SK Hynix gets back into SSDs with the launch of consumer-grade Gold S31 SSD range

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SK Hynix is getting back into the SSD industry after a notable absence. The South Korean memory semiconductor supplier has announced its surprise return with a slate of new consumer SSDs.

Arriving under the moniker SK Hynix Gold S31 SSDs, these are 2.5” SATA II form factor drives which will be available in three different capacities – 250GB, 500GB, and 1TB. Each drive is rated at 560MB/s sequel read performance and up to 525MB/s sequential write performance. They each come with a five-year warranty and 200TB, 300TB, and 600TB write endurance respectively. 

The specs are a little sparse right but, on paper at least, these SSDs seem decent enough. They’re certainly competitive with similarly priced solid-state drives.

Price-wise, this new crop of Gold S31 drives are fairly run of the mill, costing users $49.99 for the 250GB model, $77.99 for 500GB, and $123.99 for the 1TB variant. 

“All key components in Gold S31, from NAND flash and built-in controller to DRAM and firmware, were designed and produced by SK Hynix. The in-house components are built for robust performance and reliability,” writes SK Hynix.

This tempting trio is just the start of SK Hynix’s plans though, with a wider range encompassing the ‘SuperCore’ series of consumer SSDs inbound. For the M.2 drive users out there, this will also include SK Hynix’s first-ever M.2 storage. 

As it is though, SK Hynix is just dipping its toe into the retail market rather than engaging a full-frontal assault. They are initially available exclusively through Amazon in the States (right now), with plans for a European rollout at some point in 2020.