RunCore's 1.8-inch netbook SSDs now shipping, 2.5-inch 256GB edition coming soon

Remember those comparatively cheap RunCore SSDs we caught wind of last month? Yeah, well those puppies are shipping out. The unashamedly named 1.8-inch Low Cost Zif PATA SSDs can be sealed in a corrugated box and shipped off to your place of residence for $69.99, $119.99, $199.99 or $389.99 depending on size (16/32/64/128GB, respectively). If you're looking for a bit more room and have the space to install it, the February-bound 256GB Pro III Hyper Speed 2.5-inch SATA SSD is right down your alley. The drive boasts a maximum read rate of 230MB/sec and a top write speed of 150MB/sec; unfortunately, that whole "low cost" mantra fades a bit on this one, with the $699.99 list price causing the eyes to open just a wee bit wider.

[zioncat @ Dec 30th 2008 8:55AM]

We all understand that SSD is much better your conventional hard drive but still extremely expensive. So Engadget the next time you post info on SSD make sure it’s to inform us that the demand has gone up and we can actually get one at a reasonable price.

[jimbo @ Dec 30th 2008 10:37AM]

Hell, just inform us if this baby will work in a First Gen Macbook Air and I will be happy. Hell, I will purchase that bad boy today!

[jimbo @ Dec 30th 2008 2:57PM]

Nope, does not fit. Their website makes a point to list the 128GB as 8mm, which is 3mm TO TALL to fit in the 1st Gen MBA.

[loosely_coupled @ Dec 31st 2008 2:13AM]

Actually, that is incorrect. SSDs vary widely in performance depending on the disk controller architecture, NAND type, etc. I wouldn't be surprised if cheap off-brand SSDs had similar performance to a USB memory stick. A 1.8" 5400RPM HDD would probably be better to use in a $400 netbook, unless decent performance SSDs come way down in price...

[Jon @ Dec 31st 2008 8:30AM]

Just finding-out these are coming out is great news... SSDs are dropping in price all the time, will just be a matter of time before they are affordable :-)

[216 @ Dec 30th 2008 8:58AM]

$119 for a 32gb isn't bad! Hopefully we'll start seeing Hybrid Hard drive systems as a standard earlier this year (SSD for your OS and HDD for your files)

[Flowah @ Dec 30th 2008 9:00AM]

389.99 for 128GB in a 1.8inch form factor doesn't sound THAT unreasonable to me. Especially for all its purported advantages over convention spinning harddrives.

[nickjbrk @ Dec 30th 2008 9:02AM]

These are actually really good prices, especially for the 64GB drive. Sure, the storage quotient is pretty low seeing as how you can get a 250GB drive for half that if you shop around... but still. Severe improvement over what we've seen in the past. Fast forward a year and I imagine price-bitching will be kept to a minimum.

See: Blu-ray players.

[Tony Bowman @ Dec 30th 2008 9:04AM]

why you would spend as much on an ssd as you did the whole netbook is beyond me.

[David @ Dec 30th 2008 9:07AM]

Who'd put this in a netbook.. i'd be interested in upgrading the 64gb ssd in my X300 (And other similar ultraportables), but i'd need more details b4 I'd do that.. like if this thing suffers from the hangups that many recent SSD's have, and whether it's SLC or MLC...

[zed @ Dec 30th 2008 10:41AM]

Not only for netbooks.Price drop for HD cameras,mp3 players,etc...

[Matt @ Dec 30th 2008 5:24PM]

Because it is no longer a Netbook it is more like a mini super computer with these babies. If it is anything like the Asus eeepc upgrade they offer it will completely transform the computer into a mini computer equal to a power desktop pc.

I am using the 901 upgrade now and I can tell you that my 901 is seriously the fastest computer I have ever used in my life.

[nighttime__ @ Dec 30th 2008 9:22AM]

Can someone please tell me the cons of SSD ??

thanks in advance :)

[Gnormie @ Dec 30th 2008 9:45AM]

Pro's : Faster read/write times, better longevity, more resistant to shock/elements, produce less heat, no/low noise, use less energy.

Con's : Prohibitively expensive for a relatively small amount of storage.

[nighttime__ @ Dec 30th 2008 9:48AM]

Thank you so much :)

[WilliamBlake @ Dec 30th 2008 9:30AM]

Does these units fit as a replacement for a 20Gb fourth generation iPod ?

