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As solid state drives (SSDs) become cheaper, many consumers will choose SSDs when replacing or upgrading PC and laptop hardware since SSD performance is much better than traditional hard drives (HDDs). These SSDs are inevitably replaced by even faster SSDs. This article will discuss how to properly dispose of old SSDs at a time when information security risks are becoming more and more prevalent. Whether personal privacy, videos, passwords, or business secrets, you do not want your information stolen after replacing an SSD. Thus, you need to consider how to safely clear SSD data.

How to Erase Data When Replacing an Old SSD

Have you ever bought a new solid state drive (SSD) and wondered what to do with the old one that was still usable? Even though it takes up space, you can&rsquo;t bear to throw it away? The author recommends a method that is both environmentally friendly and practical: with a little ingenuity, these "retired" drives can be transformed into external storage devices, giving old SSDs a new lease of life!
Though many older SSDs are actually still functional, their capacity or speed just no longer meet user needs. Instead of throwing them away, give them a second chance. Just buy an <a href="https://www.adata.com/en/consumer/category/external-ssds-and-hard-drives/?brand=consumer&amp;type=External%20Enclosure" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SSD enclosure</a>, drop in the old SSD, and turn it into a brand new drive that is perfect for when dissembling and upgrading computer storage is inconvenient, you are financially constrained from spending money to buy a new drive, or you are traveling or working and need to access important files, photos, and videos. As long as you have an external enclosure, not only are you extending the service life of an SSD, but internal drives can also be replaced according to users&rsquo; performance requirements while reducing the generation of electronic waste.
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In order to make it easy for all consumers to breathe new life into their drives, ADATA has launched a series of <a href="https://www.adata.com/en/consumer/category/external-ssds-and-hard-drives/?brand=consumer&amp;type=External%20Enclosure" target="_blank" rel="noopener">external HDD/SSD enclosures</a>, all of which are designed with a focus on simple installation that is suitable for the most inexperienced computer novices!!
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The EC600 external HDD/SSD enclosure is a rare external SSD enclosure that uses recycled plastic. The EC600&rsquo;s casing is made of 85% PCR plastic which reduces carbon emissions by 74% across the product cycle. Drives can be installed into the EC600 in three simple steps without any tools.

Renew Your Old SSDs: An Analysis of External Drive Enclosures Turn your SSD into a great mobile storage assistant!

The hottest topic of 2024 has been &ldquo;high-speed AI computing.&rdquo; However, the public&rsquo;s attention is also focused on the "heat dissipation&rdquo; aspect of AI computing. Although seemingly unrelated topics, there is in fact an inseparable relationship between high-speed computing and heat dissipation. For electronic products, heat management means ensuring operational stability. Poor heat dissipation will cause components to overheat and cause product damage. Good heat dissipation can significantly reduce failure rate. Especially in terms of <a href="https://www.adata.com/us/news/1120/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">overclocked memory</a>, as clock speed rises, it becomes more likely that operating temperature exceed tolerances, which poses a challenge to system stability, performance, and reliability. Therefore, cooling solutions are becoming more and more important in electronic products. Memory heatsinks are limited by motherboard space and cannot exceed a certain volume. Therefore, applying <a href="https://www.adata.com/us/news/1120/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">heat dissipating coating technology to PCBs (printed circuit boards)</a> is an innovative solution for overclocked memory.

Overclocked Memory with Heat-Dissipating PCB Coating Surmounts Cooling Challenges

As the performance of mobile devices continues to improve, users have greater expectations for fast charging and data transmission. What should be prioritized when choosing <a href="https://www.adata.com/en/consumer/category/usb-cables/usb-c-to-usb-c-cable/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Type-C charging cables and chargers</a>? The following four purchasing tips will teach consumers how to choose the product that fits best!

Type-C Charging Accessory Selection Guide: 4 Key Tips!

Overclocking is a highly challenging endeavor that requires both skill and patience. It not only improves computer performance, but also gives enthusiasts a sense of accomplishment and fun. When the system fails to boot normally after overclocking, overclockers can stabilize their system by adjusting various parameters such as voltage, DRAM CL value (Column Address Strobe latency), etc. When overclocking is successful, the system will run in a stable manner at the overclocked speed. This is a challenge that many overclockers love. They will post their achievements in HWBot https://hwbot.org which not only provides a platform for competition, but also allows overclockers to share their skills and experiences with their peers.
At the same time, users who do not wish to bother modifying system parameters can use Intel XMP or AMD EXPO one-click overclocking to easily enjoy the speed offered by overclocked memory. This is a convenient way for ordinary users to get started, allowing them to experience the fun of overclocking and the benefits of improved performance.

