big data and artificial intelligence applications with much greater efficiency.

Built upon Samsung’s sixth-generation V-NAND, the 2.5-inch PM1731a will come in two terabyte (TB) and four TB models. The SSD will feature dual ports, ensuring the drive is fully accessible for continuous operations and minimizing downtime. This is essential for enterprises and public cloud companies who run mission-critical, data-intensive applications, and cannot afford any pause in the continuity of their businesses.

Samsung has been actively engaging in several open-source projects to help expand the ZNS ecosystem. The company will make its ZNS technology available to xNVMe, which provides software libraries and tools to improve the performance of NVMe devices. The company is also participating in the Storage Performance Development Kit (SPDK) community created by Intel, enabling SPDK users to implement ZNS more easily.

Samsung plans to mass-produce ZNS SSDs in the second half of the year and continue working with global enterprise storage companies to optimize its ZNS drives across various customer environments.

“As the leading provider of SAS storage for a decade, Samsung has been offering the most advanced and reliable enterprise solutions in full support of the critical workloads of global server OEMs, governments and financial institutions. Samsung enterprise solutions are also accredited by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology for the most powerful data security,” said Kwangil Park, senior vice president of the Memory Product Planning Team at Samsung Electronics. “Like we have done with the PM1653, Samsung will continue to collaborate with our customers to accommodate the ever-growing demand of the enterprise server market for the most uncompromising offerings available.”

In order to build a robust 24G SAS ecosystem across the enterprise market, host bus adapter (HBA) system readiness is also essential. Samsung has been closely working with Broadcom, a leading HBA provider, to ensure a seamless and timely transition to this new SAS milestone.

“Broadcom values the innovation that 24G SAS products, such as the Samsung SSD PM1653, will bring to the enterprise server market,” said Jas Tremblay, vice president and general manager of the Data Center Solutions Group at Broadcom. “The combination of the PM1653 SSD and Broadcom’s next-generation SAS RAID products delivers up to 5X RAID 5 performance; which will be critical to meet the strong demands of the 24G ecosystem.”

The PM1653 has been optimized for high-performance enterprise servers, offering the industry’s highest random read speed – a key metric for server storage performance – of up to 800K IOPS. Its sequential read speed can reach 4,300MB/s, which is the maximum available speed for the 24G SAS interface and twice the speed of the previous-generation PM1643a drive.

Leveraging its dual-port system, the new SSD will give enterprise server OEMs the flexibility of using one or both ports depending on their system environment. Even if one port was to experience a failure during operation, data can be transferred and accessed through the other port with superior enterprise-grade reliability. The PM1653 is capable of supporting 24G and the legacy 12G SAS-3 platform as well.

Samsung has begun sampling the PM1653 SSD with select customers, and plans to begin mass production in the second half of this year.

In order to contribute to tackling this global crisis, Samsung Electronics has been devising sustainable ways to respond to climate change across all aspects of its business operations. Read on to learn more about the measures implemented by Samsung that aim to provide everyone with a better, more sustainable, tomorrow.

Renewable Energy Usage Reaches 100% in the U.S., China and Europe

In June 2018, Samsung committed to having all its worksites in the U.S., China and Europe rely exclusively on electricity sourced from renewable sources by 2020. Thanks to the unrelenting efforts put in hereafter, in 2019, 92% of the energy used in these worksites was generated by renewable sources; and in 2020, the company achieved its goal of 100% renewable energy for these worksites. Samsung’s efforts to use renewable energy continue across various other regions around the world, including Korea.

Solar panels at parking lots in Samsung campuses in Suwon and Giheung, Korea

Across various worksites in Korea, Samsung has installed solar and geothermal facilities for renewable energy production. At the company’s Suwon, Giheung and Pyeongtaek campuses, geothermal power generation facilities have been installed across the campuses’ parking lots, buildings, roofs and new construction sites.

In each of its operational regions around the world, Samsung has developed and is implementing specific regional action plans in order to promote renewable energy usage, including Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) purchasing and renewable power purchase agreements (PPA). Some examples of these region-specific action plans are the signing of a renewable energy supply contract with wind and solar power suppliers in India; the purchase of renewable energy certificates in Mexico; and the specific percentages of renewable energy set for the company’s worksites in Brazil.

Eco-Conscious Products for Everyday Life

In 2008, Samsung Electronics established its corporate Eco-Council and began holding regular meetings across its various business units to support the development of energy-efficient products. By sharing technologies that help reduce energy consumption and follow eco-conscious trends, the company’s many teams have managed to develop products that simultaneously maximize performance and minimize energy consumption. The results achieved through these co-operative initiatives have also been supported by company-wide efforts to develop highly energy-efficient products.

On January 6, Samsung Electronics unveiled its 2021 TV product portfolio at its virtual First Look event, and also announced the company’s latest long-term sustainability programs that include the inclusion of solar cell-powered remote controls and the reduction of product carbon footprints through the use of recycled materials.

