Technology and Scienceupdated 21m ago2 min read
Seagate Launches FireCuda Forge External Drive With Alkemi SSD Caching
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External Seagate FireCuda Forge combines HDD capacity with user-supplied NVMe SSD via an M.2 slot. Alkemi caches used data on the SSD while the drive presents as a single unit.
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FireCuda Forge Launch
Seagate launched the FireCuda Forge, an external desktop hard drive available with 8TB or 20TB HDD configurations that require buyers to install an M.2 2280 NVMe SSD themselves. Seagate said the Forge is powered and managed by its new Alkemi intelligent storage platform, which automatically moves frequently used files to the SSD while keeping the rest on the HDD so the computer sees a single volume.
Seagate rated the combined system for sequential reads of up to 2,500 MB/s and writes of up to 2,000 MB/s over USB4, and it said the Forge supports Windows 11 and macOS 26 or later. Seagate also specified that the Forge will not work without the SSD, and it required an M.2-2280 NVMe SSD with PCIe Gen3 or newer, at least 2,400 MB/s read and 2,000 MB/s write, with DRAM cache recommended and no heat sink required because it includes its own thermal pads.
SSD Limits and Compatibility
Seagate limited the “fast side” of the hybrid setup by supporting M.2 2280 NVMe drives with PCIe Gen3 or higher and capping maximum supported NVMe capacity at 1TB. Seagate also required minimum SSD performance of 2,400MB/s read and 2,000MB/s write, and it recommended a unit with DRAM cache.
Seagate certified specific SSD models including the Samsung 990 Pro, the SanDisk SN850X and GX Pro 850X, and the SN7100 and GX7100, while Tom’s Hardware described Seagate’s qualified list as including Samsung’s 990 Pro and the WD/Sandisk SN710/GX7100. Seagate said the Forge is not a NAS and connects via USB to a single computer, and it presented both drives to the host as one disk rather than separate volumes.
Pricing, Availability, and Next
Seagate priced the FireCuda Forge at $699 for the 8TB version and $899 for the 20TB version, and the product shipped without an SSD so the final cost depends on the separately purchased drive. Seagate made the Forge available through its web store and partner retailers since November 10, 2026, and it listed an Amazon US price of $755.99 for the 8-TB model.
Seagate’s Alkemi platform was positioned as a dynamic cache that adapts as habits change, and Seagate said it “prioritize active data without requiring users to manually manage separate drives.” Seagate had not released information about warranty or Rescue data recovery service, while the Verge said the Forge is now available through Seagate’s online store, Newegg, and Best Buy with read speeds up to 2,500MB/s and write speeds topping out at 2,000MB/s on computers running at least Windows 11 or macOS 26.