Corsair's speedy P256 256GB solid state drive now shipping

Remember that then-named S256 we saw sneak out right around a month ago? Yeah, that bad boy's finally on sale, and it's shipping as we speak from a number of trustworthy e-tailers. Said SSD -- which now goes formally by P256 -- packs specially selected Samsung MLC flash memory and a sophisticated Samsung Controller IC, coupled with 128MB of cache memory and Native Command Queuing (NCQ) support for stutter-free performance. By the books, this one can reach speeds of up to 220MB/sec (read) and 200MB/sec (write), though you can bet you'll be paying for the haste. We're seeing it on sale for around $658 online, though Dell's listing shows a wicked steep $851.99. Either way, ouch. Full release is after the break.

Corsair® Announces New 256GB High-Performance Solid-State Drive

Advanced Controller and Drive Technologies Deliver Industry-Leading Performance and Compatibility

Fremont, CA, May 11th, 2009 – Corsair® www.corsair.com, a worldwide leader in high-performance computer and flash memory products, today announced the launch of the Corsair Storage Solutions P256 high-performance 256GB solid-state drive (SSD).

The Corsair Storage Solutions P256 has been designed using cutting-edge technology to deliver the highest performance and compatibility, in a capacity that is big enough to replace conventional storage solutions in a high-performance PC. The P256 uses specially selected Samsung MLC flash memory and a sophisticated Samsung Controller IC, coupled with 128MB of super-fast cache memory and Native Command Queuing (NCQ) support for blistering, stutter-free performance, delivering read speeds of up to 220MB/sec and write speeds of up to 200MB/sec.

"The Corsair Storage Solutions P256 delivers the best computing experience of any single storage drive available today," said John Beekley, VP of Applications Engineering at Corsair, "Using the P256 results in immediate and dramatic improvements in system startup and shutdown, game level loading, application startup, and many other everyday tasks. Additionally, the P256 is more durable and reliable than hard disk drives, and has been shown in the Corsair Labs to provide up to 25% longer battery life in portable computers."

The large, 256GB capacity provides ample space for the most advanced operating systems, multiple applications, and large music, photo and video collections. The Corsair Storage Solutions P256 is one of the most compatible solid-state drives available today due to the extensive validation of the Samsung controller and flash memory technology in multiple OEM systems.

The Corsair Storage Solutions P256 SSD is available immediately from Corsair's authorized distributors and resellers worldwide, and is backed by a Two Year Limited Warranty. Complete customer support via telephone, email, forum and Tech Support Express is also available. For more information on Corsair SSD drives, please visit www.corsair.com

[pika2000 @ May 12th 2009 6:17AM]

Dang, talk about expensive. I have the 128GB though, and I'm still amazed on how awesome it is. I don't think I will ever buy a laptop with spinning platters again. Hope to see the prices of high capacity high performace SSDs to drop quickly.

[Akshat @ May 12th 2009 11:03AM]

You have the Corsair P128? I've been checking at Newegg, but haven't seen the 128GB iteration of the P series anywhere! Care to share where you bought from, and for how much?

P.S. - I really hope you weren't referring to the S128, which comes with an older generation Samsung controller/slower speeds

[pika2000 @ May 12th 2009 2:38PM]

@Akshat: LOL, yeah it was the S model, didn't realize that. =D

[darkmax @ May 12th 2009 6:26AM]

Woah! I thought they were going to be the big thing this year, but the opnly thing big about them is the damn price tag.

[r3loaded @ May 12th 2009 7:33AM]

I've been hoping to load my laptop up with one at around Christmas this year, but unless prices start dropping, that possibility is looking more and more remote :/

[strider_mt2k @ May 12th 2009 6:29AM]

My Core i7 machine just leaned towards the screen a little.

I think it would like two or three of these. -a bidding it's master...cannot...cannot make happen.

Woe.

[Eric Foor @ May 12th 2009 6:43AM]

The price is killing it for me. I want to get a speedier harddrive for gaming, such as the Velociraptor 300GB. About $220 and it's not a bad deal. I might get 2 but if the prices were about the same or somewhat lower for a SSD, I would get one.

[andymac @ May 12th 2009 6:46AM]

Will this work in my Unibody MBP?

[bdav @ May 12th 2009 6:50AM]

Should do. Will be a bit of an effort to open the MBP though - i'm to much of a wimp to open mine :(

[zenmoused @ May 12th 2009 7:49AM]

Yes, will work with your unibody mbp. And changing the HDD in it is easier than changing RAM. Just flip the switch on the bottom case.

[bdav @ May 12th 2009 8:01AM]

Bah you people with spangly new macbook pros. Back in my day we had to pull the whole thing apart to get the damn hard drive out :)

[Balatro @ May 12th 2009 8:16AM]

Yeah it'll work fine. Leo Laporte just put a 128GB model of the same drive in his Unibody MBP and has reported the results to be spectacular. I know he's talked about it on some of the more recent TWIT podcasts.

[Dummy00001 @ May 12th 2009 11:20AM]

This is by its looks the same 256GB drive which is already shipped with UMBP17. Only rebranded.

P.S. Though I see little bit of difference. The drive I have in my UMBP17 says it doesn't support NCQ.

[codeh87 @ May 12th 2009 10:47PM]

Dear Eric,

please fire yourself from advertising that site, infact fire yourself from ever using technology again.

Thank you

Someone who attempted to read something a monkey could have typed better.

[strider_mt2k @ May 12th 2009 7:35AM]

-and then fire yourself from a cannon...into the sea.

[bdav @ May 12th 2009 7:59AM]

I Want that You will f*k off and leave us alone.

[teststrips @ May 12th 2009 8:02AM]

here's to hoping this winds up on one of those recession antidote posts in the near future

[Jon @ May 12th 2009 8:11AM]

Click Boom

[Jonyah @ May 12th 2009 8:35AM]

this is actually decently priced. I've been following the prices daily for months now and guess I've just gotten used to these types of prices. It's amazing though that since anantech's review that essentially puts the vertex and intel drives at the top, you can't find vertex drives in stock anymore and their price has grown by hundreds of dollars. As soon as the good 256gb drives drop to the $500's, I'm going to pick one up for my laptop.

[Dave @ May 12th 2009 8:51AM]

Bring on!

[thain @ May 12th 2009 8:58AM]

Engadget's recession antidote?

[bjerg @ May 12th 2009 9:33AM]

I've just replaced the hard drive in my new iMac with one. Couldn't be happier.. geek wise!

[Drybonz @ May 12th 2009 2:26PM]

Wow... you just dropped that you have an iMac and $700 hard drive in one sentence. You win Yuppie of the Year. Congratulations!

[Eddy120876 @ May 12th 2009 12:38PM]

I have a question

you see I have a mini 9(aka my hackintosh..It came with a 16GB SSD ) and I need to replace it will this fit the mini 9? or do i have to pull it apart and retrofitted in order to use this new SSD?

[NuclearEcko954 @ May 12th 2009 4:58PM]

@Eddy120876
Put a Runcore PCIe SSD in your Dell Mini 9. It will blow your 16GB SSD you have in your Mini 9. Check it out here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnwl0RVsjIE I wish they have something like this for a regular notebook.

[Eddy120876 @ May 13th 2009 1:26AM]

@NuclearEckp954


Thanks for the info. I will cehck it out I hope that newegg has it real cheap. Also if you ever come across this SSD(the 256GB) Let me know ok