BIWIN Mini SSD CL100 brings SIM-tray NVMe storage to consumers, starts at $85
Micro-SD portability, SSD speeds.
Biwin has released its first consumer Mini SSD card, the CL100, turning the 15 x 17 mm “1517” format from a handheld-only curiosity into a retail product. The drive was originally shown inside devices such as the GPD Win 5 and OneXPlayer Super X, where it worked as a tiny internal NVMe module. With the CL100 now sold on its own in China, Biwin is presenting it as the smallest consumer SSD on the market rather than just an OEM part.
Source: BIWIN
Mini SSD is a coin-sized NVMe drive that uses an LGA package and a card slot similar to a phone SIM tray instead of a traditional M.2 connector. The CL100 measures 15 x 17 x 1.4 mm , weighs about 1 gram, and is rated for IP68 dust and water resistance plus 3-meter drop survival. It connects over PCIe 4.0 x2 with NVMe 1.4 support and reaches up to 3700 MB/s sequential read and 3400 MB/s write, with random performance up to 550K and 650K IOPS for reads and writes. That puts it several times ahead of microSD Express cards, which top out around 985 MB/s, while still being smaller than an M.2 2230 SSD even if full-size M.2 sticks retain the highest peak speeds.
Source: BIWIN
For the consumer CL100, Biwin is offering 512 GB, 1 TB, and 2 TB capacities priced at 599, 1099, and 2199 yuan in China. At a current mid-market rate that works out to roughly $85, $155, and $311. Chinese retailers and some international stores are already listing the 512 GB and 1 TB versions as available.
Source: GPD
To push Mini SSD beyond handhelds, Biwin is also shipping the RD510, a USB4 40 Gbps card reader with an internal fan that turns the CL100 into a small external NVMe drive.
Source: GPD
The format targets devices such as laptops, tablets, handheld consoles, smartphones, and cameras that need fast removable storage without giving up PCB space to a full M.2 slot. Because the drive sits in a tray, owners can swap storage with a pin instead of opening the chassis, which sets it apart from soldered BGA flash and internal M.2 bays. So far it has earned its placed in some gaming handhelds, and so far no other company has presented a similar device. Biwin never confirmed that they are to open-sourcing this standard, though.
| BIWIN CL100 Mini SSD Specifications | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| VideoCardz.com | 512 GB | 1 TB | 2 TB |
| Interface | PCIe Gen4 x2, NVMe 1.4 | ||
| Weight | 1 g ± 0.1 g | ||
| Dimensions | 15.0 × 17.0 × 1.4 mm | ||
| Storage temperature | -40 to 85 °C | ||
| Operating temperature | 0 to 70 °C | ||
| MTBF | 1.5 million hours | ||
| Capacity | 512 GB | 1 TB | 2 TB |
| Sequential read speed (max) | 3700 MB/s | 3700 MB/s | 3700 MB/s |
| Sequential write speed (max) | 2400 MB/s | 3400 MB/s | 3400 MB/s |
| Random read speed (max) | 450K IOPS | 550K IOPS | 550K IOPS |
| Random write speed (max) | 550K IOPS | 650K IOPS | 650K IOPS |
| Endurance / warranty | 3 years / 375 TBW | 3 years / 750 TBW | 3 years / 1500 TBW |
| Active power | < 5 W | ||
| Low power idle | ≤ 6 mW | ||
| Reliability | IP68 dust and water resistance, 3 m drop resistance |
Source: Biwin (JD)
