Newly discovered AMD AM5+ sockets:
AMD's AM5+ platform was mentioned for the first time in the recent changelog of the open-source software MC Extractor.
We don't know much about AM5+, but there is an opinion that it will come out sometime in 2026 and will maintain some level of compatibility with existing AM5s.
As for why AM5+ is launched on the basis of AM5, perhaps we can refer to the AM3 and AM3+ in the past. The AM5 slot has 1718 pins, but the current AM5 processor does not have all the pins enabled, and the AM5+ may play the role of pin reservation to introduce more new features, such as USB4 v2.0.
The AM5 to AM5+ upgrade may also include support for greater power capability, more advanced voltage control techniques, or improved thermal fastener design, all of which have occurred during the AM3 to AM3+ upgrade.
In the next 6 years, the capacity of the hard disk will be multiplied several times:
Seagate recently announced that it has mastered the multi-layer HAMR thermal-assisted magnetic recording technology, which can achieve two different recording layers on one side of the disc, and record different data through different magnetic temperatures, thereby doubling the capacity.
In addition, it is expected that the storage density will be increased from 2.6 Tbit/sq N to 8 Tbit/sq ft by reducing the particle volume through more refined magnetic recording media.
With the help of these new technologies, Seagate believes it will be able to achieve 120TB of capacity per disk by 2030. Of course, this is not the first time Seagate has released satellites, and the related technology may be mass-produced in the future, but the timing may be much later than it claims.
In terms of SSDs, Kioxia discussed the technical challenges and solutions for 1000-layer stacked 3D NAND flash memory at a recent Applied Physics Conference. Kioxia's latest BiCS8 flash memory features 218 layers of stacking, and KIOXIA plans to achieve mass production of 1,000 layers of stacked 3D flash memory in 2031. Higher stacking tiers will lead to higher storage density, driving SSD capacity growth and lower price per capacity.