The rise of ultra-compact high-speed storage

China’s upcoming Mini SSD is set to change how we think about portable storage, offering blazing-fast performance in a form factor barely larger than a MicroSD card. Developed by Biwin, this tiny drive measures just 15mm x 17mm x 1.4mm and slides into a device like a SIM card. With sequential read speeds up to 3,700MB/s and write speeds of 3,400MB/s over PCIe 4x2, it could soon become a favorite for gamers, creators, and professionals looking for speed and convenience in laptops, tablets, cameras, and gaming handhelds.

How Mini SSD stacks up against existing storage formats

While MicroSD Express cards in next-gen devices like the Nintendo Switch 2 reach a theoretical maximum of 985MB/s, the Mini SSD is more than three times faster. Even full-size SD Express cards, which top out around 3,940MB/s, can’t match its size advantage. Compared to standard M.2 drives, Mini SSDs are slower but significantly smaller, making them ideal for portable devices where space is at a premium. This balance of compact size and high speed gives it an edge in the mobile tech market.

Potential uses for the Mini SSD

The Mini SSD’s design borrows the familiar SIM tray mechanism, making it user-friendly and easy to swap without opening a device. Biwin envisions it powering storage in ultra-thin laptops, gaming portables, high-resolution cameras, and even future smartphones. For digital nomads, on-the-go creators, or competitive gamers, the ability to carry multiple terabytes in your pocket could transform workflows and entertainment.

The road ahead for this storage innovation

It remains to be seen whether the Mini SSD will become an industry standard or stay as a proprietary solution. If widely adopted, it could pave the way for slimmer devices with expandable storage that doesn’t compromise on speed. With capacities ranging from 512GB to 2TB, it has the potential to become a go-to solution for high-performance portable computing. As demand for compact, high-speed storage grows, this innovation could be one of the most significant hardware shifts in years.