INTRODUCTION

   Size, storage capacity, speed/performance and cost, these are undeniably the 4 things people focus on when out to buy a brand new portable SSD. Still some things in the electronics market advance faster than others and so even though size and cost have been reduced significantly storage capacity and, in some cases, even speed/performance have all but remained the same for the past 3-4 years or so. Currently the fastest portable SSDs might be Thunderbolt 3/4 models but thanks to its out of the box compatibility with many modern motherboards USB 3.2 Gen2x2 is far more popular among gamers, enthusiasts and even professionals. Since nothing beats USB 3.2 Gen2 in terms of popularity (not everyone out there owns a modern motherboard) and having recently released both the X9 Pro USB 3.2 Gen2 and X10 Pro USB 3.2 Gen2x2 portable SSDs Crucial clearly aims to grab a large piece of the global market.

   We are an industry leader in innovative memory and storage solutions, transforming how the world uses information to enrich life for all. With a relentless focus on our customers, technology leadership and manufacturing and operational excellence, Micron delivers a rich portfolio of high-performance DRAM, NAND and NOR memory and storage products through our Micron® and Crucial® brands. Every day, the innovations that our people create fuel the data economy, enabling advances in artificial intelligence and 5G applications that unleash opportunities — from the data center to the intelligent edge and across the client and mobile user experience. To learn more about Micron Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: MU), visit micron.com. http://www.micron.com/

   Both the X9 Pro and the X10 Pro by Crucial are currently available in 1/2/4TB capacities and are based on the quad-channel (32 CEs) SM2320G NAND flash controller by Silicon Motion together with 176-layer 3D TLC NAND flash by Micron (B47R). Yes, the Silicon Motion SM2320G NAND flash controller is a native USB 3.2 Gen2x2 model but just like with Kingston and their XS1000/XS2000 portable SSDs Crucial also configured it as USB 3.2 Gen2x1 (10Gb/s) in the case of the X9 Pro and USB 3.2 Gen2x2 (20Gb/s) in the case of the X10 Pro. In terms of technologies featured the SM2320G controller once again fully supports Silicon Motion's latest NANDXtend ECC end-to-end data path protection together with real time AES 256-bit encryption for full compliance with the Trusted Computing Group - TCG Opal 2.0 specification. Finally, both the X9 Pro and X10 Pro portable SSDs by Crucial are dust and water (IP55) resistant and are covered by a 5-year limited warranty.