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• 'Sandisk 2.0' aiming for higher investor returns, faster, higher capacity SSDs
• 128TB Data Center UltraQLC SSD launching later this year
• Sandisk plans 256TB SSD next year, and a 1PB model in the near future

Western Digital announced plans to separate its HDD and flash businesses back in 2023 and began the process in October 2024.

Going forward, WD will focus on the hard drive and platforms side, while Sandisk will concentrate on flash technology products, including SSDs, memory cards, and USB flash drives.

Sandisk recently held an investor day session titled "Sandisk 2.0" to emphasize this brand new iteration of the business. The company explained it is focused on generating higher returns and improving margins for investors, in an obvious attempt to quell any concern that might be brewing following its spinoff.

More excitingly, Sandisk also took the opportunity to reveal details of a new, large capacity SSD arriving later in 2025.

1PB SSD incoming

The UltraQLC DC SN670 is an NVMe PCIe Gen 5 QLC Data Center SSD that promises 68% faster read speeds and 55% faster write speeds "compared to the competition". This will be Sandisk’s first 128TB SSD (with 122.88TB usable capacity), following similar drives from Solidigm, Samsung, and Phison. This, along with a 64TB model (61.44TB usable), is expected to debut in Q3 2025.

Blocks and Files notes, “The UltraQLC angle refers to the controller having hardware accelerators, being scalable to the 64 Die/Channel level, able to scale power according to workload demand and including an 'integrated advanced toggle mode bus Mux control.' Toggle mode NAND uses a double data rate interface for faster data transfers and a multiplexer (Mux) manages the data lanes. Sandisk’s version of this technology will be managing the NAND-SSD controller data flow more efficiently."

Although it didn’t provide an exact timeline, Sandisk also teased it is working toward a 1PB data center drive, possibly within the next four years. It did confirm a target of 256TB in 2026 and 512TB in 2027, however.

While Sandisk typically uses TLC NAND for its performance SSDs, and QLC NAND for capacity drives, the firm will be shifting towards QLC for most purposes by 2028 (Sandisk teased BiCS9 with more than 300 layers which will be used to make a 1Tb TLC die).

Later this year will see the arrival of a value PCIe Gen 4 QLC NAND drive in 512GB, 1TB and 2TB capacities, and also a PCIe Gen 5 TLC drive in 512GB, 1TB, 2TB and 4TB capacities.

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Thunderbolts: key information

- Releasing in theaters globally on May 2
- Three trailers released so far
- Main cast revealed
- Story synopsis unveiled
- Other cast and plot rumors circulating online
- Unclear how it'll set up future MCU events

Thunderbolts is the final Marvel movie to be released – on May 2 – as part of the comic giant's Phase 5 line-up. The highly anticipated flick aims to combine the ragtag, comedy-laced style of Guardians of the Galaxy with the team-up appeal of the Avengers. Based on what I've seen and read so far, it seems like it'll succeed.

Before the next Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movie arrives, I've rounded up the latest news and rumors on Thunderbolts* (more on the asterisks later), including its confirmed cast, story specifics, trailers, and potential impact on the MCU's future.

Full spoilers follow for various Marvel projects, including Falcon and the Winter Soldier (FATWS), Black Widow, and Ant-Man and the Wasp (AM&TW).

Thunderbolts release date

Thunderbolts will charge into cinemas worldwide in early May (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

As mentioned, Thunderbolts – or, to give its official title, Thunderbolts* – will leap onto the big screen on Friday, May 2. That's the fifth launch date it's been given since Thunderbolts was first announced by Marvel in June 2022.

Originally, it was going to be released in December 2024. However, the 2023 Hollywood writer and actor strikes led to multiple Marvel movies being delayed, including Thunderbolts*. Its release date was shifted around until its current launch date was settled on.

Filming didn't begin on Thunderbolts until it had ridden out its creative storm last March, either. Indeed, principal photography only started once some cast issues, including the departure of Steven Yeun and Ayo Edebiri, had been resolved. Thankfully, its shooting schedule only lasted five months and, with the end of its post-production stage in sight, it's finally set to be released very soon.

Thunderbolts trailer

The official trailer for Thunderbolts was released during Super Bowl LIX. There's a lot to take in from its humorous, action-packed, and melodramatic two-minute-plus runtime, too, including the revelation that its main villain is someone you probably expected to be a good guy.

