In an exciting development that has left tech enthusiasts in awe, Apex Storage has unleashed its much-anticipated Apex Storage X21 – a true storage beast. This revolutionary 21 SSD-capacity add-in-card (AIC) has recently undergone rigorous testing, and the results are nothing short of breathtaking.
Designed for Professionals and Prosumers
Geared towards professionals and prosumers, the Apex Storage X21 is set to redefine the storage game. This hardware marvel is powered by the HighPoint SSD7540 PCIe Gen4 x16 RAID card, providing unparalleled performance. What’s more, it boasts enough space to accommodate nearly two dozen 16TB SSDs, offering a jaw-dropping 336TB total storage capacity.
Blistering Performance Unleashed
The most remarkable aspect of the Apex Storage X21 is its exceptional performance. It has achieved blistering speeds of 28.7GB/s in testing, coming remarkably close to Apex’s own claims of 30.5GB/s sequential read and 28.5GB/s sequential write speeds in real-world scenarios.
Storage Review Puts it to the Test
In a rigorous test by Storage Review, the Apex Storage X21 delivered outstanding results. Using 21 Samsung 990 Pro SSDs, it achieved 27.4GB/s 8K random reads with 3.454M IOPS throughput and 28.7GB/s 8K random writes with 3.499M IOPS throughput. This was done with the SSDs fully formatted and completely filled during testing.
Versatile Compatibility
The Apex Storage X21 isn’t limited to one type of SSD. It showcased its prowess with various SSDs available on the market today, including Samsung 980 Pros and Solidigm P41 Plus units. This versatility makes it a top choice for storage enthusiasts.
The Reigning Champ
With its incredible bandwidth and massive throughput capabilities, the Apex Storage X21 has earned the title of “beast” according to Storage Review. It currently holds the crown as the world’s fastest AIC, surpassing the previous record holder, the OWC Accelsior 8M2, which had speeds of up to 26GB/s in 2021, as reported by WCCF Tech.
What Does This Storage Marvel Cost?
While the Apex Storage X21 promises unmatched performance and capacity, it comes with a price tag to match. A fully-loaded Apex Storage X21, equipped with 21 16TB SSDs, is estimated to cost around $45,000, and double that if you’re considering pairing two units in a RAID-0 setup. The AIC itself is expected to be available for approximately $3,000.
Is it Overkill?
For most users, the staggering storage capacity of the Apex Storage X21 might seem like overkill. However, if you’re dealing with colossal amounts of video files and require lightning-fast throughput, this could be the ultimate solution. It’s worth noting that with up to 21 SSDs in a single AIC, there’s a higher chance of hardware issues, with 21 possible points of failure.
The Apex Storage X21 has undoubtedly raised the bar in the storage industry, promising unparalleled performance and capacity for professionals and prosumers alike. While it may not be for everyone, it’s a testament to the constant innovation happening in the tech world.