Samsung’s 2021 Neo QLEDs will come with a new solar cell-powered remote control that can be recharged through indoor or outdoor lighting, or USB. This innovation will help prevent the wastage of around 99 million AA batteries over the course of seven years of usage.¹

Samsung is also making efforts to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases throughout the TV product lifecycle through the application of recycled plastics. Samsung has been using recycled materials in the rear covers of their monitors and signage and is now planning to expand their usage into even more components across the company’s visual display product portfolio. Through various efforts including expansion of its Eco-Packaging Design to all 2021 Lifestyle TVs and the majority of the NEO QLED line, Samsung’s Visual Display Business is aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25,000 tons annually, equivalent to the absorption of greenhouse gases by 3.8 million 30-year-old pine trees over the course of a year.²

By using Galaxy smartphones every day, users, too, can help protect the environment. Polyketone, a material that contributes to the reduction of carbon monoxide (greenhouse gas), has been used by Samsung on their Galaxy smartphone and tablet products since 2016. Most recently, in order to reduce the product’s carbon footprint, Samsung applied Polyketone to the side key internal brackets of its Galaxy S21 series.

By pursuing a minimal packaging design and changing the materials used throughout the entire product lifecycle – from manufacturing and distribution through to usage and disposal – Samsung’s Galaxy S21 smartphone have received the ‘Reducing CO₂’ certificate from the Carbon Trust,³ acknowledging the reduction of greenhouse gases the Galaxy S21 produces compared to the previous model.

In addition, the company has reduced the standby power consumption of its flagship Galaxy smartphones’ chargers since 2012 to press the problem of power waste. In the year since, the company has applied this environmentally conscious enhancement to the chargers of devices throughout its product range, and is currently aiming to reduce the standby power consumption of chargers to zero.

Samsung’s dishwashers DW80R9950UG, DW80R7060UG

As for Samsung’s home appliances, the mission to reduce products’ energy consumption is ongoing. Samsung’s dishwashers are also energy-efficient. In 2021, the DW80R9950UG and DW80R7060UG models sold in the U.S. were included in Energy Star’s 2021 Most Efficient Dishwashers list, satisfying the criteria of annual energy use of less than 240 kWh per year and water consumption less than 3.2 gallons per cycle for standard-sized models. This translates to 67 kWh per year in energy savings and 387 gallons per year in water savings compared to a conventional product.

In the company’s Semiconductor business, remarkable sustainable progress has also been made. A total of nine key memory products – four DRAM solutions, three solid state drives (SSDs) and two embedded storage (eStorage) devices – have received the Carbon Trust’s Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) certification. In addition to this, the 512GB eUFS 3.1 has been recognized with the semiconductor industry’s first Reducing CO₂ label.

Samsung has also been making efforts towards sustainability right from the manufacturing stage of packaging materials for the Portable SSD T7 Touch by developing an eco-conscious pulp material to replace plastic tray components. By using one-third less tray packaging, replacing the plastic trays with eco-conscious pulp material and minimizing greenhouse gas emissions throughout its production, the company saved approximately 84 tons of carbon.

Receiving Accolades and Acknowledgement for Eco-Efficiency

Six Samsung refrigerator models sold in the U.S. have been awarded the 2020 ENERGY STAR Emerging Technology Award by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Every year, the EPA, through its ENERGY STAR Program, chooses one or two innovative technologies for their Emerging Technology Award. In 2020, the awards recognized six Samsung refrigerator models that successfully met three strict performance criteria: (1) super-efficient compressors; (2) low greenhouse gas blowing agents for their insulation; (3) low greenhouse gas refrigerants. Samsung digital inverter compressors use around 30% less energy than single-speed induction motor compressors, and thus also help contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

The greenhouse effect, caused by increased global usage of fossil fuels, and the climate change witnessed in recent years are two of our greatest threats. Samsung will continue to monitor the ongoing climate change situation and pursue energy-efficient products and manufacturing processes in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote the usage of renewable energies.

The company will also continue to pursue its policies of increasing energy efficiency and minimizing the usage of resources so that its users can rest assured that they are doing their part to help mitigate climate change with products that require low electricity and provide high performance.

¹ 7 years is the average lifecycle of TV products.

² Based on internal research.

³ The Carbon Trust is an accredited non-profit certification body established by the British government in 2001 to award the Carbon Footprint Certification to eco-conscious products and services after a comprehensive assessment of the carbon emissions produced throughout the entire production cycle of the product.

Recently, nine key Samsung memory products – four DRAM solutions, three solid state drives (SSDs) and two embedded storage (eStorage) devices* – earned Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) labels from the UK-based Carbon Trust for their significant role in reducing climate impact and helping with the transition to a low-carbon economy. These PCF labels were awarded after a thorough review of each product’s carbon impact, from the raw material extraction stage through production, distribution, use and disposal. The PCF certification also provides a reliable measure of the electricity, water and gas used during memory chip manufacturing.