That isn't the first trailer we've seen for one of 2025's new movies. Thunderbolts' first trailer was released publicly last September following its exclusive debut at D23 Expo 2024 – check it out below:

Two months later at the Brazilian edition of D23 Expo 2024, Marvel unveiled another look at Thunderbolts that suggested it'll help Marvel Phase 5 end with a bang rather than a whimper, too.

Thunderbolts cast: confirmed and rumored

Thunderbolts will feature plenty of familiar faces (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Potentially big spoilers follow for Thunderbolts. Major spoilers also follow for multiple MCU projects, including Captain America: Brave New World.

Here's the confirmed cast list for Thunderbolts* so far:

• Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova
• Sebastian Stan as James 'Bucky' Barnes/The Winter Soldier
• David Harbour as Alexei Shoshtakov/The Red Guardian
• Wyatt Russell as John Walker/US Agent
• Hannah John-Kamen as Ava Starr/Ghost
• Olga Kurylenko as Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster
• Lewis Pullman as Bob Reynolds/Sentry/The Void
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine
• Geraldine Viswanathan as Mel

Everyone except Pullman's Bob Reynolds and Viswanathan's Mel will be familiar to MCU fans. But, if you're new to the franchise or need a quick refresher on who they are, read on.

Pugh's Belova, who's positioned as the movie's lead, was first introduced in Black Widow. She's the sister of Natasha Romanoff, who sacrificed herself in Avengers: Endgame to allow Clint Barton/Hawkeye to retrieve the Soul Stone as part of the titular group's plan to reverse 'The Snap', aka the event that saw half of all life wiped out of the MCU. Belova was last seen in Hawkeye on Disney+ where, suspecting Barton was behind Romanoff's death, tried to kill him. However, after finding out that he wasn't responsible for her sibling's demise, Belova ended her quest for vengeance.

Harbour's Shoshtakov and Kurylenko's Dreykov also made their MCU debuts in Black Widow. Shoshtakov is Romanoff and Belova's father, and he's also Russia's answer to Steve Rogers' iteration of Captain America – i.e. a super-soldier who wields a shield. Meanwhile, Dreykov is also known as Taskmaster, aka an individual who can mimic any person's combat skills.

James 'Bucky' Barnes was last seen in Captain America: Brave New World (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Stan's Barnes needs no introduction. He's been ever-present in the MCU since 2011's Captain America: The First Avenger, appearing in nine Marvel properties. Another super-soldier with a vibranium arm, formerly a brainwashed Russian assassin called The Winter Soldier, Barnes will either be running for Congress in Thunderbolts* or have been elected by the start of the movie. This story beat was revealed in Brave New World – read my Captain America 4 ending explained piece for more details on how it sets up events in this flick.

Wyatt's Walker was an antagonistic figure in Falcon and the Winter Soldier. He was enlisted as the new Captain America in that TV show after Rogers gave up the shield, but eventually lost the title to Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson. He was later hired by Louis-Dreyfus' duplicitous CIA Director to become a black ops-like version of Cap called US Agent.

Speaking of Fontaine, she first appeared in Black Widow's post-credits scene and has since shown up in FATWS and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. She's responsible for sending Belova after Barton, too. Oh, and she'll be helped by Viswanathan's Mel, who's her aide in this flick.

Valentina Allegra de Fontaine is behind the Thunderbolts team's formation (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

John-Kamen will reprise her role as Starr/Ghost, the primary antagonist of AM&TW whose abilities allow her to phase through solid objects. Like Belova and Walker, it appears Fontaine hires her to conduct secret missions for the CIA.

Rounding out the main cast is MCU newcomer Pullman, who'll portray Bob Reynolds. In the comics, he's an amnesiac middle-aged man who doesn't know he's one of the world's most powerful superheroes and goes by the pseudonym Sentry. However, Reynolds harbors a dark secret. Due to the super-soldier serum he receives, he also possesses a demonic persona called The Void. If it manages to mentally overpower Reynolds and Sentry, it uses its abilities to cause wanton destruction. We catch a very brief glimpse of The Void in action in the final trailer for Thunderbolts*, so don't be shocked if Reynolds ends up being its Big Bad.

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Thunderbolts story synopsis and speculation

It seems that the titular group of anti-heroes weren't assembled for a righteous cause (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Possible spoilers follow for Thunderbolts.

