NVMe SSD Archives

Winsage

March 25, 2026

Microsoft Removes Registry Hack for Faster NVMe SSDs in Windows 11

Microsoft has removed a registry hack that allowed users to unlock faster speeds for NVMe SSDs, following the introduction of native NVMe SSD support in Windows Server 2025. This change aims to enhance SSD performance by eliminating the need for the previous method that translated NVMe commands into SCSI commands, which caused latency and reduced speeds. Currently, Windows 11 does not support native NVMe SSD processing and continues to use the older command conversion method. Although the registry hack is now obsolete, third-party tools like ViVeTool can still enable this feature through specific commands, but using such tools carries risks.

Winsage

March 6, 2026

Windows Server 2025 Native NVMe: Storage Stack Overhaul and Benchmark Results

On December 15, 2025, Microsoft announced native NVMe support in Windows Server 2025, marking a significant evolution in data management and access. The new architecture replaces Disk.sys with NVMeDisk.sys, allowing direct communication from the filesystem to hardware via StorMQ, eliminating latency and enhancing performance. Testing revealed increased read speeds, particularly in random 4K and 64K benchmarks, with significant reductions in average read latency and lower CPU usage during sequential operations. Write operations showed modest improvements. A registry modification is required to enable this feature, and caution is advised due to potential complications with NVMe drives when deduplication is enabled.

AppWizard

January 9, 2026

Steam Machine release date speculation, specs and latest news

Valve is set to launch the Steam Machine in early 2026, potentially up to April 2026, though delays may occur due to a RAM crisis affecting component prices. Pre-orders are currently unavailable, but customers can add it to their Steam wishlist for notifications. The Steam Machine is a PC-hybrid console, running SteamOS, and offers a desktop environment for flexibility. It has performance specifications between the Xbox Series S and PlayStation 5, with 16GB of system memory and 8GB of video memory. Key specifications include a semi-custom AMD Zen 4 CPU, semi-custom AMD RDNA3 GPU, and storage options of 512GB or 2TB NVMe SSD. The Steam Machine will come with a Steam Controller, featuring standard controls and enhanced precision through dual trackpads and a gyroscope.

Winsage

December 24, 2025

This neat Windows 11 registry trick offers higher NVMe SSD performance—but it’s not for everyone

Recent discoveries have revealed a registry tweak that can enhance the performance of NVMe SSDs on Windows 11, particularly improving random 4K speeds. Traditionally, Windows has treated most drives as SCSI, limiting the potential of NVMe drives. Microsoft is introducing native NVMe support in Windows Server 2025, which bypasses the SCSI conversion process for improved speed and efficiency. Users can achieve similar enhancements on Windows 11 through specific registry modifications, which must be done at their own risk. The necessary driver is included in recent updates for both Windows Server 2025 and Windows 11. Users need to adjust three registry values to enable this functionality. Once modified, NVMe drives will appear under 'Storage Media' in Device Manager. Reports indicate significant performance gains, with one user noting increases of 45% in random 4K read and 49% in write performance. Microsoft suggests enterprise users could see up to 80% higher IOPS and a 45% reduction in CPU cycles. The WD Black SN8100 SSD is noted for its high random 4K speeds, loading games faster than competitors. Many users have pointed out that Linux has had native NVMe support for some time.

Winsage

December 24, 2025

Windows 11 has a hidden driver that may boost NVMe SSD performance

Windows users have relied on the disk.sys driver for storage management since 2006, which has not changed significantly despite support for NVMe since Windows 8.1. Microsoft has introduced nvmedisk.sys for Windows Server 2025 and a version in Windows 11 25H2, which improves performance by enhancing integration with NVMe technology. Tests show that nvmedisk.sys offers better raw throughput in sequential and random read/write tasks compared to disk.sys, as it removes the legacy SCSI translation layer, reducing overhead and improving latency, particularly on high-end SSDs. However, enabling nvmedisk.sys may cause system instability or boot failures if the SSD controller lacks compatibility, and users are advised to check the current driver in Device Manager and back up data before switching drivers. The new driver is still in a soft launch phase, and there is uncertainty about when it will be available in a stable build.

