Biwin has announced a new form factor for solid-state storage, combining the portability of a card-based design with the speed of NVMe. The company’s latest Mini SSD arrives in a SIM-tray style module that measures just 15 × 17 × 1.4 mm, making it only slightly larger than a MicroSD card.
The compact module connects through PCIe 4.0 x2 and delivers quoted sequential read speeds of up to 3,700 MB/s and write speeds of up to 3,400 MB/s. Storage options will include 512 GB, 1 TB, and 2 TB capacities, targeting users who need both speed and convenience in portable devices.
Unlike conventional M.2 drives that require disassembly to install, Biwin’s Mini SSD can be ejected using a simple SIM pin, making it easy to swap without additional tools. This feature is particularly useful for handheld gaming devices and compact PCs, where accessibility and space efficiency are critical.
Biwin has also emphasized durability in the design. The Mini SSD is IP68-rated for dust and water resistance and tested to survive drops of up to three meters. This makes it suitable not only for gaming handhelds but also for rugged computing scenarios where reliability in challenging environments is required.
The new format positions itself between MicroSD cards, which offer ease of use but limited performance, and M.2 NVMe SSDs, which deliver high speeds but lack hot-swappability. Early adoption has been confirmed by handheld manufacturers, including GPD with its upcoming Win 5 model and One-Netbook with the OneXPlayer Super X.
Industry watchers will be observing how the Mini SSD performs in real-world use, particularly in areas such as controller efficiency, firmware stability, and heat management during sustained workloads. If the format proves successful, it could pave the way for broader adoption across the handheld PC market and other portable computing platforms.
Biwin’s entry into this segment reflects growing demand for fast, removable storage solutions that do not compromise on durability or transfer speeds. The coming months will show whether the Mini SSD establishes itself as a standard in next-generation handheld devices.
Source: The Verge
