Week 17 Tech Roundup – Lenovo Goes All-In on AI Storage, Synology Expands Lock-In, HBM4 Finalized, ZimaBoard 2 Launches, MINISFORUM N5 Pro Unleashed

This week in NAS and enterprise tech saw a flurry of innovation and ecosystem shifts across the board. From Lenovo’s sweeping AI-optimized storage portfolio and MINISFORUM’s Ryzen-powered NAS monster, to Synology’s deepening hardware lock-in and TerraMaster’s global rollout of its compact U4-500 rackmount system—storage is getting smarter, faster, and more contentious.

Sustainability also took center stage as Microsoft and Western Digital advanced rare earth recycling, while ADATA and Giga Computing doubled down on localized server manufacturing in Brazil to reduce supply chain friction. Flash memory made headlines too, with Chinese researchers surpassing SRAM speeds using 2D materials, potentially signaling a seismic shift in memory architectures.

The ZimaBoard 2 officially launched, continuing the momentum of DIY personal server kits, while Toshiba expanded its popular NAS hard drive series with new 24TB models. Meanwhile, Ubiquiti introduced RAID 6 support in UniFi Drive 2.0, and LincPlus revealed sleek hybrid NAS designs built for modern workflows.

With rapid advances in AI infrastructure, hardware standards like HBM4 getting finalized, and the future of flash memory being reimagined, Week 17 makes it clear: the next era of storage and computing is accelerating—and getting a lot more intelligent.

1. ADATA & Giga Computing Expand to Brazil’s Server Market

ADATA and GIGABYTE’s server arm, Giga Computing, have launched a new server production line in Brazil, building on ADATA’s decade-long manufacturing presence in the country. The move solidifies localized, AI-optimized server manufacturing aimed at reducing delivery times and customizing solutions for Latin America. This alliance is especially important for AI and HPC infrastructure growth in Mercosur nations.

2. Ubiquiti UniFi Drive 2.0 Adds RAID 6, Mobile Upgrades

UniFi Drive 2.0 now includes RAID 6 support, allowing two-drive fault tolerance. Other highlights include:

• Dynamic hot spare assignment/removal

• Improved monitoring of file actions

• Backup scheduling to OneDrive & Dropbox

• Mobile browsing and file management directly in Identity Endpoint

This marks a big leap forward for Ubiquiti’s enterprise-focused storage ecosystem, bridging transparency, flexibility, and mobile usability.

3. Lenovo Unleashes AI-Centric Data Storage Portfolio

Lenovo announced its largest storage refresh ever with:

• 21 New ThinkSystem & ThinkAgile models

• Liquid-Cooled HCI Appliances: First in the industry, offering 25% energy savings

• Turnkey AI Starter Kits: Preconfigured for RAG and inferencing

• 3x Faster Storage Arrays with 97% energy savings

• Built-in AI ransomware defense & synchronous replication

This positions Lenovo at the forefront of AI-driven infrastructure for hybrid clouds, enterprise virtual workloads, and massive LLM deployments.

4. TerraMaster U4-500 Rackmount NAS Debuts

The 1U U4-500 NAS targets enterprise and small office workloads with:

• Intel Core i3-1215U & 8GB DDR5

• Dual 10GbE and two M.2 NVMe slots for caching

• Up to 96TB raw capacity, expandable to 132TB

• TOS 6 OS with Business Backup Suite

• Docker & VirtualBox support, 4K media handling

Compact yet powerful, it’s optimized for backups, multimedia, and virtualization—all at global availability.

5. HBM4 Standard Finalized – 2TB/s Bandwidth

JEDEC finalized HBM4, the next-gen High Bandwidth Memory standard:

• Up to 2TB/s per stack with 2048 I/O contacts

• New voltages (0.7V–1.05V), rowhammer protection

• Backward-compatible with HBM3

• Designed for AI/ML GPU workloads (NVIDIA Rubin, AMD MI400)

HBM4 paves the way for faster, denser memory with reduced power usage and new cybersecurity features.

6. Microsoft & WD Embrace Rare Earth Recycling

In response to rising tariffs and material restrictions, WD and Microsoft joined U.S. recyclers to recover rare earths from HDDs. Their pilot reclaimed:

• ~90% REEs, aluminum, copper, and gold from e-waste

• 95% less greenhouse gas emissions than mining

• ~80% material recovery by weight

This could drastically reduce the U.S.’s dependence on imported raw materials and redefine sustainable data center operations.