Winsage

December 24, 2025

Windows 11 driver hack boosts NVMe SSD performance by up to 85%

Windows 11 has recently begun to unlock the full potential of NVMe SSDs through registry modifications that enable a pseudo driver injection, resulting in nearly double the random write performance in certain scenarios. A native NVMe driver was rolled out in a recent update to Windows Server 2025, but it is not enabled by default in consumer versions of Windows 11. Users can activate it through specific registry edits. Testing by users revealed significant enhancements in random read and write performance after implementing these changes, with one user noting an 85% improvement in random write speeds. However, caution is advised when making registry edits, as some users have experienced loss of access to their file systems, which was recoverable by reverting the changes. There is no official timeline for when Microsoft will make the native NVMe driver available for Windows 11.

Tech Optimizer

December 18, 2025

Improve Aurora PostgreSQL throughput by up to 165% and price-performance ratio by up to 120% using Optimized Reads on AWS Graviton4-based R8gd instances

AWS has introduced Graviton4-based R8gd instances for Amazon Aurora, which offer significant performance enhancements over Graviton2-based db.r6g instances. Users can expect up to 165% higher throughput, a 120% improvement in price-performance ratio, and an 80% enhancement in application response time. The integration of an Optimized Reads-enabled tiered cache allows for expanded database caching capacity, minimizing network storage access and improving query response times. Organizations like Mindbody and Claroty have reported substantial performance improvements and cost savings after implementing these features. Aurora PostgreSQL 17 has introduced smarter storage batching algorithms and optimized writes, further enhancing performance for I/O-intensive applications. The db.r8gd instances allow for scaling up to 48xl, providing 192 vCPUs, 50 Gigabits of network bandwidth, and 10.4 TiB of local NVMe capacity. The benchmark testing using HammerDB demonstrated significant improvements in throughput, price-performance ratio, and response times when upgrading from db.r6g to db.r8gd instances. The Aurora Optimized Reads-enabled tiered cache is available for Aurora PostgreSQL versions 17.4 and higher, among others.

Winsage

December 17, 2025

Windows Server 2025 Gets Native NVMe SSD Support After 12 Years

Microsoft has introduced native NVMe SSD support in Windows Server 2025 as an opt-in feature, marking a significant advancement 12 years after NVMe's inception. This new support allows direct multi-queue access to hardware, delivering up to 3.3 million IOPS on PCIe Gen 5 SSDs and over 10 million IOPS on Host Bus Adapters, while significantly reducing latency. The previous reliance on converting NVMe commands to SCSI commands caused processing latency and overhead. Native NVMe support eliminates outdated translation layers, enhances CPU utilization, and unlocks next-generation storage capabilities. Microsoft has set up an email address, nativenvme@microsoft.com, for user feedback and inquiries. There is no current information on the timeline for native NVMe support in Windows 11.

AppWizard

November 19, 2025

Abxylute 3D One Handheld PC Boasts Glasses-Free 3D Display, Puts Games in Depth

The 3D One from Abxylute is a handheld gaming PC that combines tablet functionality with gaming console features. It measures 10.2 inches wide, 6.7 inches tall, and weighs 1.92 pounds, expanding to 14.4 inches wide and 2.45 pounds with detachable controllers. The controllers attach magnetically and include buttons, Hall effect joysticks, and a touchpad. It has a 10.95-inch touchscreen with a 2560 x 1600 resolution, 120 Hz refresh rate, and a brightness of 480 nits. The device features a 50-watt-hour battery, Intel Core Ultra 7 258V chip, 32 GB of LPDDR5x memory, and a one-terabyte NVMe SSD. It includes various connectivity options, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth. The Kickstarter campaign offers early bird pricing at 9 and standard pricing at 9, with shipments starting in December.

AppWizard

October 4, 2025

Grab this flash Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 gaming PC for just $799, if you’re quick

Walmart is offering a CyberPower budget gaming PC for , featuring an Nvidia Blackwell gaming GPU, an AMD Ryzen 5 8400F CPU, a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD, and 16GB of DDR5 RAM. The Nvidia GPU supports DLSS 4 technology, achieving 70fps in Doom The Dark Ages at 1,920 x 1,080 resolution, which can increase to 238fps with DLSS 4 upscaling. The Ryzen 5 CPU has six cores and can boost up to 4.7GHz, but has less L3 cache compared to more powerful CPUs. The system's RAM is configured on a single DIMM, which may limit performance, and the PC features RGB fans and a visually appealing case. Over 100 units have been sold in a single day.