No overclocking experience? Everyone is an overclocker with XMP/EXPO

Since the European Union (EU) passed regulations mandating all mobile phone and tablet manufacturers uniformly adopt USB Type-C charging specifications by December 2024, the iPhone 15 series has started using a <a href="https://www.adata.com/us/consumer/category/usb-cables/usb-c-to-usb-c-cable/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Type-C charging</a> connector to comply with these regulations. Thus, consumers no longer need to purchase charging cables and chargers of different specifications, greatly reducing the generation of electronic waste.
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The consolidated use of USB interfaces is even more revolutionary for charging mobile devices. Our demand for data continues to increase as the multitudes use AI for tasks such as rendering detailed illustrations or generating large image files. Consequently, the unification of interfaces is not limited to improving data and power transmission efficiency, but also lays the necessary foundation for the development of AI technology.
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The file size of any casual high-definition video shot on a mobile phone can be as large as 1GB. However, the built-in capacity of mobile phones is limited. The adoption of the <a href="https://www.adata.com/us/consumer/category/usb-cables/usb-c-to-usb-c-cable/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Type-C interface</a> as a general trend facilitates the expansion of storage capacity and the transfer of large files, efficiently and conveniently sharing data between laptops, tablets, and external storage devices. The demand for seamless connections between various devices will greatly accelerate the adoption of universal <a href="https://www.adata.com/us/consumer/category/usb-cables/usb-c-to-usb-c-cable/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Type-C applications</a>.
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Create a Seamlessly Connected Life: Efficient Charging and File Transfer with USB Type-C Interface

The handheld gaming market has remained quiescent for a number of years as Sony and Nintendo launched their latest consoles and mobile gaming boomed on smartphones. For handheld gamers, playing anytime anywhere holds the greatest appeal and these gaming devices also provide a sense of immersion that is different from mobile games. Renowned market research organization, Gartner, stated that the handheld gaming market will grow to 14.8 million units in 20271. Therefore, handhelds will always have a place in the market. At the end of 2021, Valve launched the hit Steam Deck, ushering in a turning point in the handheld game device market. Brands such as Asus, Razer, MSI, Logitech, AYANEO, etc. began to launch their own products in succession. Even Xbox and SONY are rumored to be working on their own offering. With the proliferation of handhelds, the demand for storage capacity has also increased significantly.
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Current handheld gaming devices bring different features to the table including superior battery life, high-performance hardware, and support for cloud gaming. In terms of cloud gaming, gamers must first subscribe to a streaming service and then prioritize network quality. However, those who prefer not to game through the cloud must have enough storage space to store their favorite games. Let&rsquo;s talk today about how to expand the space of your handheld gaming device.
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Take the two most popular models on the market, the Steam Deck comes in three capacities: 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB, while the ROG Ally only has a 512GB option2. If you wish to upgrade storage capacity, a M.2 2230 form factor SSD is required to swap out onboard storage. For example, the XPG GAMMIX S55 is an M.2 2230 Gen4 SSD specially designed for handhelds. It has a read/write performance of 5,000/3,700MB per second and a maximum capacity of 2TB. Since there are currently few brands on the market with options in excess of 1TB, the 2TB GAMMIX S55 can meet the expansion needs of most gamers.

Adding Storage to Steam Deck and ROG Ally

A revolution in performance was ignited when the first Gen5 solid-state drive (SSD) appeared on the market. Various brands launched their own top-notch products and, after unboxing and evaluation by the media, what mysteries have yet to be revealed? Today, let&rsquo;s delve into some secrets that have yet come to light.
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Most people are dazzled when they see <a href="https://www.adata.com/en/consumer/category/ssds/solid-state-drives-legend-970/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gen5 SSDs</a> offer high-speed transmission of more than 10,000MB per second. However, they will find that along with high performance, there comes an inability to effectively dissipate heat, causing the SSD to slow down to cool off. Even with a heatsink installed, heat often cannot be dissipated in a timely manner due to limited heatsink surface area, resulting in unstable transmission rate, an accelerated cascading performance decline, and SSD failure. Due to manufacturing limitations, most SSDs still utilize the 12nm process. Barring future process advancements, Gen5 SSDs cannot be used without installing a heat dissipation device.

