Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Samsung beefs up the data center with a new SSD packing 31TB of storage

Samsung
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Samsung recently introduced a new solid-state drive (SSD) for the enterprise packing a hefty 30.72 terabyte (TB) storage capacity. Labeled as the PM1643, it relies on the company’s V-NAND storage technology, promising higher storage capacities and faster data access than the Buy Now . It follows the company’s 15.36TB SSD released in March 2016. 

Although data centers still mostly rely on clunky mechanical hard drives, storage manufacturers are pushing NAND flash-based products to serve as the new norm. But the endgame may take some time given standard hard drives still have a cheaper per-gigabyte price point than current SSDs. 

Recommended Videos

The use of 3D-flash technology is also pushing to become the norm. A typical SSD relies on memory cells spread out like a city block packing up to three floors each. Meanwhile, 3D-flash technology crams storage cells onto layers, creating a stacked skyscraper of up to 64 “floors.” And instead of using streets to reach a particular office, data travels up and down elevators. 

That is an extremely simplified explanation, but the end result means storage capacities aren’t locked to the physical, horizontal real estate of the SSD. Data travels to and from memory cells faster too given the straight elevator-type pathway. 

On a more technical level, Samsung’s new SSD contains 32 physical NAND flash “packages” with a 1TB capacity each. Dig a little deeper, and each package contains 16 layers with a single 512-gigabit chip installed on each layer. These 512-gigabit chips contain 64 “floors” playing host to memory cells with three layers. Crazy, right? That is the miracle of modern technology. 

But that is not all — the SSD relies on a single controller chip that crams together nine memory controllers previously used in the company’s other high-capacity SSDs. You will find new firmware too supporting metadata protection, and data retention and recovery protection against sudden power loss. 

“The PM1643 drive also applies Through Silicon Via (TSV) technology to interconnect 8Gb DDR4 chips, creating ten 4GB TSV DRAM packages, totaling 40GB of DRAM,” the company says. “This marks the first time that TSV-applied DRAM has been used in an SSD.” 

According to Samsung, the new SSD provides double the performance than the previous 15.36TB model (PM1633a) with a sequential read speed of up to 2,100MB per second, and a sequential write speed of up to 1,700MB per second. The 15.36TB model provides read and write speeds of up to 1,250MB per second. 

In the case of both SSDs, they are standard 2.5-inch form factor drives that connect via the Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) interface. That connection is faster than what is typically used by hard drives and older SSDs, providing data transfer speeds of up to 12 gigabits per second versus six gigabits per second via the older SATA interface. More specifically, both SSDs support the SAS-3 interface. 

Samsung didn’t say when the drive will go live for the enterprise, nor did the company reveal pricing. It’s currently in mass production, so stay tuned for more details as the ship date nears. 

Kevin Parrish
Kevin started taking PCs apart in the 90s when Quake was on the way and his PC lacked the required components. Since then…
Google’s AI agent ‘Big Sleep’ just stopped a cyberattack before it started
Sundar Pichai

Google's AI agent, dubbed Big Sleep, has achieved a cybersecurity milestone by detecting and blocking an imminent exploit in the wild—marking the first time an AI has proactively foiled a cyber threat. Developed by Google DeepMind and Project Zero, Big Sleep identified a critical vulnerability in SQLite (CVE-2025-6965), an open-source database engine, that was on the verge of being exploited by malicious actors, allowing Google to patch it before damage occurred. “We believe this is the first time an AI agent has been used to directly foil efforts to exploit a vulnerability in the wild,” the company said.

Why it matters: As cyberattacks surge—costing businesses trillions annually—this breakthrough shifts defense from reactive patching to AI-driven prediction and prevention. It gives security teams a powerful new tool to stay ahead of hackers, potentially saving devices and data worldwide. CEO Sundar Pichai called it "a first for an AI agent—definitely not the last" according to Live Mint.

Read more
Google confirms merging Chrome OS and Android into one platform
Google Chrome app on s8 screen.

Why it matters: Google's push to blend Chrome OS and Android could supercharge affordable laptops like Chromebooks, making them more versatile for work and play. This move echoes Apple's seamless ecosystem across iPadOS and macOS, potentially shaking up the PC market where Windows dominates but innovation lags.

What's happening: In a bombshell interview, Google's Android ecosystem president Sameer Samat outright confirmed the company is "combining Chrome OS and Android into a single platform. This follows months of rumors and aligns with Android 16's new desktop-friendly features, like proper windowing and external display support. But then Samat later clarified on X that it's not a full-on merger killing Chrome OS; instead, it's about weaving Android's tech stack deeper into Chrome for better app compatibility and hardware efficiency.

Read more
WeTransfer backlash highlights need for smarter AI practices
A pair of hands using a keyboard on a laptop.

A recent update to WeTransfer’s terms of service caused consternation after some of its customers feared that it meant content from files uploaded to the popular file-sharing service would automatically be used to train AI models.

But the Netherlands-based company insisted on Tuesday that this is not the case, saying in a statement that it "does not sell user content to third parties,” and nor does it "use AI in connection with customer content.”

Read more