Tiny, removable “mini SSD” could eventually be a big deal for gaming handhelds

This year has seen a significant shift in the gaming landscape, particularly with the introduction of the microSD Express standard, thanks to Nintendo's adoption for its upcoming Switch 2 console. This standard, developed in 2019, had remained under the radar for quite some time. Traditionally, gamers relied on more affordable non-Express microSD cards, which offered sufficient speed for their needs. However, the advanced requirements of the Switch 2, which aims to compete with systems like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, necessitated a faster storage solution akin to internal SSDs. In an exciting development, Chinese company Biwin has unveiled the "Mini SSD," a compact card measuring just 15 by 17 mm. This innovation boasts impressive read speeds of up to 3,700MB per second, utilizing a dual-lane PCI Express 4.0 interface. While the current microSD Express standard can achieve similar peak speeds with the right setup, most existing cards typically max out at approximately 900MB per second, limited by a single PCI Express 3.0 lane. Biwin's Mini SSD, first introduced in March, utilizes a unique LGA packaging technique that allows it to accommodate NAND chips and an SSD controller on these remarkably small cards. These Mini SSDs are designed to fit into small metal trays, much like SIM cards, for easy integration into various devices. Notably, two gaming portables, the AMD-based GPD Win 5 and OneXPlayer Super X, are already promoting compatibility with these groundbreaking cards, which will be available in storage capacities ranging from 500GB to 2TB. This advancement marks a pivotal moment in portable gaming technology, promising a future with faster and more efficient gaming experiences.