Gen5 SSD Active Cooling Showdown

2023 has been a groundbreaking year for Generative AI (Artificial Intelligence) across various fields. By the end of the year, another buzzword has taken center stage, AI PC! What is AI PC? To put it simply, AI PC can be seen as an upgraded PC architecture. It is broadly defined as a computer device with generative AI functions without the need of a cloud platform. It has the same CPU (central processing unit) and GPU (Graphics Processor Unit) as a traditional PC and an additional NPU (Neural Processing Unit) that traditional PCs do not possess. The NPU can quickly process large amounts of data at lower power consumption and is paired with a local LLM (Large Language Model) to further accelerate the development of generative AI in industry, commerce, and education.
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So what is the connection between AI computing, AI PC, and memory? If we compare an AI​​system to a brain, computer memory would equate to the brain&rsquo;s memory areas. Just like the human brain needs to store and retrieve information for learning and decision-making, AI PCs also need memory to store and manage data and model parameters. Since memory is storing data used by large-scale language models, access speed also affects AI computing performance for different tasks. Furthermore, AI PC generally refers to the use of generative AI on a PC without the need to connect the device to the cloud. Even if the PC does not have a network connection, generative AI can still be used on the device.

Why is DRAM important for AI PCs?

As consoles specifications become more and more powerful and streaming platform popularity increases, many video and audio creators have been infused with creative energy. However, upon in-depth inspection, we find that the specifications required in different creative fields are not equal and creators have not done enough homework, leaving certain creators in a conundrum. This article recommends products with suitable specifications based on the importance of memory (DRAM and SSD) and the level of the creator.
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Let us start with DRAM. Every piece of work will be post-produced more or less using software such as Premiere Pro, Photoshop, After Effects, Adobe Audition, Animate, Media Encoder, Dreamweaver, etc. When the system lags, creators often fall into the trap of upgrading DRAM as much as possible as long as it does not blow their budget. Of course, more memory typically leads to increased computational efficiency. This is an immutable fact, and one that causes manufacturers to give much thanks, but we can still perform some careful calculations.
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We require enough memory to load a computer's operating system, launch the required video editing software, edit videos effortlessly, open multiple applications, and keep system background tasks running. Generally, the more tasks you multi-process, the more memory capacity you need to perform these tasks such as processing large files, multiple files, 3D rendering, modeling, etc. It is important for creators to consider the amount of memory required for the type and amount of video material that requires editing.

DRAM and SSDs: The Key to Content Creation

Gaming enthusiasts and professional creators are always looking for the fastest performance to handle the latest games and high-resolution videos. At the same time, storage needs continue to increase. Where 1TB was previously considered sufficient, now a mere 4-5 AAA games will fill your drive to bursting. For example, popular games such as Baldur's Gate 3, Star Wars: Jedi Survivor, and Modern Warfare 3 each require 100 to 150GB of space. Coupled with DLC and game progress, and it really gets people thinking about upgrading to a larger SSD! This article discusses the benefits of large-capacity SSDs by dividing them into factors such as "the basic storage unit of flash memory," "wear leveling algorithm," and "terabytes written (TBW)."
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1. The basic storage unit of NAND flash&nbsp;
Firstly, the component that determines the capacity of a SSD is the NAND flash chip. The greater the number of chips, the greater the capacity of the SSD. A NAND flash chip is a package of "Dies" cut from a wafer. Each Die is composed of Plane, Block, Page, and Cell units of different sizes. Cells are also divided into SLC, MLC, TLC and QLC based on the number of bits that can be stored.

What are the benefits of large capacity SSDs?

As technology becomes ever more sophisticated, the demand for large file transfers and backups continues to grow accordingly. As a result, the need for high-speed external storage devices is also on the rise. However, when consumers use external storage devices, they sometimes find that file write speeds are not as fast as expected. When this happens, it may be due to Windows system settings!
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Users can use storage device policy settings to change the way Windows manages storage devices. Windows default policies include "quick removal" and "better performance." In order for ADATA to allow consumers fast access to external storage devices, the following instructions primarily explain how to set up "Better Performance" in the Windows system to improve the system management performance of storage devices. When this policy is in effect, Windows can cache write operations to external devices. However, when plugging and unplugging external storage devices from the system, consumers must use the Safely Remove Hardware process to remove the external disk to ensure the integrity of the data on the device.

