Week 27 Tech Roundup – Encrypted Portable SSDs, AI-Driven NAS Kits, DRAM Milestones, PCIe Gen5 Breakthroughs, and NAS Case Innovations

This week’s tech digest highlights cutting-edge storage hardware, DIY NAS innovations, a critical market shift in semiconductor production, and advancements in memory overclocking. Here are the first five big stories shaping the storage and computing landscape this week.

OWC Unveils Guardian USB-C Portable SSD with Built-In Hardware Encryption

Other World Computing (OWC) has launched the OWC Guardian, a portable USB-C SSD designed to deliver seamless, hardware-encrypted data protection. Compatible with Macs, PCs, and iPad Pro, the Guardian features 256-bit AES OPAL hardware encryption, a smartphone-like touchscreen for PIN/passphrase entry, and capacities up to 4TB. Users can expect real-world transfer speeds of up to 1000 MB/s with no software installation required. Designed for professionals handling sensitive data, the Guardian includes secure erase, read-only mode, and multi-user access in a rugged anodized aluminum enclosure. Starting at $219.99, it offers double the performance of HDDs at competitive pricing.

Source: OWC

Rosewill Launches THOR NAS & THOR NAS Pro Cases for DIY Storage Builds

Rosewill introduced its new THOR NAS and THOR NAS Pro cases, purpose-built for scalable DIY NAS and NVR systems. Designed as full tower desktop enclosures, they offer massive storage capacity and superior cooling without the need for rackmount hardware. The THOR NAS supports up to 12 hot-swap HDDs with optional cages, while the Pro model ships with 8 pre-installed hot-swap bays and expands to 13 HDDs. Both feature optimized airflow with support for multiple cooling configurations, a sturdy steel chassis, and USB 3.2 Type-C front I/O. Ideal for home labs, creative professionals, and SMBs, Rosewill’s upright design blends high capacity with accessibility.

Source: Rosewill

Synology’s Enterprise SSDs Spark Debate Over High Prices and Outdated PCIe 3.0

Synology’s latest SNV5400 enterprise SSDs, tailored for its NAS systems, have drawn criticism for their steep prices and reliance on PCIe 3.0 despite newer standards like PCIe 5.0. With capacities up to 1.6TB and 3,000 MB/s read speeds, the drives cost up to €620—over €390 per TB—compared to competing NAS-grade SSDs like WD Red SN700 at €80 per TB. While offering guaranteed NAS compatibility and enhanced write endurance, Synology continues to mandate its own certified drives for newer Plus-series NAS models, frustrating some customers. Although users can bypass this with unofficial workarounds, Synology’s approach underlines its strategy of locking customers into its ecosystem.

Source: Synology

PNG Image Format Adds Native Animation and HDR Support in Version 3.0

After more than two decades, the Portable Network Graphics (PNG) format has been upgraded to version 3.0 by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), bringing long-awaited support for native animation and HDR (high dynamic range). The enhancements come at minimal file size cost, adding just four bytes of overhead. This marks a significant step forward for one of the web’s most versatile image formats, which already offers alpha transparency, color integrity checks, and flexible streaming capabilities. With this update, PNG can now compete with formats like GIF and WebP in animated and high-fidelity imaging while retaining its strengths in reliability and transparency.

Source: W3C

Samsung 6th-Gen DRAM Achieves Production Readiness, Paving Way for HBM4

Samsung Electronics has announced production readiness for its 6th-generation DRAM technology, developed on an advanced 10 nm-class process (1c DRAM). This milestone sets the stage for HBM4 (High Bandwidth Memory) production later this year, aimed at meeting growing demands in AI and high-performance computing. The 6th-gen DRAM leverages hybrid bonding to lower thermal resistance and support ultra-wide interfaces. Samsung will now undergo qualification testing with major clients like NVIDIA and AMD to secure contracts. This progress keeps Samsung competitive with SK hynix in the HBM market and supports the rising need for bandwidth and efficiency in AI-driven workloads.

Source: Samsung

MINISFORUM Launches N5 Pro AI NAS Kit with Ryzen AI and Up to 144TB Storage

MINISFORUM has unveiled its N5 Pro AI NAS, a compact yet powerful 5-bay NAS kit equipped with AMD Ryzen AI processors and designed for high-performance, AI-driven storage needs. The N5 Pro AI NAS is configurable with up to 96GB DDR5 memory, three M.2 slots, an M.2-to-U.2 adapter, and five 3.5/2.5-inch bays, enabling storage up to 144TB. Supporting ZFS with snapshots, RAID 0/1/5/6/Z1/Z2, LZ4 compression, and AI-powered features like smart photo albums, the system ships with MINISFORUM’s proprietary Miniscloud OS. Networking includes 5GbE and 10GbE ports for high-speed transfers, complemented by USB4, PCIe 4.0, HDMI 2.1, and OCuLink connectivity. The NAS kit targets professionals needing AI-enhanced workflows and scalable storage in a small form factor.

Source: MINISFORUM

QNAP Releases Qsync 6.0 Beta with Integrated Backup and Sync Features

QNAP has rolled out Qsync 6.0 Beta, the latest version of its all-in-one file synchronization and backup solution for NAS systems. The update integrates real-time and scheduled backups alongside bi-directional and one-way file sync, addressing the needs of hybrid office environments and collaborative teams. New features include point-in-time recovery, offline sync, space-saving selective downloads, and group folder sharing to enhance productivity and reduce version conflicts. Qsync 6.0 also doubles as a secure private cloud platform with centralized device management, remote wipe, and policy control, providing cost-efficient, subscription-free alternatives to public cloud services while maintaining data sovereignty.

