Articles about Storage

For many home consumers, when they need to access files from their camera's memory card, they just insert it into the reader on their computer. This is typically an SD card reader, although many newer computers are doing away with card readers entirely. Instead, you are expected to purchase a USB reader -- they are plentiful on sites like Amazon and very inexpensive too.

But what if you are a professional photographer? Well, then -- you might not be using SD card at all. Instead, you could be using CFexpress. Popular company Lexar has a new CFexpress Type B card reader that is sure to excite professional photographers. The all-new Professional CFexpress Type B USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Reader connects using USB-C, but it also comes with a USB-A cable in the box. Best of all, it is quite fast -- it can read cards at speeds up to 1,700MB/s.

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Backing up files to the cloud makes a lot of sense -- you can access them from anywhere, and recover them in the event of your local computer storage being compromised, damaged or stolen.

But while cloud backup is secure, it does require you to entrust your personal data to a third-party, and if you have personal or company files that you really don’t want falling into the wrong hands, then storing them on an encrypted drive could be a better -- and safer -- bet.

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If you have a cutting-edge PC with PCIe 4.0, you will probably want to get a compatible solid state drive to maximize your performance. True, PCIe 4.0 SSDs are largely for bragging rights and benchmarks -- you probably won't notice a difference in actual use -- but still, you might as well go for the best if the difference in price isn't totally obscene.

Today, TEAMGROUP unveils a new M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD. Called "T-FORCE CARDEA A440," this speedy gaming-focused SSD comes with interchangeable heatsinks -- a very unique cooling option. Essentially, you can opt for the giant aluminum heatsink if it fits in your computer, or the graphene heatsink if space is tight

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Solid state drives are wonderful, right? No one disputes that. SSDs are fast, compact, and energy efficient. The only real downside when compared to hard disk drives is capacity. HDDs typically offer higher storage capacity than SSDs.

But what if that wasn't the case? What if you could have the best of both worlds? Well, folks, Sabrent has a new Thunderbolt 3 external SSD that might make you forget about old-school HDDs entirely. Called "Rocket XTRM-Q," the SSD (SB-DXMQ-8X2) can now be had with an insane 16TB of storage! It even has a durable aluminum body.

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Every once in a while, a manufacturer will release a memory card that is branded for gaming. Consumers often wonder if there is anything different about these cards that will truly benefit gamers. The answer is largely no. A storage card that is designed for gaming is really just marketing hype. Sorry, but it's true.

With all of that said, today, Silicon Power launches what it calls a "Superior Gaming" microSDXC card. While it is intended to be used for the Nintendo Switch, it should also be a good choice for mobile gamers using an Android phone or tablet. The card will, of course, also work with any device that uses such a card, including Raspberry Pi, drones, digital cameras, and more.

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The transition to PCIe 4.0 is in full effect, with more and more computers and motherboards having the new standard. Whether consumers truly need the benefits of PCIe 4.0 today is debatable, but it is still cool regardless. After all, it is important to continually push boundaries.

One of the best aspects of PCIe 4.0 is faster solid state drives, of course. For instance, today, Western Digital unveils its latest NVMe PCIe Gen4 SSD. Called "WD_BLACK SN750 SE," it is designed for both gamers and PC enthusiasts.

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Solid state storage is constantly getting faster. The truth, however, is while PCIe Gen 4 SSDs are now available, they are total overkill for most consumers. Heck, most people would be more than fine with a meager SATA drive. With that said, the previous-generation PCIe Gen 3 SSDs are now very inexpensive (and quite speedy) making them a smart purchase whether you truly need the extra speed or not -- as long as your computer is compatible.

Today, Silicon Power launches its latest NVMe M.2 solid state drive for both desktops and laptops. Called "XPOWER XD80," this PCIe Gen 3 SSD has fairly modest specifications in the grand scheme of things, but it is definitely more than fast enough for the majority of consumers.

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If you need to store a lot of... legally obtained media files... such as films and TV shows (piracy is bad, mmkay?), a network attached storage device, or "NAS," is a great way to do so -- especially if it has a built-in Plex server. This is what I use in my home -- some hard drives set up in RAID filled with media that my family enjoys streaming through Plex on Apple TV. For the most part, this works well. There are only two problems -- the hard drives are rather slow and loud. The latter is a major issue, as the NAS is stored in my living room and hearing the drives spin up can be annoying.

I can obviously replace the hard disk drives with solid state drives, although it would mean a decrease in overall capacity. Still, it would be nice to have faster transfer speeds and less noise -- the cooling fan would still whir a bit though. SSDs are not typically ideal for constant reading and writing, however, but a new such drive from Transcend apparently is. Called "SSD250N," it is a 2.5-inch SSD designed specifically for NAS usage. The focus of this drive is reliability and longevity.