Improve the performance of external storage devices in Windows

Memory cards are a very common storage tool in everyday life. With the introduction of 8K resolution in video and audio recording, users will have higher expectations when it come to the transmission performance of memory cards.
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There are many different types of SD memory cards on the market, all of which comply with the standards established by the SD Association(SDA). If you want to understand SD memory card specifications and how to choose a SD memory card that suits your needs, you can refer to the previous QuikTIPS article "<a href="https://www.adata.com/en/quikTips/29/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Things to Know Before Buying a Memory Card!</a>"

SD Express Card with SSD-Level Performance

With the continuous development of new generations of Intel and AMD CPUs, performance has continuously improved, but correspondingly, Thermal Design Power has also risen. Therefore, more and more gamers who gravitate to high performance gaming systems are choosing all-in-one CPU liquid coolers which confer higher heat dissipation efficiency. However, AIO CPU liquid coolers usually require higher budgets. Therefore, players with budget considerations and personal preferences usually choose tower-type air-cooled radiators to cool CPUs.

Save Space with Low-profile Memory Module Heatsinks

People who have been keeping an eye on Solid-State Drives (SSDs) may have noticed the growing acceptance of PCIe Gen4 SSDs in recent years. With pricing gradually reaching a favorable point and gaining market popularity, so why has this trend been derailed by PCIe Gen5 SSDs from the beginning of this year?! Is this new generation making its debut too quickly, or are manufacturers simply showcasing their capabilities? Let's find out together.

Deciphering Gen5 SSDs and Their Industrial Applications

For the longest time, people have paid little attention to storage device temperatures. However, as current PCs become ever smaller and M.2 SSD (solid state drive) transmission interfaces advance into the next generation, the question arises: Do M.2 SSDs require heat dissipation? If so, what type? Are cooling mechanism really effective? Recently, it seems like these topics are constantly on everyone’s lips. So, let us talk about the essentials of heat dissipation.

Exposing the Secrets of SSD Cooling

Energy-conservation and carbon reduction can be achieved through the use of PCR

Eco-friendly Materials are in Vogue! What is PCR?

PCIe Gen4 is the fourth generation of the PCI Express specification. As the subsequent iteration of Gen3, Gen4’s data transfer rate is twice that of PCIe Gen 3, enabling PCIe Gen 4 devices to transfer data at a faster speed. PCIe Gen3 operates at a data transfer rate of 8 GT/s (gigatransfers per second), which translates to roughly 1 GB/s (gigabits per second) per PCIe lane. In comparison, PCIe Gen4 operates at 16 GT/s, converting to about 2 GB/s per PCIe lane.

What are the Differences between Gen4 and Gen3 PCIe M.2 SSDs?

In fact, before building a PC, consumers will usually look for a storage device that suits their needs. For example, if users frequently move large files, SSDs with high sequential read and write speeds are ideal. For everyday tasks, users may care more about 4K random read and write performance. In addition, heatsinks with excellent heat dissipation may be a consideration that affects system stability.

How do I Choose the Right PCIe Gen4 M.2 SSD?

The PS5’s built-in hard drive capacity is 825GB or about 667GB after space occupied by the operating system is deducted. This remaining capacity tends to run out fast for the many gamers who play AAA games that frequently clock in at 200-300GB per game. In response, SONY officially announced M.2 SSDs as compatible expansion options in 2021. As long as the SSD conforms to officially announced expansion specifications, you can install it to enjoy smooth gaming.

How Can PS5 Storage Be Expanded?

DDR5 U-DIMM modules have the same dimensions and pin count as DDR4 modules. The most obvious difference is the position of the fool-proof notch. Also, DDR5 integrates I/O resistors with CMD/ADD resistors. Also, the appearance of DDR5 modules are cleaner than DDR4. In addition, you can see a PMIC in the center.

DDR5 vs DDR4: Is It Time To Upgrade Your RAM?

As people rely more and more heavily on technology, not only does everyone have a mobile phone each, some people may also own several portable devices. Therefore, choosing a good portable power bank has become an issue that people are more and more concerned about. However, most people think that there are no worries once they’ve chosen a safe and qualifed portable power bank. It is because portable power banks are becoming more and more common that made people easily neglect the fact that portable power banks also require correct usage habits. People often forget that portable power banks that are available everywhere and can be used anywhere, also require correct storage; they can be easily damaged due to carelessness!Next, let’s see if you have the following charging habits; we’ll also share some tips on how to use portable power banks and how to store them correctly in order to prolong the usage life of your portable power bank.