Source: QNAP

Cisco Warns of Critical Hard-Coded Credentials Vulnerability in Unified CM

Cisco has disclosed a critical vulnerability (CVE-2025-20309) in its Unified Communications Manager (Unified CM) and Unified CM Session Management Edition, due to hard-coded SSH credentials with root access. The flaw, stemming from development oversight, allows unauthenticated remote attackers to gain full control of vulnerable systems. No workaround exists; administrators must patch to the latest release (15SU3) to mitigate the risk. While no active exploitation has been reported yet, the vulnerability’s maximum CVSS score of 10 underscores its severity. Cisco urges immediate action to secure systems, as similar hard-coded credential issues have been seen in past product lines as well.

Source: Cisco

DapuStor Launches J5060 Ultra-High Capacity 122TB QLC SSD

DapuStor has introduced the J5060 SSD series, featuring an industry-leading 122.88TB capacity in a single QLC-based drive, doubling the capacity of its previous 61TB model. The J5060 delivers read speeds up to 7.3GB/s, random read IOPS of 1.5 million, and exceptional power efficiency at just 13W idle, making it ideal for data centers aiming to consolidate infrastructure and lower total cost of ownership. Enterprise users benefit from reduced device count, better reliability, and lower failure rates compared to HDDs. The J5060 also supports read-centric AI workloads and high-density storage needs while boasting lower operational costs over time.

Source: DapuStor

Crucial P510 SSD Review Highlights Performance Trade-Offs with Micron G9 NAND

Crucial’s latest P510 PCIe 5.0 SSD was put to the test, revealing strong sequential throughput but lagging slightly behind competitors due to Micron’s new G9 TLC NAND paired with the Phison E31T controller. Delivering up to 11,000 MB/s read and 9,500 MB/s write, the P510 bridges high-end PCIe 4.0 and flagship PCIe 5.0 segments. It’s efficient and has low cooling demands but underperforms compared to rivals using Kioxia NAND with the same controller. Priced around €110 (1TB), it offers solid value, though other E31T-based drives provide slightly better performance and power efficiency.

Source: Crucial

Transcend Unveils MTE260S PCIe Gen5 SSD with Speeds Up to 14,000 MB/s

Transcend has launched its flagship MTE260S PCIe Gen5 SSD, delivering blistering sequential read speeds of up to 14,000 MB/s and writes up to 11,000 MB/s. Designed for high-end desktops, content creation laptops, and AI computing platforms, the MTE260S combines a PCIe 5.0 x4 interface, NVMe 2.0 compliance, and up to 2TB of capacity in an M.2 2280 form factor. It features a 6nm low-power controller, graphene heatsink for superior thermal efficiency, and advanced SSD Scope software for monitoring and optimization. The drive is aimed at users seeking uncompromising speed, stability, and durability for demanding workloads.

Source: Transcend

Kioxia Enhances AiSAQ Software for AI RAG Workloads with Flexible SSD Optimization

Kioxia announced an update to its open-source AiSAQ software, a solid-state optimized approximate nearest neighbor search (ANNS) library designed for retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) systems and semantic search applications. The latest version adds configurable controls, allowing system architects to adjust the trade-off between search performance and vector density within fixed SSD capacity. This enables more efficient scaling of AI workloads on SSDs, minimizing DRAM dependency. AiSAQ enables AI service providers to deploy scalable, SSD-based vector databases without costly hardware upgrades. The release underscores Kioxia’s commitment to promoting SSD-centric AI infrastructure.

Source: Kioxia

Corsair CEO Transition Complete: Thi La Takes Helm as New Chief Executive

Corsair has officially completed its planned leadership transition, with Thi La assuming the role of Chief Executive Officer, succeeding founder Andy Paul, who retires after three decades at the company. La, who previously served as President and COO, has been instrumental in transforming Corsair from a memory and components company into a diversified leader in gaming, streaming, and SIM racing gear. Her tenure has seen the expansion of over 30 product lines and operational scaling to meet growing global demand. The company enters its next growth phase under La’s strategic direction.

Source: Corsair

G.Skill Demonstrates DDR5-10000 CAMM2 Memory Overclock on ASUS Z890

G.Skill showcased the overclocking potential of the emerging CAMM2 memory form factor, achieving DDR5-10000 speeds on a 64GB module. Demonstrated in partnership with ASUS on a modified ROG Maximus Z890 Hero CAMM2 motherboard with an Intel Core Ultra 7 265K processor, the setup completed Memtest with full stability. This milestone highlights the promise of CAMM2 as a high-capacity, high-performance alternative to traditional DIMMs in future platforms, catering to both desktop and workstation markets demanding extreme memory bandwidth.

Source: G.Skill

China Poised to Lead Global Chip Production by 2030 with 30% Market Share

China is on track to dominate semiconductor manufacturing, projected to capture nearly 30% of global chip production by 2030, surpassing Taiwan’s current share. According to Yole Group, China’s foundries produced 8.85 million wafers per month in 2024, expected to reach 10.1 million in 2025 thanks to 18 new fabs, including Huahong Semiconductor’s new Wuxi facility. While the country faces technology export restrictions from the U.S., Beijing continues investing heavily in domestic lithography tools and EDA software to close the innovation gap at advanced nodes. The expansion solidifies China’s lead in mature-node output critical to automotive and industrial sectors.

Source: Yole Group

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