In a nutshell: We've already seen what a PCIe 5.0 RAID array cooled by AirJet Mini technology is capable of, and now we have an idea of what to expect when pairing the cooling solution with a more conventional external SSD.
Frore Systems again demonstrated its AirJet cooling technology, this time at Computex 2024 using a pair of Sabrent 8 TB solid-state drives – each installed in a separate Orico external SSD enclosure. One enclosure was left alone in a passive cooling configuration while the other was outfitted with a pair of AirJet Mini coolers.
The passively cooled SSD reportedly reached a temperature of 62 degrees Celsius and was very hot to the touch. Worse yet, thermal throttling limited the drive to sustained speeds of just 1,320 MB/sec.
The dual AirJet Mini-equipped enclosure, on the other hand, peaked at 42 degrees Celsius and while warm, could still be handled comfortably. Data transfer rates were also much higher, as the drive could sustainably reads and writes at speeds of 3,016 MB/s – more than twice as fast as the passively cooled unit.
At CES in January, Frore Systems introduced a thinner and lighter version of its AirJet Mini cooling system called the AirJet Mini Slim. The newer drive measures just 2.5 mm thin and weighs eight grams, making it 0.3 mm thinner and one gram lighter than before, while otherwise maintaining its same footprint of 27.5 mm x 41.5 mm. Being smaller should allow it to fit into even tighter spaces, expanding the number of devices it could be compatible with.
Frore's tech seems like a dream come true for DIYers, but unfortunately the company isn't going that route – at least, not initially. As Tom's Hardware highlights, Frore is currently focused on selling its cooling tech to large manufacturers.
Here's to hoping the company eventually reaches a point where it can offer its tech to individuals as I have several projects in mind that could benefit from the sort of spot cooling an AirJet affords.
Portable SSD with AirJet tech runs 20C cooler, achieves 2x sustained performance