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The transition to PCIe 4.0 is in full effect, with more and more computers and motherboards having the new standard. Whether or not the user truly needs the benefits of PCIe 4.0 is debatable, but it is still cool regardless. After all, it is important to continually push boundaries. "To Infinity and Beyond!" as the great Buzz Lightyear says.

One of the best aspects of PCIe 4.0 is faster solid state drives. For instance, today, Patriot launches a new such SSD under its VIPER gaming brand. Called "VP4300," this speedy M.2 2280 PCIE Gen4x4 SSD comes with interchangeable heatsinks -- a very neat cooling option. Essentially, you can opt for the thicker aluminum heatsink if it fits in your computer, or the thinner graphene heatsink if space is tight -- both come included in the box.

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The transition to PCIe 4.0 is in full effect, with more and more computers and motherboards having the new standard. Whether or not the user truly needs the benefits of PCIe 4.0 is debatable, but it is still cool regardless. After all, it is important to continually push boundaries.

One of the best aspects of PCIe 4.0 is faster solid state drives. For instance, today, TEAMGROUP unveils a new M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD. Called "T-FORCE CARDEA A440," this speedy gaming-focused SSD comes with interchangeable heatsinks -- a very unique cooling option. Essentially, you can opt for the giant aluminum heatsink if it fits in your computer, or the graphene heatsink if space is tight.

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Does anybody truly need a PCIe 4.0 solid state drive? Well, "need" is a tricky word. Nobody will die as a result of using a slower and cheaper PCIe 3.0 SSD, but at the same time, some people very strongly crave having the latest and greatest. Gamers in particular are constantly looking for an edge with better hardware, even if doesn't really end up helping with their gaming.

Today, ADATA launches an insanely fast solid state drive under its XPG gaming brand. Called "GAMMIX S70 BLADE," it is a PCIe Gen4x4 M.2 2280 SSD with read speeds up to 7,400MB/s and write speeds up to 6,400MB/s. Yeah, folks, that is extremely high performance and both gamers and enthusiasts are going to want it badly.

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Solid state storage is constantly getting faster. The truth, however, is while PCIe Gen 4 SSDs are now available, they are total overkill for most consumers. Hell, most people would be more than fine with a meager SATA drive. With that said, the previous-generation PCIe Gen 3 SSDs are now very inexpensive (and quite fast) making them a smart buy whether you truly need the extra speed or not. In other words, a SATA SSD should probably be avoided nowadays -- unless your PC simply isn't compatible with anything else.

Today, Kingston launches its latest NVMe M.2 solid state drive for both desktops and laptops. Called "NV1," this PCIe Gen 3 SSD has fairly modest specifications in the grand scheme of things, but it is definitely more than fast enough for the majority of consumers. Most importantly, it is priced very competitively. Just how affordable is the NV1? It starts at less than $65!

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USB flash drives may not be as popular as they were years ago, but they still have their place. For instance, even though I save most of my data to the cloud nowadays, I still depend on flash drives for installing operating systems, such as Windows 10, Ubuntu, Manjaro, and more.

The problem with traditional USB flash drives, however, is many new computers no longer have USB-A ports. And so, they require the use of dongles or adapters. Thankfully, companies are also making USB Type-C flash drives. Even better, today, Transcend unveils a flash drive that has both USB-A and USB-C connectors. Called "JetFlash 930C," it should work with pretty much any computer.

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Can you believe it? It is 2021 and Apple still hasn't added USB-C to the iPhone! The company has added the connection to the iPad Pro and its Mac computers, but its smartphones still use Lightning. This is both frustrating and disappointing, as it means consumers can't streamline their chargers and cables. It also means you cannot easily plug a USB-C flash drive into an iPhone like you can with Android.

If you have been wanting to connect a flash drive to your iPhone without the use of dongles, Western Digital's SanDisk iXpand Flash Drive Luxe can make this a reality. You see, the drive features both Lightning and USB Type-C connectors, meaning it will work with iPhone, Android, and modern computers. While such a drive is not a new concept, this is apparently the first 2-in-1 from WD with an all-metal body.

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There are many companies producing quality solid state drives these days in various capacities, speeds, and form factors. SATA variants are perfectly fine, but NVMe models are significantly faster. If your computer has an M.2 slot and supports NVMe, you should consider replacing your current SATA drive with one.

Today, Lexar releases a new solid state drive that looks to be pretty solid. Called "NM620," this M.2 2280 PCIe Gen3x4 NVMe SSD is not only fast, but rather affordable too.

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