Here's the movie's official story synopsis: In Thunderbolts*, Marvel Studios assembles an unconventional team of antiheroes – Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost, Taskmaster and John Walker. After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap set by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, these disillusioned castoffs must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts. Will this dysfunctional group tear themselves apart, or find redemption and unite as something much more before it’s too late?

The "death trap" aspect of that plot brief won't come as a surprise to anyone who's seen the trailers. Indeed, the footage we've seen so far suggests Fontaine sends Walker, Starr, Dreykov, and Belova on a mission to eradicate Reynolds. Of course, the quartet doesn't know about Reynolds' abilities or dark side, so they wouldn't stand a chance against him.

US Agent and Ghost are two of Fontaine's mercenaries who are seemingly sent on a suicide mission (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

The big question on everyone's minds is why Fontaine is sending these mercenaries to their apparent deaths. Is she simply trying to tie up some loose ends as Director of the CIA? In my view, that's the most likely explanation. Unfortunately, the trailers reveal that Fontaine's plan goes awry, the group escapes alongside Reynolds and, after teaming up with Barnes and Shoshtakov, confronts Fontaine at her new headquarters in the building formerly known as Avengers Tower. Yes, that's the same skyscraper that Tony Stark owned until his death in Avengers: Endgame. How and why Fontaine has acquired it is another of Thunderbolts' big mysteries.

Anyway, away from that, each team member will be dealing with their own insecurities throughout this Marvel Phase 5 film. The trailer shows a disenchanted Belova going through the motions before she seeks out Shoshtakov for emotional support. Unfortunately, the wisecracking super-soldier appears ill-equipped to help as he struggles with his own demons of being a dead-beat dad and yearning for new adventures despite his aging body.

Walker will be grappling with his dark past and raising his son alone after his wife's death in FATWS, while Barnes will likely need to face up to his own murder-laden history and attempts to make a difference as a newly-elected Congressman. Then there's Reynolds who, as I discussed in the cast section, has a huge, supervillain-esque internal issue to continually quell.

Say hi to Bob, everyone (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Thunderbolts won't be a wholly melancholy affair. There'll be plenty of trademark MCU humor to enjoy, especially once this group of oddball heroes and anti-heroes join forces for the greater good. Per Variety, Stan has even likened it to the iconic 1985 teen movie The Breakfast Club, which featured a similarly eccentric group of misfits who realize they have more in common during a Saturday detention.

But back to something I mentioned at the start of this article: what could the film title's asterisk be alluding to? Some fans have suggested it's a placeholder for a subtitle, which will be revealed in its third act or just before the credits roll. Right now, fans have two suggestions for what it'll be: Dark Avengers or New Avengers. The former would befit this team of not-so-morally upstanding individuals. However, the latter appears more likely, especially in light of Fontaine claiming that the world needs a new Avengers-like team in Thunderbolts' latest trailer. We'll see if either of those theories is correct soon enough.

What Marvel movies and shows do I need to watch before Thunderbolts?

Yelena Belova has appeared in two other live-action MCU projects (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

I've already hinted at the MCU movies and TV shows that you'll need to stream on Disney+, aka one of the world's best streaming services before the final Phase 5 film is released.

However, if you scrolled past this guide's cast and plot sections, here's a quick round-up of what you'll want to stream before Thunderbolts* arrives (NB: you can read more about each one in my Marvel movies in order guide, too):

• Ant-Man and the Wasp – introduction of Ava Starr/Ghost
• Falcon and the Winter Soldier – introduction of John Walker/US Agent
• Black Widow – introductions of Yelena Belova, Red Guardian, and Taskmaster
• Hawkeye – progression of Belova's MCU journey
• Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – more details on Valentina Allegra de Fontaine's history and CIA role
• Captain America: Brave New World – details on Barnes' campaign to become a Congressman

How will Thunderbolts impact the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

Thunderbolts* could establish plot threads that'll be explored further in the next two Avengers films (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

The short answer is: I don't know, but that won't stop me from speculating.

If Belova and company are installed as the newest version of Earth's Mightiest Heroes, I wouldn't be shocked if some of them appear in Avengers: Doomsday and/or Avengers: Secret Wars. The pair, which are currently set to release in theaters in May 2026 and May 2027, are expected to bring down the curtain on the Marvel Multiverse Saga. And, aside from Robert Downey Jr's shock casting as the villain in both films, plus the inclusion of Mackie's Wilson/Cap 2.0 and The Fantastic Four, there's no word on which other heroes will appear.