Contributing to a Sustainable Future

The 512GB uFS 3.1 was recognized with the industry’s first ‘Reducing CO2’ label

In addition to the PCF label, Samsung’s 512GB eUFS 3.1 – the company’s latest smartphone storage memory – was recognized with the industry’s first ‘Reducing CO2’ label for eliminating more carbon emissions than the previous generation, Carbon Trust-certified 512GB eUFS 3.0.

The ‘Portable SSD T7 Touch’ is the first semiconductor product to be recognized as a green (eco-conscious) product by the Korean Ministry of Environment

Samsung’s T7 Touch SSD also received a ‘low carbon product’ certificate from the Korean Ministry of Environment (MoE), making it the first Korean government-certified green semiconductor product in Korea. The low carbon certificate is given to products that achieve a minimum of 3.3 percent carbon reduction over the previously MoE-accredited product generation.

The material used for the T7 Touch SSD’s packaging is made out of eco-friendly pulp

By using one-third less tray packaging, replacing the plastic trays with eco-friendly pulp material and minimizing greenhouse gas emissions throughout its production, the T7 Touch SSD saw a 5.1 percent reduction in its carbon footprint compared to the previous generation product. This translates to an annual savings of approximately 84 tons of carbon – about the same amount of CO2 absorbed by 13,000 30-year-old pine trees in one year.

Comparing the packaging of the T5 SSD (left) and T7 Touch SSD (right)

The new certifications are in addition to Samsung’s Hwaseong Campus in Korea having recently become the industry’s first semiconductor site to earn the Carbon Trust Standard for Water, in recognition of its sustainable water management.

“Through the continuous reduction of our carbon footprint, we are committed to improving environmental sustainability across our semiconductor business operations,” said Chanhoon Park, executive vice president and general manager of Global Infra Technology at Samsung Electronics. “Moving forward, we will strive not only to achieve greater competitiveness with our semiconductor technologies, but also ongoing leadership in sustainable environmental efforts.”

* DRAM products: SODIMM 8GB; HBM2 8GB; LPDDR5 12GB; GDDR5 8GB
SSDs: PM1733 U.2 15.36TB; 860 EVO 500GB; SSD T7 Touch 1TB
eStorage solutions: EVO Plus microSD card 128GB; eUFS 3.1 512GB

This year, WCG returned to the international stage after a six-year hiatus, making it a highly anticipated event for e-sports fans all around the world. Qualification matches have been held online by region all over the world since March, and those who advanced were invited to the WCG 2019 Grand Final, hosted from July 18-21 in Xian, China.

On top of its official sponsorship of WCG 2019, Samsung operated a 595 square meter Samsung Exhibition at the event for visitors to explore.

The 2019 World Cyber Games captivates audiences in Xian, China

Samsung Electronics SSD will also be participating in the games show China Joy in August, as well as the Tokyo Game Show this September, two games shows that make up half of the top four global game industry events. At these two events, Samsung Electronics SSD will also set up exhibition booths for visitors to enjoy a series of events, video streams and pro-gamer competition matches.

Samsung is pursuing these partnerships with global gaming shows due to the suitability of their Solid State Drives (SSDs) for the gaming industry. Take a look at the video below, produced by Samsung to showcase the industry-leading performance and speed of its SSDs, to see main character Bike overcome competitors and other obstacles by collecting Samsung SSD products.

Compared to traditional HDDs, Samsung’s SATA SSDs boost performance by up to 4 times, extract files 3 times faster and copy photos 10 times faster. For instance, it takes only 31 seconds for SDDs to extract a 4.7GB movie, while this same process takes over 3 times as long – 96 seconds – using HDDs. Accordingly, users playing high-spec games are increasingly adopting SSDs. Samsung’s V-NAND flash-based SSD (860 PRO/EVO/QVO) provides players with a fully immersive game-playing environment thanks to the overall boost it gives to PC performance. The benefits to this SSD include high-speed game loading times, low latency and seamless in-game responsiveness, even when multitasking.

The Samsung 970 EVO Plus is an SSD designed for games that support 4K or Direct X12, which call on PCs to handle the download of large files along with increased disk input/output operations. The Samsung NVMe SSD 970 EVO Plus can significantly increase the speed of such demanding games; according to Samsung’s internal test results, game loading is reduced between 7 to 37% when using an NWMe SSD compared to SATA drives.

The Samsung Portable SSD T5 can be applied to a gaming console, offering not only a fast loading speed but also the increase of a console’s storage space up to 2TB. Samsung internal testing showed that when using the Portable SSD T5, users enjoyed a significantly faster game loading speed compared to when using an external HDD.

(From left to right) 860EVO, 970 EVO Plus, Potable SSD T5