Actually I can buy an adapter from iPod hard disk connector to Compact Flash, but this looks like the whole solution already packed...

[Doug Steinberg @ Dec 30th 2008 9:33AM]

Hmm. Wonder if these will fit in a macbook air...

[Jan @ Dec 30th 2008 9:33AM]

Demand will rise for these and we'll all be having a laugh in 10-15 years time with "those drives with the spinning disks". Just like floppies vs optical disks (CD/DVD/BR).

With prices as above and system builders allready offering this option, it won't take 3 years before everyone reading this thread has adopted.

[kamel5547 @ Dec 30th 2008 12:45PM]

Kind of doubt it. As a prime example tape is still around despite new and more convenient (read non-linear access) types of media. Simply put tapes capacity improvements have been phenomenal and kept everything else at bay (800 GB uncompressed I think is the top of the heap at the moment). Hard drives will most likely fall in the same catageroy, a mass storeage device that is very hard to equal in terms of capacity. SSD's have quite a way to go before they hit 1.5TB, and by the time they do I'm willing to bet they'll have quite a ways to go to hit the then current hard drive capacity. Yes SSD's are defenitely going to ouster HDD's in portables and probably as primary drives, but my guess is many people will still have secondary storage that is HDD based.

[Gerb @ Dec 30th 2008 9:48AM]

will the 128gb 1.8" work with the Macbook Air 1st gen?

[David @ Dec 30th 2008 10:10AM]

Yes, but it's rather tedious to disassemble MBA's to replace their hard drives. They do use 1.8".

[Itchy Pajamas @ Dec 30th 2008 10:26AM]

It depends on the thickness of the drive. If it's no thicker than a single-platter HDD, then it should fit in the Air. I'm going to check and see, as the 64GB in my Air is getting a bit tight.

I also need to look into the disassembly of the Air since I've never done it before. I'm used to swapping drives in older MacBook Pros, and I'd be surprised if it's any harder than that.

[Fred @ Dec 30th 2008 10:27AM]

What no smiley crap for this post?

[Troy Powers @ Dec 30th 2008 10:28AM]

Yeah, can't wait until the cost-to-space ratio falls and moving hdds are a thing of the past.

[Itchy Pajamas @ Dec 30th 2008 10:29AM]

I'll be checking the thickness of the 128GB 1.8" to see if it fits in the Air. If so, then I'm there.

At $700, the 256GB 2.5" SATA could find a home in my new MacBook Pro.

I see then end of spinning internal drives coming to an end (for me). The capacity and price have reached a level I can tolerate, and they'll only get bigger and cheaper from here.

[David @ Dec 30th 2008 10:52AM]

Here's a question, how come I have to pay $200 for a 64 GB SSD when I can get a 64GB thumb-drive for $150? other than a little re-wiring, what constitutes a difference of $50 for the same amount of memory

newegg price btw

[sjsu @ Dec 30th 2008 11:23AM]

speed. these run cores are a lot faster than the usual 5-10mb/s on a usb flash drive. try running an os on that and you'll see why. just ask acer aspire 1 owners

[Mario @ Dec 30th 2008 11:54AM]

"The drive boasts a maximum read rate of 230MB/sec and a top write speed of 150MB/sec;"

Compared to other SSDs, this seems quite good. However, how does it compare to regular laptop HDDs? I've just searched a few manufacturers sites and they only seem to give the interface speed (normally 3Gb/s (i.e. 375MB/s)), which I'm sure is a lot faster than the r/w speed.

Anyone know? My Google-fu has failed me so far.

[xValentine @ Dec 30th 2008 12:39PM]

Damn, I can live with a 64GB for my Drive C only (OS)

But still, I ain't gonna bite that $199 for that.

Maybe if it goes down to $140 I might dive in.

[superhobo @ Dec 30th 2008 1:26PM]

Needs to be cheaper still...

[Denver_80203 @ Dec 30th 2008 4:51PM]

I'm a slave to marketing. The print on these things look like they came out the the back of a magazine from 1987.

[conor @ Dec 30th 2008 6:40PM]

Shove that in an iPod classic...

[matt @ Dec 30th 2008 8:42PM]

**starts drooling** at the eventual 1024GB SSD coming soon at this rate they are moving at.