Samsung’s 2nd-generation SmartSSD can process data right on the drive

By Nathan Drescher July 21, 2022

Forget CPUs. Say goodbye to ARM systems on a chip (SOCs). Samsung just dropped its second-generation smart SSD, and this sounds like a game changer.

The SmartSSD processes data right there on the hard drive. Programs saved to your PC don’t need to lose speed transferring to your CPU in order to launch. Games can render graphics directly from the drive, freeing up GPU cores. It’s like a party on your SSD and everyone is invited.

A black Samsung 2nd generation Smart SSD — Image courtesy of Samsung Image used with permission by copyright holder

“The SmartSSD is playing an increasingly important role,” Samsung said in an official press release. “Especially with the growth of next-generation technologies such as AI, machine learning and 5G/6G, which require large amounts of data processing.”

But this isn’t a regular consumer-facing product. Samsung developed SmartSSD for high-performance use in industry and research. SmartSSD is a proprietary technology developed by Samsung and AMD in 2020. The hard drive is designed to relieve the CPU and GPU during heavy scan processes, such as when using AI or developing high-end graphics.

Normally, the CPU would need to scan the hard drive for the information it needed and then pull that info out of the drive before processing it or sending it to the GPU. But the SmartSSD allows the hard drive to handle most of that process.

“Unlike existing SSDs, Samsung’s SmartSSD can process data directly, thereby minimizing data transfers between the CPU, GPU and RAM.” Samsung said. “This technology can avoid the bottlenecks that often occur when moving data between storage devices and CPUs, resulting in markedly improved system performance and much higher energy efficiency.”

According to tech watchdog site TechPowerUp, Samsung’s second-generation SmartSSD cuts processing time by 50% and reduces power consumption by up to 70%. It also frees up to 97% of CPU utilization.

Samsung once again partnered with AMD to create the second-generation SmartSSD. The drive uses an AMD-based SOC heavily optimized for Samsung SSD architecture. Samsung hopes to work with other manufacturers to standardize SmartSSD technology through the Storage Network Industry Association (SNIA) so future smart SSD drives will work in a variety of devices.

Editors' Recommendations

World’s first 200TB SSD is nearly here, but you can’t use it

Topics

Nathan Drescher

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Nathan Drescher is a freelance journalist and writer from Ottawa, Canada. He's been writing about technology from around the…

Computing

Power up your tech game this summer with Dell’s top deals: Upgrade for a bargain

Dell Techfest and best tech on sale featured.

One of the best times to upgrade your tech stack, be it your desktop, a new laptop, or some high-resolution monitors, is when great deals are to be had. Well, I'm here to share that thanks to Dell's top deals, you can power up your tech game and have most of the summer to make it happen. Maybe you're happy with your current system or setup. That's excellent, but you're likely considering upgrading somewhere, and that's precisely what these deals are all about. Dell has a smorgasbord of deals on laptops, desktops, gaming desktops, monitors, accessories, and so much more. We'll call out a few of our favorite deals below, but for now, know that you should be shopping this sale if you're interested in anything tech-related.

What summer tech should you buy in Dell's top deals?

Computing

I love the MacBook Pro, but this Windows laptop came surprisingly close

Apple MacBook Pro 16 downward view showing keyboard and speaker.

There are some great machines in the 15-inch laptop category, which has recently been stretched to include the more common 16-inch laptop. The best among them is the Apple MacBook Pro 16, which offers fast performance for tasks like video editing and the longest battery life.

The Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 is aimed not only at other 16-inch Windows laptops but also at the MacBook Pro 16. It offers many of the same benefits but at a lower price. Can it take a place at the top?
Specs and configurations

Computing

How to set an ‘Out of Office’ message in Microsoft Teams

Person using Windows 11 laptop on their lap by the window.

Many people use Microsoft Teams regularly to communicate with colleagues both inside of the office and remotely. It is considered one of the most efficient ways to ensure you can stay in contact with the people on your team, but what if you need to let people know you’re not readily available? Microsoft Teams has a method for you to set up an "Out of Office" status for your profile to let staff members know when you’ll be gone for the afternoon, for several days on vacation, or for an extended period.
Where do I go to set up my ‘Out of Office’ status for Teams?
It is important to note that your Microsoft Teams and Outlook calendars are synced. This includes your out-of-office status and automatic replies. So, whatever you set up in Microsoft Teams will reflect in Outlook. Similarly, you can set up your out-of-office status in Outlook, and it will be reflected in Teams; however, the former has a more straightforward instruction.

First, you can click on your profile icon in Teams and go directly to Schedule an out of office, as a shortcut. This will take you to the settings area where you can proceed. You can also click the three-dot icon next to your profile icon, then go to Settings > General, then scroll down to the bottom of the page. There, you'll find out-of-office settings and click Schedule.