Intel's pre-production SSDs get pictured

We've been waiting so long for Intel to stop talking and start producing its own line of SSDs that it's actually kind of shocking to finally see some progress. Nevertheless, one Knut Grimsrud managed to spend some time with a pre-production unit and was noticeably satisfied with performance. 'Course, we all know the benefits of solid state discs by now -- we're ready to see those buggers snapped above available en masse. Any day now, Intel.

[Via CNET]

[Phil Perman @ Apr 3rd 2008 6:45AM]

I misread that guys name first time round, can you guess what I thought it said? Thats something thats going to get you bullied at school.

[Andrew @ Apr 3rd 2008 7:01AM]

His name sounds perfectly normal to me :)

[supermeerkat @ Apr 3rd 2008 10:50AM]

On the other hand, if he was called Ivor Biggun or Betty Swollocks

[ssuk @ Apr 3rd 2008 7:27AM]

Not to be pedantic, but perhaps the article could have done with the words "Solid State Drive" written somewhere just to clarify what SSD meant.

About the article though, cool. Hope they're of decent size and decent price. I'll be looking into buying a SSD with the next laptop/desktop I buy. Hopefully by then there should be a decent sized drive for a reasonable price.

[Reader @ Apr 3rd 2008 7:32AM]

If there is someone that reads Engadget and does not know what an SSD is, I don't know what to say to them.

[Howdy Doody @ Apr 3rd 2008 8:51AM]

@ Reader: I think he knows what Solid Satate Drive is, just not what "SSD" stands for. I too get confused with the acronyms sometimes.

[anon @ Apr 3rd 2008 10:26AM]

Not to be flippant but the original article says "solid state disc," which was the author's error. There is no disc or platter in this device, as many well know.

I also wish these authors would spell out acronyms for the first time it's used per article, rather than assuming we all either know what these things are or read each and every post diligently.

[xValentine @ Apr 3rd 2008 8:49AM]

looks good.

Only the Size and Price and we'll see how Intel can bash Samsung.

[Yubastard @ Apr 3rd 2008 9:46AM]

with Intel now in the game, will the prices drop? and if it does drop, will it be because of that new tech where Intel can get twice the bits from the same space? will we see bigger drives from them?

questions, questions...

[simbiot @ Apr 3rd 2008 9:50AM]

Bring it. With Intel's power, money and FABs you'd think they would have punched the market in the chin by now.

[cydonia @ Apr 3rd 2008 10:48AM]

piano black?

i have to say that those are possibly the sexiest drives ive ever seen...

[UKNigel @ Apr 3rd 2008 11:24AM]

Agreed, no more of the "This is my serious face" drives covered with boring stainless steel. Of course being internal drives they probably won't be too visible, but the knowledge that they look all kinds of fine is good enough for me.

[Michael LaFramboise @ Apr 3rd 2008 3:14PM]

Shame you won't ever see them since they'll be inside the machine :p

[laokoon2600 @ Apr 3rd 2008 11:00AM]

How does these compare to my Transcend TS32GSSD25-M performance wise? My drive is slow as hell :( Just good enough for mp3-players or WiMobile...

[nikster @ Apr 4th 2008 3:44AM]

Since you can't be bothered to read the article - which would perhaps be a lot faster than posting a comment to the effect "what does the article say?" as you have - yes, it's fast. Very fast.

The funny thing is that the author feels the difference mainly with tasks that are slow due to crappy software, such as the backup software that takes over the system at the most inopportune times, or starting up Outlook which takes so long that the author usually surfs the web at the same time. The SSD is so fast that backup can run in the background without interrupting anything, and Outlook starts faster.

[Ferdinand @ Apr 4th 2008 3:59AM]

Will it be any faster than the Mtron drive currently available in the market? Or is Intel planning on undercutting the competetion with agressive pricing?

Whatever they do, please do launch low capacity SSDs in 8GB and 16GB as well. There are a lot of webservers (not database!) that can run on this thing and benefit from the speed. Also, some poor folks won't mind having a very small SSD for key applications in their desktop PCs, while a second, larger, magnetic disc can hold the bulk.

Please somebody make affordable 8GB and 16GB SSDs!