How to Keep the power bank properly?

3C products are now integral to our modern lives, and as a result, the efficiency and performance of these products are key considerations for consumers. In particular, the speed of data transmissions between mobile phones, computers and storage devices is a key factor, and thus new products and technologies are constantly being introduced. For the average consumer, deciding which product is right for them can be confusing and unclear. Their instincts will push them to pick a product with the fastest transmission speeds. However, consumers may feel actual transmission speeds are not as fast as they like or may be confused as to why actual transmission speeds are lower than claimed.

Get the most out of USB 3.2 Gen2

Device manufacturers are constantly releasing new products every year. With each new product comes new specifications, and that can be a confusing mess. One such example is USB 3.0. What does it mean and how does it relate in comparison to USB 3.1 and USB 3.2? What then does Gen1 and Gen2 mean? Let us help you clear up the confusion.

Get the Low Down on USB

The pursuit of faster speeds and lower energy consumption has always been a major driver of technological advancement. The field of memory is no exception. With each successive generation of new memory, each is faster, higher in capacity, and more energy efficient.

When speed and capacity of DDR3 memory reached a bottleneck, and DDR3L could no longer provide significant improvements in energy consumption, DDR4 memory was born. From the figure below, we can see that DDR4 has reduced the required voltage from 1.2V compared to 1.35V for DDR3L. What’s more, DDR4 is 50% faster than DDR3L.

What is DDR4?

When buying a memory card you might come across a whole host of different memory card types and sizes. And like most people, you might ask yourself, &ldquo;what does this all mean?&rdquo; Read on and let us help you clear up the confusion.

Things to Know Before Buying a Memory Card

Many people who are new to computers often confuse memory with hard drives as both are listed in regards to capacity on specification tables. Let’s take a closer look at what memory actually does.

The main function of memory is to store data that is to be processed by the CPU, and provide the latter with access to the data at any given time. Therefore, memory is also called buffer memory and cache memory. In a computer, the memory also exists in various forms, such as cache memory inside the CPU, buffer memory inside the hard disk, and the video memory on the graphics card (Video Memory). ). In this article, we will be introducing system memory - the DRAM installed on the motherboard.

Computers have hard drives which store data permanently as magnetic information, but even with the improved speed of today's hard drive technology. Hard drives are still too slow to keep up with the needs of the CPU since it can operate on considerably more information per second than can possibly be transferred to and from the hard drive. This is where the need for a fast, short-term memory solution comes in, a memory space that provides very fast access for the CPU so data can be written and read as needed without slowing down the system when performing task such as streaming movies, processing images, or running games.

(The key function of memory is to act as a buffer between the high-speed CPU and low-speed hard disk.)

What does memory do?

From the earliest days of the PC, the need to back up and store data has always been present. Overtime the means of meeting these needs have evolved from floppy disks and CDs to external hard disks, USB flash drives and other external portable storage devices today. Throughout this evolution, people have continually pursued more compact form factors, higher capacities, faster transfer speeds, and even more reliability

Should I get an external HDD or SSD?

Today it is common to see consumer electronic products labeled as dustproof and waterproof, and this is most commonly done via the IP Rating standard, which include ratings such as IP68, IP57, IPX7, IP5X and more. But what is the IP Rating standard? What are the differences between each of the ratings? Let us clear up the confusion for you.

IP Protection Rating Explained

As more of our entertainment and work migrate to our mobile devices, we are ever more reliant on mobile batteries to power our devices. At present, lithium batteries are the most common. Lithium batteries can be generally divided into two main types, namely lithium-ion batteries and lithium-ion polymer batteries. Compared with earlier nickel-metal hydride batteries, lithium batteries have the advantages of being able to be charged and discharged more rapidly, and not have as much of a "memory effect," which occurs when a battery is recharged before it is fully empty.

Mobile Battery Types

Have you ever found your mobile phone low on power at a critical moment? For example, when needing to use GPS navigation in an unfamiliar neighborhood and waiting 3 hours for your phone to charge is not an option. We’ve all been there. Besides ensuring you have a full charge on your phone before going into a situation like this, the next best solution is to have a power bank on hand with fast charging capabilities.

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