It's possible, then, that the likes of Belova and Barnes (at the very least) will feature in these Marvel Phase 6 projects. Stan was in the last two Avengers flicks, while Pugh is one of the most popular actors on the planet right now so, in my opinion, she's a shoo-in to appear. I'm not so sure if Russell, Harbour, or any other Thunderbolts* cast members will show up, though.

As for whether this movie will set up any story threads for Avengers 5 and Avengers 6, I don't think that's likely. The Fantastic Four: First Steps is the final MCU film that'll land in theaters before Doomsday, so I'd expect it to do most of the heavy lifting (from a plot perspective) for that duo. We'll see if I'm right in early May.

For more Marvel coverage, read my guides on the best Marvel movies, Daredevil: Born Again, and Spider-Man 4.

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If you’re looking to grab one of the best soundbars around, there’s something that you’ll almost certainly be seeking – Dolby Atmos support. And I wouldn’t blame you. This immersive audio tech can provide a three-dimensional, natural sound profile to your viewing experiences that will really take movie nights to the next level.

Luckily, I’ve been able to test a number of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars here at TechRadar – everything from ultra-cheap models around the $100 / £100 mark to more premium options in the $1,500 / £1,500 range. So, you might be wondering, if you can access Atmos at such a low price-point, is it really worth spending extra on a more elite option? Let’s find out.

A few months ago, I checked out the Majority Elias, a soundbar that’s available in the UK for £99.95 (about $130 / AU$190). This budget standalone soundbar packs in Dolby Atmos support alongside upfiring speakers – something you need if you’re looking to reap the benefits of Atmos’ verticality.

I tried watching a few movies with this soundbar, such as Top Gun: Maverick – a hit that gives Atmos plenty of space to showcase its strengths, with soaring jets and all-action onslaughts. During one scene where Tom Cruise’s character flies his aircraft up at a rapid pace, the Elias offered a more expansive impression than my standalone TV audio, but it couldn’t map his trajectory to a precise, true-to-life degree.

(Image credit: Future)

The Elias is a 2.0.2 soundbar – it lacks a standalone sub and rear speakers, merely offering two forward facing and two upward firing speakers. Now, a lot of the more expensive models out there come with their own sub, maybe even individual rear speakers, meaning you get true surround sound. This really takes the effects of Atmos up a level, enveloping you in a layer of sound for high-calibre immersion. Its worth commending the Majority Elias for casting a decent spatial impression – but also noticing that despite having Atmos capabilities, they're fairly limited.

Ultimately, the Elias also suffers from an issue that many cheap soundbars – including models like the Ultimea Nova S50 – struggle with. Namely, disappointing overall audio quality. I found that dialogue could sound fairly muddy when watching movies and TV shows and that it struggled with busier scenes where details could get hidden away in the mix.

And what that unfortunately means is you’re not going to be able to fully indulge in the joys of Dolby Atmos. With average or sub-par audio, more subtle artefacts can seem hidden – something you don’t have to worry about with the Samsung HW-Q800D – a model I tested at the tail-end of 2024.

(Image credit: Future) Atmos, in all its glory

The HW-Q800D has a list price of $999 / £749 / AU$1,099, so it’s by no means cheap, but oh my do you still get your money’s worth. First off, you don’t have to face up to middling audio quality here – the HW-Q800D can do it all, from ultra-defined dialogue through to rhythmic music replication.

But on Atmos specifically, the HW-Q800D can plate up phenomenal three-dimensional audio that fills your room effortlessly. When testing, I threw on The Boy and the Heron and the soundbar mapped the titular bird’s flight expertly, tracing his every flutter. In an area consumed by fire, both the width from the soundbar’s side speakers and verticality from its upfiring ones captured the frightening, heart-racing atmosphere of the opening scene to perfection, really involving me in the action.

This model also comes with a dedicated sub, which adds incredible low-end power for those tense moments in movies and video games – or bass-heavy bangers in your music library. You’re getting a total power output of 360W from the HW-Q800D, more than double that of the Majority Elias – so you can attain the kind of power needed for an authentic home cinema experience.

