On October 23, 2024, Raspberry Pi made a significant announcement by officially launching its inaugural in-house solid-state drive (SSD). This new SSD comes in three distinct capacity variants: 256GB, 512GB, and a hefty 1TB. Designed with the compact M.2 2230 form factor in mind, the drive boasts a PCIe 3.0 interface, is fully compatible with the NVMe 1.4 protocol, and operates efficiently within a temperature range of 0℃ to 70℃, ensuring reliability in various environments.

When it comes to performance, the 256GB model shines with random read and write speeds of 40K and 70K IOPS (Input/Output Operations Per Second) for 4KB data blocks, respectively. Stepping up, the 512GB version elevates these figures to an impressive 50K and 90K IOPS, offering a noticeable boost in data handling capabilities. Although specific performance details for the 1TB model have not been fully disclosed, one can anticipate robust performance given the trend.

This versatile SSD is not only tailored for the Raspberry Pi 5 but also seamlessly integrates with other ARM-based single-board computers. However, to harness its full potential, users will need to employ an M.2 HAT+ adapter, a small investment for the enhanced storage and speed it brings.

In terms of pricing, the 256GB SSD starts at an affordable $30, while the 512GB variant is priced at $45. The cost of the 1TB model remains under wraps for now, but given the pricing strategy, it's expected to offer excellent value. Raspberry Pi has further reassured users by committing to manufacture this SSD until at least January 2032, providing a long-term and stable solution for storage needs.