FMS: Toshiba Memory XFMEXPRESS for Removable NVMe Memory Devices

Toshiba Memory America, Inc., U.S.-based subsidiary of Toshiba Memory Corporation, announced XFMEXPRESS, a technology for removable PCIe attached, NVMe memory devices.

With a new form factor and an connector, XFMEXPRESS technology delivers a combination of features designed for ultra-mobile PCs, IoT devices and various embedded applications. The company leveraged its background in single-package memory designs to develop XFMEXPRESS technology and offer these features:

• Game-changing serviceability
  Putting serviceability front and center, XFMEXPRESS enables a new category of small memory devices and SSDs that are easy to service or upgrade. By pairing a robust, compact package with removable memory functionality and flexibility, this technology will help diminish technical barriers and design constraints.

• Mobile-friendly footprint
  The XFMEXPRESS form factor’s size and low profile (14x18x1.4mm) offers a 252mm² footprint ⁽¹⁾, optimizing the mounting space for compact host devices without sacrificing performance or serviceability. With this z-height, this form factor is for thin and light notebooks and creates new design possibilities for next-gen applications and systems.

• Performance
  Designed for speed, XFMEXPRESS implements a PCIe 3.0, NVMe 1.3 interface with 4 lanes (4L), supporting theoretical bandwidth up to 4GB/s in each direction, and up to 8GB/s in each direction for next-generation use cases ⁽²⁾. This technology’s performance capabilities and durable form factor provide ang alternative to the status quo, enabling superior computing and entertainment experiences.

• Flexible, future-proof design
  XFMEXPRESS offers the necessary flexibility and scalability to stand the test of time. It is both PCIe 3.0 and 4.0 capable, can be configured with 2L to 4L, and is designed to deploy current and future 3D flash memory sizes, ensuring products using the XFMEXPRESS form factor can scale with the market.

• Connector
  The design of XFMEXPRESS offers optimized functionality and robustness, as well as a purpose-built connector that improves ease-of-use and thermal efficiency.

“Innovation like this is only made possible by redefining storage technology itself,” said Jeremy Werner, SVP and GM, SSD business unit, Toshiba Memory America. “From the PCB design to the connector, no other solution comes close to the combined size, speed, and serviceability of XFMEXPRESS technology. Toshiba Memory is excited to introduce this revolutionary new form factor to the market and enhance next-generation applications.“

“We believe that XFMEXPRESS technology is a great solution that will open new doors for innovative devices and applications in the information technology industry,” said Hajime Saito, associate SVP, Japan Aviation Electronics Industry, Ltd. (JAE). “JAE is preparing the industry’s first connector compatible with this memory device to support global hardware manufacturers who are interested in our new technology.“

“We wish to congratulate Toshiba Memory on their announcement of XFMEXPRESS technology,” said Luis Hernandez, VP, commercial product solutions development, Lenovo. “It is an amazing technology that will help us develop thinner, smaller and lighter form factors in the future. We fully support and appreciate Toshiba Memory’s intention to make XFMEXPRESS technology widely available and help drive the PC industry forward.“

The company demonstrated an XFMEXPRESS solution live at FMS.

⁽¹⁾ 22.x 17.75x 2.2mm drive+connector
⁽²⁾ Theoretical speeds based on PCIe spec of 8GT/s per lane on PCIe 3.0 and 16GT/s per lane on PCIe 4.0. Toshiba Memory Corporation defines a 1GB as 1,000,000,000 bytes.