(Image credit: Future)

Of course, if you have a bit more money to play with (lucky you), you can heighten performance by adding rear speakers with a model like the Samsung HW-Q990D. But there are cheaper options available that offer amazing Atmos. For instance, we still love the Sony HT-S2000 – a standalone soundbar that can often be found for less than $400 / £300. This bar harnesses virtual processing to make height effects in Dolby Atmos soundtracks like Top Gun exceed the verticality of your TV screen – pretty neat at this price-point!

All in all, I’d argue that if you have the budget, spending extra on a higher-end Dolby Atmos soundbar is well-worth it. You can access more accurate mapping, impressive verticality and truly expansive sound, even with mid-range options like the Sony HT-S2000. Ultimately, a lot of budget soundbars lack the ability to plate up nuanced, fully three-dimensional audio – especially without surround channels.

But if you are on a tighter budget, fear not – there are some excellent cheap options out there – albeit without Atmos. One of the best cheap soundbars is the diminutive Hisense HS214, which offers clear dialogue and impressive power for less than $100 / £80.

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• HaLowLink 1 combines Wi-Fi 4 and Wi-Fi HaLow
• Speed peaks at 32Mbps over 10 miles on the 8 Mhz band, but 300Mbps is possible on 40 Mhz
• Two HaLowLink 1 routers can replace Ethernet cabling

Morse Micro has introduced the MM-HL1-EXT, a Wi-Fi HaLow router with an external antenna designed for long-range, low-power communication.

The MM-HL1-EXT leverages the IEEE 802.11ah Wi-Fi HaLow standard, enabling connections over distances of 10 miles (16km) in rural areas and 3km in urban environments.

Unlike conventional Wi-Fi routers, HaLow operates in the 900MHz band in the US and also supports 2.4GHz Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n). It can function as a standalone access point or as an extender, improving connectivity in difficult-to-reach areas.

A game-changing long-range router

The MM-HL1-EXT is part of the HaLowLink 1 series — optimized for IoT and industrial applications.

It's been certified for use in North America (FCC), Canada (IC), and Australia (RCM) but the company is working to secure certifications for EMEA (868MHz) and Asia.

“The certification of the HaLowLink 1 reinforces the growing importance of reliable, interoperable Wi-Fi HaLow products in the connectivity ecosystem,” said Maureen Gallagher, VP of Marketing at Wi-Fi Alliance.

“With its extended range and low-power capabilities, Wi-Fi HaLow is a powerful solution for IoT applications, and Morse Micro is committed to accelerating adoption by delivering high-quality products through the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED program.”

At the core of the HaLowLink 1 is the MediaTek MT7621A dual-core CPU, paired with 256MB of DRAM and 32MB of NAND flash storage. The radio module features Morse Micro’s MM6108 chipset alongside AzureWave AW-HM593, delivering a transmission power of up to 23 dBm for stable, long-range performance.

For wired connections, the router includes two Gigabit Ethernet ports and supports Ethernet-over-USB for enhanced networking flexibility. A USB-C port provides power and Ethernet data transmission.

It runs on OpenWrt 23.05, an open source, customizable networking platform that supports online firmware updates.

The HaLowLink 1 speed maxes out at 32Mbps when using an 8MHz bandwidth. In contrast, its Wi-Fi 4 capability supports speeds of up to 300Mbps at 40MHz bandwidth.

In harsh industrial settings, two HaLowLink 1 units can be deployed together to replace Ethernet cabling, providing a wireless alternative to outdoor and remote installations.

“With the launch of the world’s first Wi-Fi 4 and Wi-Fi HaLow CERTIFIED gateway, we’re equipping developers with a powerful tool to explore the extended-range, low-power connectivity benefits of Wi-Fi HaLow, paving the way for widespread adoption,” said Michael De Nil, co-founder and CEO of Morse Micro.

The MM-HL1-EXT is now available on Mouser for €97.81 (about $99). At press time, eight units are in stock, with 56 more expected by April 14, 2025. Larger bulk orders have an estimated factory lead time of eight weeks.

Morse Micro has been developing Wi-Fi HaLow tech for nearly a decade, but its breakthroughs only began gaining widespread attention in 2024. Back in February of that year, it demonstrated router hardware that provided 2-mile coverage for months while running on coin batteries.

By September, that range had extended to 10 miles. Most recently, at CES 2025 in January, Morse Micro showcased Wi-Fi routers capable of delivering 250Mbps over a 10-mile radius.

Via EENewsEurope

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