Biwin Launches Tiny CL100 Mini SSD as Memory Card: Up to 3700MB/s Speeds for $310/2TB

The Dawn of a New Storage Era: Biwin CL100 Mini SSD Challenges Conventional Form Factors

The storage landscape is constantly evolving, pushing the boundaries of what's possible in terms of size and speed. In a move that's poised to redefine compact computing, Biwin has officially launched its CL100 Mini SSD, a revolutionary storage solution that resembles a memory card. Initially unveiled as a prototype a few months back, this innovative product has now hit the market, albeit exclusively in China for now. The CL100, officially named, promises a potent blend of high performance and minuscule dimensions, fitting right into the palm of your hand.

Revolutionary Form Factor Meets Blazing Speed

Imagine a storage device so small it's comparable to a coin or a microSD card. That's precisely what Biwin has achieved with the CL100. Measuring a mere 15.00×17.00×1.4 mm, this Mini SSD is a testament to the relentless pursuit of miniaturization in technology. This groundbreaking form factor is already finding its way into the latest portable gaming consoles, such as the GPD Win 5, which boasts a powerful AMD Strix Halo processor, and the OneXPlayer Super X. These pioneering devices refer to the slot standard as '1517', highlighting its unique dimensions and potential.

This ultra-compact design isn't just a novelty; it's a strategic advantage. For ultra-thin laptops, miniature PCs, and portable gaming systems, where every millimeter of internal space is precious, the CL100 presents an ideal solution. It offers a way to integrate high-speed storage without compromising on the sleek profiles that consumers increasingly demand. Biwin's commitment to technical innovation is evident in its use of advanced LGA packaging, which ingeniously integrates the controller and flash memory into a single, incredibly dense module.

Performance That Rivals Full-Size NVMe Drives

Don't let its diminutive size fool you. The Biwin CL100 is engineered to deliver performance that rivals, and in some cases surpasses, traditional, full-sized NVMe SSDs. Official specifications boast impressive read speeds of up to 3700 MB/s and write speeds reaching 3400 MB/s. These figures are truly remarkable for a device of this scale, indicating that users won't have to sacrifice speed for portability. This is a significant leap forward, promising to accelerate application loading times, file transfers, and overall system responsiveness, even in the most space-constrained devices.

Pricing and Future Prospects

Biwin is offering the CL100 in three storage capacities, with pricing structured to cater to different needs and budgets. The 512GB version is available for 599 yuan (approximately $85), the 1TB model for 1099 yuan ($156), and the top-tier 2TB variant commands a price of 2199 yuan (around $311). While these prices are competitive, they are currently for the Chinese market. For users outside of China to experience the convenience of the CL100, an additional purchase of the separate Mini SSD Reader RD510 will be necessary to utilize it as an external, plug-and-play drive.

The widespread adoption of the '1517' standard by laptop and mini-PC manufacturers is the next crucial step. If this occurs, users could see future devices featuring integrated CL100 modules, offering a seamless, high-performance storage upgrade without any perceived compromise. This could usher in an era of even thinner, lighter, and faster personal computing devices, making the dream of truly pocket-sized power a tangible reality.