Seagate launches FireCuda 520N SSD
Seagate has announced the debut of the FireCuda 520N SSD series, a resplendent M.2 2230 specification product meticulously designed for handheld devices like ASUS’s ROG Ally and Valve’s Steam Deck, facilitating storage expansion. Concurrently, it’s well-suited for svelte PCs, notably the Microsoft Surface lineup of laptops.
The inaugural batch of FireCuda 520N SSDs has graced e-commerce platforms, offering both 1TB and 2TB capacities. They are crafted with a PCIe 4.0 x4 interface and are compliant with the NVMe 1.4 standard specification. Notwithstanding its diminutive form, the FireCuda 520N SSDs remain uncompromised in performance. With maximum sequential read speeds for the 1TB and 2TB versions clocking in at 5000 MB/s and 4750 MB/s respectively, they stand shoulder to shoulder with the M.2 2280 FireCuda 520 series SSDs.
Seagate remains reticent regarding the specific controller chip and 3D NAND flash utilized in the FireCuda 520N series SSD. However, whispers suggest a collaboration with Phison Electronics, leveraging their renowned solutions. It’s understood that the FireCuda 520N SSDs have been optimized for handheld devices, imposing specific thermal and power consumption constraints. Their market positioning resonates with the recently unveiled WD_BLACK SN770M NVMe SSD by Western Digital, which, in essence, mirrors the performance of the M.2 2280 WD_BLACK SN770. This latter piece boasts a DRAMless design for PCIe 4.0 SSDs, refined explicitly for confined spatial environments.
While e-commerce platforms are yet to disclose pricing, for contextual understanding, the WD_BLACK SN770M NVMe SSD prices for the 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB variants stand at $74.99, $109.99, and $219.99 respectively. It’s plausible to assume that the FireCuda 520N series SSDs will be pitched at a comparable price range.
M.2 2230 specification SSDs have graced the tech realm for numerous years, though predominantly restricted to OEM manufacturers with scant retail presence. However, with the burgeoning success of handheld devices like ASUS’s ROG Ally and Valve’s Steam Deck, storage behemoths like Western Digital and Seagate have turned their gaze towards the M.2 2230 specification SSDs, thereby launching their respective offerings in tandem.