7. MINISFORUM’s Ryzen AI-Powered N5 PRO is Overkill in the Best Way

Unveiled at Japan IT Week, the N5 PRO NAS kit boasts:

• Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 (12C/24T), ECC DDR5 (48GB max)

• PCIe 4.0 GPU slot, USB4, 10G & 5G LAN, HDMI 2.0

• Tool-less removable motherboard

• RAID support, high-capacity drive bays, and full Linux/Windows compatibility

This is a DIY powerhouse for AI, media, and virtual labs—a NAS that’s more server than storage box.

8. Synology Enforces Drive Lock-In on Plus Series

Starting in 2025, Synology will restrict core NAS functions (storage pool creation, deduplication, lifespan analysis) to only Synology-branded or certified drives on new Plus Series models. Previously limited to XS+ and rack models, this move forces home users and SMBs into a closed ecosystem—despite Synology’s drives being rebranded Toshiba units with significant markups.

9. U.S. Launches National HDD Rare Earth Capture Program

Western Digital, Microsoft, and recycling partners announced the scaling of an eco-friendly rare earth recycling system:

• Converts 50,000 lbs of HDDs to reusable materials

• No-acid process with 90% yield of REEs

• Supports electric vehicles, wind turbines, and future HDD demand

It sets the foundation for a closed-loop supply chain at scale and drastically lowers emissions versus mining.

10. ASUSTOR Previews Enterprise-Class NAS at Computex 2025

At Computex 2025, ASUSTOR will showcase:

• Lockerstor R Pro Gen2 (Ryzen 7000, ECC DDR5, PCIe Gen 5, 10GbE)

• Xpanstor 12R JBOD with hot-swap and redundancy

• Lockerstor Gen2+ with 5GbE desktop NAS

• Drivestor Gen2 (Quad-core, Btrfs, media-ready)

Expect major boosts in scalability, speed, and ransomware resilience—especially for hybrid workforces and prosumer creators.

11. Toshiba Adds 24TB Models to N300/N300 Pro Series

Toshiba’s new 24TB drives target heavy NAS users:

• N300: 180TB/year, 12-bay support

• N300 Pro: 550TB/year, 24-bay, helium-sealed

• 3.5″ 7200rpm, anti-vibration sensors, 1 GiB cache

The drives are built for 24/7 use in personal clouds, video archives, and SMB backup environments.

12. ZimaBoard 2 Launches on Kickstarter

IceWhale revealed the ZimaBoard 2:

• 832 Model: 8GB RAM / 32GB eMMC for light NAS & gateways

• 1664 Model: 16GB RAM / 64GB eMMC for virtualization, edge AI

• Dual 2.5GbE, PCIe 3.0 x4, SATA x2, Mini DP

• Fanless aluminum case

Backed by accessories (Mini NAS Kit, Smart Home Kit), it’s a compact yet powerful DIY hub for hobbyists and pros alike.

13. Synology RX6025sas Expansion Unit Announced

The RX6025sas adds up to 60 drives to Synology’s HD6500 series:

• 4U chassis with hot-swap, redundant PSU, SAS multipathing

• DSM integration for seamless setup

• Requires Synology SAS HDDs/SATA SSDs

Ideal for cold/warm tier expansion in large-scale enterprise deployments, with 5-year warranty coverage.

14. 2D Flash Memory Breaks SRAM Speed Barrier

Chinese researchers have developed graphene-based flash that writes in 400 picoseconds, faster than SRAM (~1ns). While not yet mass-producible, the potential to replace volatile memory with ultra-fast, non-volatile flash is a step toward instant-on computing and next-gen embedded systems.

15. ADATA Unleashes SD Express 8.0 Card at 1,600 MB/s

ADATA introduces the first SD Express 8.0 card, achieving:

• 1,600 MB/s read, 1,200 MB/s write speeds

• PCIe Gen3x2 interface

• Tied to upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 adoption

They also launched the UE720 USB3.2 flash drive (550MB/s read) and EC680 M.2 SSD enclosure, bringing SATA-level speeds to portable storage.

16. LincPlus Teases New NAS Lineup and Tablet at HK Electronics Fair

LincPlus previewed:

• LincStation S1: Alder Lake-N N97, 8GB DDR5, 112TB hybrid UnRAID NAS

• LincStation N2: N100 CPU, all-SSD, 10GbE, 16GB RAM

• LincStudio S1 Tablet: 13” 3:2 2K display, i7-1165G7, Wacom EMR, Thunderbolt 4

Targeting SMBs, creators, and DIY users, LincPlus blends design-forward aesthetics with robust, modern hardware.

Where to Buy a Product
			VISIT RETAILER ➤
			VISIT RETAILER ➤
			VISIT RETAILER ➤
			VISIT RETAILER ➤
			VISIT RETAILER ➤

☕ WE LOVE COFFEE ☕

Or support us by using our affiliate links on Amazon UK and Amazon US