Technology

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• Minisforum reveals Ryzen-powered rack server which could rewrite AMD’s playbook entirely
• Ryzen in the rack? AMD’s clean product lines might never be the same again
• A mobile chip in a server chassis - Minisforum’s MS-S1 Max isn’t playing by the rules

Minisforum has announced what it calls a game-changer for AI deployment in compact computing environments: the MS-S1 Max, a 2U rackmount system powered by AMD’s Ryzen AI Max+ 395.

Minisforum says this system is designed to "revolutionize your AI workflow," but it marks an unusual departure from established norms.

While its 3.2-liter form factor and all-in-one design are drawing praise for efficiency, the core configuration raises uncomfortable questions for AMD.

Minisforum’s approach threatens AMD’s server ecosystem

Minisforum has opted not to use AMD’s EPYC processors, designed explicitly for server tasks, and instead fitted what is effectively a mobile-class chip into a server chassis.

Although the MS-S1 Max is marketed as the best SMB server and even hints at broader enterprise ambitions, it’s difficult to ignore that this is a repurposing of hardware intended for a different context.

The Ryzen AI Max+ 395 is not a server CPU by design. It’s optimized for client workloads, featuring integrated Radeon graphics and an AI NPU.

What it offers, however, is a cost-effective and power-efficient solution for companies seeking local AI inference or the ability to run large models like DeepSeek 70B without the overhead of traditional infrastructure.

That edge makes it appealing to universities, labs, and AI startups, but it also turns the system into a wildcard in AMD’s carefully managed product segmentation. This unconventional use could complicate AMD’s broader strategy. EPYC chips are built for reliability, scalability, and intensive server workloads, and they command higher margins.

A surge of mini PC makers embedding consumer-grade Ryzen chips into rackmount systems might blur the line between consumer and enterprise offerings.

Still, the MS-S1 Max’s value proposition is hard to ignore. By delivering strong on-chip graphics and directing substantial memory bandwidth to its GPU, it offers a local AI engine at a fraction of the cost of traditional server gear.

That said, the catch lies in support, reliability, and long-term performance. Ryzen chips, while powerful, lack ECC memory support and validated server-grade features.

This makes them a questionable fit for mission-critical deployments, and puts AMD in a tough position. If demand grows, AMD may be forced to either restrict such uses or embrace them, potentially undermining its EPYC business.

This mobile workstation is expected to launch in the second half of the year.

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• TeamGroup P35S SSD can wipe your data permanently and irreversibly with a few clicks
• Designed for spies, journalists, and execs, this SSD values secrecy over raw performance numbers
• Accidental erasure is a real concern with hardware that erases data in two simple motions

In a tech landscape where external drives often blur into a sea of similar features and designs, TeamGroup’s new portable SSD takes a sharp detour into espionage territory.

The T-Create Expert P35S Destroyed Portable SSD introduces something previously unheard of in the mainstream consumer market: a one-click data destruction mechanism.

While the concept may sound like something pulled straight from a spy thriller, TeamGroup says the device is intended for professionals who handle sensitive or classified information.

A self-destruct SSD that promises true data erasure

This external SSD stands out thanks to its patented “physical chip destruction circuit.”

Unlike standard data wipes, this feature claims to electrically destroy the data stored on the drive, making it completely irretrievable.

Triggered by a two-step process TeamGroup calls an “anti-mistouch” system, users must both click and slide to activate the wipe.

It’s not exactly a big red button, but the dramatic undertone is part of the appeal.

The P35S, which weighs just 42 grams and measures 90 x 40 x 18 mm, offers 1,000MB/s transfer speeds via a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port.

This led to the bold “transfer 10GB in just 10 seconds - ready for anything” slogan on TeamGroup’s display at Computex 2025.

While it won’t top charts for the best SSD in terms of performance alone, it offers enough throughput for on-the-go file handling.

