samsung ssd 850 evoCDRLabs has taken yet another look at Samsung's popular 850 EVO Series SSD. This time around, we've reviewed the 1TB version of the drive which combines Samsung's MEX controller with their 3-bit 3D V-NAND. To compensate for the slow write speeds typically associated with 3-bit (TLC) NAND, the 850 EVO uses Samsung's TurboWrite write acceleration technology, which creates a high-performance write buffer in the SSD. It also offers support for Device Sleep (DEVSLP), hardware-based full disk encryption and Samsung's RAPID (Real-time Accelerated Processing of I/O Data) technology. By using free PC memory as a cache, RAPID can push the performance of the SSD beyond the limits of the current SATA specification.

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crucial bx100 ssdCDRLabs kicks off the week with a review of Crucial's new BX100 solid state drive. Aimed at the budget-conscious consumer looking to upgrade their system to an SSD, the BX100 offers substantial yet affordable performance gains. Powered by Silicon Motion's SM2246EN controller and available with up to 1TB of Micron's 16nm 128gb NAND, the drive delivers true 535 MB/s sequential reads on both compressible and incompressible data for faster boot up speeds and shorter application load times. Also, with Crucial's Extreme Energy Efficiency technology, the BX100 is two times more energy efficient than a typical hard drive, allowing users to run their systems longer, using less power.

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samsung ssd 850 evo msataIn addition to our review of Samsung's new 850 EVO M.2 SSD, CDRLabs has taken an in depth look at the 850 EVO mSATA. Designed for ultra-thin laptop PCs, this new addition to the 850 EVO family is available with up to 1TB of Samsung's 3-bit 3D V-NAND and, depending on the capacity, is powered by one of two different controllers. To compensate for the slow write speeds typically associated with 3-bit NAND, the 850 EVO mSATA is equipped with Samsung's TurboWrite write acceleration technology, which creates a high-performance write buffer in the SSD. The drive also offers support for Device Sleep (DEVSLP), hardware-based full disk encryption and Samsung's RAPID (Real-time Accelerated Processing of I/O Data) technology. By using free PC memory as a cache, RAPID can push the performance of the SSD beyond the limits of the current SATA specification.

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samsung ssd 850 evo m2 ssdToday, CDRLabs brings you a review of Samsung's new 850 EVO M.2 SSD. Designed for Ultrabooks, ultra-thin computing devices and motherboards with built-in M.2 (NGFF) slots, this new addition to the 850 EVO family isn't much larger than a stick of chewing gum. The 850 EVO M.2 is powered by the same MGX controller found in the 850 EVO and is available with up to 500GB of Samsung's 3-bit 3D V-NAND flash memory. The drive also shares many of the same features as its full size counterpart. Along with Turbo Write, it supports Device Sleep (DEVSLP) for lower power consumption and self-encrypting drive (SED) technology that is TCG Opal 2.0 and IEEE-1667 compliant. Moreover, the 850 EVO M.2 supports Samsung's RAPID (Real-time Accelerated Processing of I/O Data) technology. By using free PC memory as a cache, RAPID can push the performance of the SSD beyond the limits of the current SATA specification.

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silicon power armor a30CDRLabs has put together a brief review of Silicon Power's Armor A30 USB 3.0 portable hard drive. Available in 500GB, 1TB and 2TB capacities, this shockproof USB 3.0 hard drive meets the U.S. military's drop-test standards. Along with a scratch-resistant, hexagonal patterned surface, the Armor A30 is equipped with an internal suspension system comprised of a shock-resistant silica gel. This gel also extends outside the drive's case, adding an extra layer of protection and serving as a place to store the cable when not in use. To top it all off, the Armor A30 works with Silicon Power's SP Widget backup and security software and is covered by a 3-year warranty.

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wd dl4100 nasCDRLabs kicks off the week with a review of WD's new 4-bay My Cloud NAS, the DL4100. Built to provide the reliability, security and scalability small business customers need, the DL4100 is powered by an Intel Atom C2338 1.7 GHz processor and is equipped with 2GB of RAM, dual gigabit ethernet and power ports with failover capability, and up to 24TB of storage. The device runs WD's Linux-based My Cloud OS and features business-ready capabilities including iSCSI target and initiator, replication and file synchronization, integrated FTP, WebDAV server, SSH shell, and Microsoft Active Directory support. To keep your data safe, the DL4100 also offers AES 256-bit volume encryption as well as multiple backup and RAID options.

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amd radeon r7 ssdToday, CDRLabs brings you a review of AMD's new Radeon R7 solid state drive. Designed with gamers and graphics-hungry power users in mind, the Radeon R7 is based on OCZ's Indilinx-infused Barefoot 3 M00 controller. This cutting-edge controller is powered by both an ARM Cortex processor and OCZ's own Aragon co-processor and features an advanced, multi-level ECC engine, low write amplification, efficient garbage collection and adaptive flash management algorithms. The Radeon R7 is also equipped with up to 480GB of Toshiba's latest Advanced 19nm (A19) MLC NAND flash. Along with 30GB of host writes per day, the drive is capable of 550MB/s read and 530MB/s write speeds and a maximum of 90,000 4KB random write IOPS.

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silicon power s80 ssdCDRLabs has taken an in depth look at Silicon Power's new Slim S80 SSD. Weighing only 79g and measuring 7mm in depth, the drive is designed to be an ideal upgrade solution for ultrabooks and ultra slim notebooks. The S80 is powered by Phison's PS3108-S8 controller and is available with up to 960GB of Toshiba's Toggle Mode MLC NAND to deliver faster boot up speeds, shorter application load times and higher reliability than traditional hard drives. The drive is also shock and vibration proof, and is equipped with ECC and wear leveling technologies to enhance data reliability, extend endurance and ensure consistent data storage.

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lexar m20 mobileToday, CDRLabs brings you a review of Lexar's new 2-in-1 USB flash drive, the JumpDrive M20 Mobile. Designed for use with On-The-Go (OTG)-enabled Android tablets and smartphones, the M20 Mobile sports a thumb slide design with a connector on each end - micro-USB and USB 3.0 - that both retract. With these two connectors, users can  transfer playlists, photos, videos and files between their OTG-enabled Android devices, or from device to computer, without the use of cables or Wi-Fi. The M20 Mobile also leverages USB 3.0 performance, offering read speeds of up to 120MB/s. At these speeds, you can transfer a 3GB HD video clip in less than one minute, compared to the 4 minutes it takes using a standard USB 2.0 drive.

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samsung microsdhc evo and proCDRLabs has taken a long overdue look at Samsung's EVO and PRO microSD cards. Completely redesigned with bright, color-coded hues, these memory cards are available in a variety of capacities and performance levels for use in many different consumer electronic devices. Samsung's PRO and EVO microSD cards support Ultra High Speed (UHS-I) Grade 1 level performance and offer fast read speeds of up to 90MB/s and 48MB/s, respectively. The cards have also been designed to be waterproof, temperature proof, X-ray proof and magnet proof, allowing them to withstand some of the harshest conditions.

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