What’s most notable is the P35S’s target audience. TeamGroup references users such as journalists, corporate executives, and government officials, people who might need to dispose of confidential data instantly.

“Designed for end-users who carry highly confidential documents, the SSD prevents data breaches and ensures that personal and confidential information remains protected under all circumstances,” the company says.

There’s even a nod toward “defense use,” which, depending on your level of cynicism, could either suggest genuine intent or feel like a PR stretch, especially in light of recent high-profile data mishandling cases.

The SSD’s compact size and data wipe feature make it easy to picture in the hands of an undercover agent or whistleblower.

But in practical terms, it may also raise concerns about accidental erasure, especially for users prone to fidgeting. That’s one reason I’d love to test this device myself.

This isn't likely to be a top choice for gamers or media creators, but for users who prioritize security over speed, it may offer real value.

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• Dell Pro Max Plus laptop is the first to feature an enterprise-grade discrete NPU
• It features a Qualcomm AI 100 PC Inference Card with 32 AI-cores and 64GB memory
• This offers the opportunity to carry out high-intensity AI tasks, even on the move

Dell has unveiled an AI PC with a never-before-seen feature it hopes will spur on the next levels of productivity.

Revealed at Dell Technologies World 2025, the new Dell Pro Max Plus laptop is the first to feature an enterprise-grade discrete NPU, offering the opportunity to carry out high-intensity AI tasks even on the move.

The mobile workstation features a Qualcomm AI 100 PC Inference Card with 32 AI-cores and 64GB memory, which Dell says should be more than enough to handle the needs of AI engineers and data scientists deploying large models for edge inferencing.

Dell Pro Max Plus

(Image credit: Dell Technologies)

Speaking at the event, company CEO Michael Dell addressed the upcoming Windows 10 end of life, hinting that for many users, the ideal solution is to buy an AI PC such as the Dell Pro Max Plus.

“Personal productivity is being reinvented by AI,” Dell said, “the install base of a billion and half PCs is ageing, and it’s being replaced with AI innovation.”

“The Windows 10 end of life is coming, and we are ready - Dell is the leader in commercial AI PCs, and we’re further distancing ourselves from the competition.”

The CEO highlighted the new Dell Pro Max device during his keynote address, noting it would be ideal for developers and scientists, offering up to 20 petaflops of performance due to embedded Nvidia GB300 hardware, and up to 800GB of memory - enough to run and train models with a trillion parameters.

“Today’s PCs are becoming AI workstations - blazing fast, all-day battery life powered by NPU and GPU innovation," Dell declared.

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• SN8100 tops flash-based SSD charts with record speeds and great thermals with no fan required
• Sandisk’s SN8100 delivers stunning PCIe Gen5 performance with nearly 15 GB/s read speeds
• Intel’s four-year-old Optane P5800X still outpaces the SN8100 in real-world speed tests

SanDisk’s new WD Black SN8100 PCIe Gen5 SSD is fast, efficient, and engineered to meet the demands of gamers and power users alike.

The drive uses a PCIe Gen5 x4 interface and is available in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB capacities. Built around SanDisk's in-house 8-channel controller and BiCS 3D TLC NAND, it supports read speeds of up to 14.5 GB/s and write speeds up to 12.7 GB/s, placing it among the fastest Gen5 drives currently available.

However, despite the SN8100’s cutting-edge design and impressive benchmarks, Intel’s now-defunct, four-year-old Optane P5800X still holds the crown as the fastest SSD in real-world use.

Benchmarks suggest top speeds - but not across the board

In synthetic benchmarks like CrystalDiskMark and ATTO, the SN8100 breaks lab records for sequential throughput and random reads, reaching up to 2.3 million IOPS.

According to TweakTown, “this SSD is like none other; it’s at least 20% more powerful than any flash-based SSD we’ve ever encountered.”

It also demonstrates notable efficiency, consuming just 7 watts under load and requiring no active cooling, making it a serious contender for best SSD or the best portable SSD for enthusiast builds.

Still, synthetic benchmarks don’t always reflect real-world performance. In practical transfer tests, the SN8100 ranked ninth overall, indicating that while it's extremely fast, it's not without limitations, and it doesn't dethrone the Intel Optane P5800X.

Launched in 2021, the P5800X remains unmatched in real-world responsiveness and latency. While its sequential read speeds top out at 7.2 GB/s - slower than the SN8100 - its random read/write IOPS exceed 4.5 million, and latency frequently drops below 10 microseconds. That’s where it truly shines.

Flash-based SSDs like the SN8100 still rely on garbage collection and page-level management, leading to occasional latency spikes during small, random workloads. In contrast, the P5800X maintains consistent performance under heavy load, with no significant dips, a key reason why it’s still regarded as the fastest SSD ever made.

That said, the SN8100 is an impressive drive in its own right. It's a customized version of Silicon Motion’s SM2508 controller, enhanced with proprietary technologies like nCache 4.0 and WD Black Gaming Mode.

It also fits into the Sony PlayStation 5’s expansion slot, achieving read speeds of 6,550 MB/s in that setup, well above the console’s minimum requirement. However, with a price tag of $280 for the 2TB model, it clearly belongs in the premium tier.

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• HighPoint packs 976TB into portable RocketStor 6542AW RAID enclosure
• Eight Solidigm 122TB SSDs deliver high-speed storage for demanding workloads
• Ideal for AI, media, and enterprise backups in compact environments

HighPoint Technologies has unveiled a portable NVMe storage solution offering nearly a petabyte of capacity.

The new system features eight of Solidigm’s D5-P5336 122TB SSDs housed in the HighPoint RocketStor 6542AW NVMe RAID Enclosure. Together, these deliver 976TB of storage in a design compact enough for mobile or space-constrained environments.

The RocketStor 6542AW supports all eight SSDs through a single PCIe connection. HighPoint’s PCIe Switching technology enables high-speed data transfer rates, addressing the performance needs of data-heavy industries.

High-capacity NVMe storage, seamless scalability

“This collaboration between HighPoint and Solidigm is a game-changer in enterprise storage,” said May Hwang, VP at HighPoint Technologies.

“By qualifying the Solidigm D5-P5336 SSDs in our RocketStor 6542AW, we’ve created an unprecedented solution that combines high-capacity NVMe storage with seamless scalability."

The device itself is just under five inches tall and a little over nine inches long. Despite its small size, it offers full PCIe x16 connectivity, making it suitable for professionals on the move, small studios, or enterprise environments needing powerful storage in a limited space.

This setup supports applications such as artificial intelligence, big data analytics, and media production, where both speed and storage capacity are essential.

In AI and machine learning, model training often depends on fast access to large datasets.

With its Solidigm SSDs, the RocketStor 6542AW supports quicker training cycles. This helps researchers and developers manage workloads with improved efficiency.

For enterprise backup and HPC workloads, RAID support and high-speed connections offer secure, fast backups and low-latency data access.

HighPoint says the enclosure is well-suited for complex tasks such as engineering simulations and scientific research, where high throughput is necessary.

In media production, especially with 4K and 8K content, fast storage is key. The RocketStor 6542AW offers 28GB/s transfer bandwidth and ample room for large video files. This helps smooth editing and rendering workflows in film, animation, and design.

“As Hardware RAID adoption in the AI ecosystem is becoming more prevalent, this collaboration is significant using Solidigm industry-leading, high-capacity SSDs and HighPoint’s HW RAID enclosure,” said Mike Mamo, Senior Principal Engineer at Solidigm.

Solidigm’s D5-P5336 122TB SSDs have just gone on sale, priced at around $12,400. Eight of the mighty beasts will set you back a cool $99,200. The enclosure itself is $1,799 over at Amazon.

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