Intel and Micron start 25nm flash production; SSDs to get cheap, huge

Intel and Micron have a history of pushing the state-of-the-art in flash storage -- their joint venture IMFT was responsible for the first sub-40nm NAND flash and bringing it to production -- and it looks they've done it again: IMFT is now sampling two-bits-per-cell 25nm NAND, which will eventually push prices down and capacities up when volume production begins in Q2. We'll have to see how pricing works out -- 25nm is something like twice the storage density per dollar, so we're hopeful -- but at the very least Intel's third-gen X25-M will come in 160GB, 320GB, and 600GB sizes when it launches in Q4 using these new chips. Yeah, we're going to want one. AnandTech has the full breakdown, hit the read link for more.

[BigJayDogg3 Posted Jan 30th 2010 3:21PM]

@Akhen

What OS are you installing? I used to dual boot Vista and Ubuntu, and even with both of them having all their respective programs installed, I didn't break 20 gigs IIRC. After that computer died though I couldn't get Ubuntu to display on NooLappy. :/

[Akhen Posted Jan 30th 2010 3:25PM]

@BigJayDogg3

Win7 alone on a 32gb partition would leave about half empty for apps and games. Obviously I want my game load times to be better too. :3

[SuperHiDef99 Posted Jan 30th 2010 4:19PM]

@Akhen

I totally agree, sadly by the time this technology is out they will almost certainly eliminate 32 or 64GB SSDs to sell bigger and expensive ones.
Currently none of the 32GB I could find are as fast as the much more expensive 256GB ones.

[LMcClure Posted Jan 30th 2010 5:45PM]

@Akhen

I purchased a Kingston 40GB (with the Intel controller) from Buy.com last month for $96.

They've been sold out every time I've checked since I snagged that one, but it shouldn't be much longer before they are available again from some vendor for that price.

[SiXiam Posted Jan 30th 2010 9:44PM]

@LMcClure

Exactly Akhen's dreams have already come true, he just needs to surf slickdeals a little more often.

Or just pay $30 more:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820167025

I have a VelociRaptor 150GB, so I want an Intel ssd at least comparable to that size, even though I've only used about 26GB so far.

The way it is now you want a fast SSD OS and some cheap storage drives.

[Epyon Posted Jan 30th 2010 3:15PM]

I just hope the tech trickles down into a 1.8" ZIF drive. It's slim pickings out there.

[Nimer55 Posted Jan 30th 2010 3:39PM]

i'll get one once 256gb= 100 dollars...

So I'm not getting one for atleast 2 years.. Prob around 5...


I might settle for 128gb, but nothing less than that...

[Smurf Posted Jan 30th 2010 4:23PM]

Wow. I want to see the microscope / camera / lens that can take a picture of that high quality of a 10nm object. Just... wow.

Manufacturing something on that scale is unbelievable, as well.

[Yankee Posted Jan 30th 2010 4:31PM]

So what happens when they go down to 1nm in 10 years or so...? I thought 11nm was a significant barrier for CPUs and GPUs, maybe it's different for NAND flash, but I sure hope that we can keep going smaller forever, because otherwise we're screwed. I can't imagine a world where every 2 years something doesn't come out that totally blows what was out 2 years ago out of the water :]

[Sibuna Posted Jan 30th 2010 4:47PM]

@Yankee Electron tunneling should start to hinder development really soon. I think it's 22nm where the classification becomes "nanotechnology".

[SiXiam Posted Jan 30th 2010 9:48PM]

@(Unverified)

It is a nano meter (nm) after all.

[savagemike Posted Jan 30th 2010 4:56PM]

This is just astounding.
I wonder if everyone is aware at how unbelievable this technology is.
The width on the gates of the FETs on a device of this scale is probably only several atoms thick.
That is not hyperbole.
That is just freaking amazing.
It is 'swimming pool full of marbles' kind of stuff to contemplate.
It is marvelous, in the true sense of the word.

[Yankee Posted Jan 30th 2010 5:01PM]

@savagemike

It was 2 weeks ago I think when they announced the first 32GB MicroSD card which I believe is built on a 32nm process. 32GB on something with negligible weight, paper thin, half the size of my thumbnail.

[shoxite Posted Jan 30th 2010 5:25PM]

Please speed up the production and keep us informed when these will be in stores FOR A WAY CHEAPER PRICES OUT NOW! Thank you Engadget, this is really good to hear.

[microlith Posted Jan 30th 2010 5:50PM]

25nm gets them about one or two more shrinks before MLC NAND is no longer viable and SLC drops below 1000 cycles.

[timmyjan Posted Jan 30th 2010 7:54PM]

sweeeeeet now i would be able to put a 60gb ssd in my laptop.

[sowhatu Posted Jan 31st 2010 12:32PM]

@timmyjan
60GB SSD in a laptop is just pointless, unlees ur a person that just checks their facebook and sends of emails.

512GB+ or nothing i say.

[Wwhat Posted Jan 30th 2010 7:56PM]

Yes sir, 90nm will make SSD dirt cheap, I mean 65nm or rather 40nm or in fact 25nm, and.. oops sorry we reached the limit, so alas no SSD's to compete with primitive spinning disks ever.

[SiXiam Posted Jan 30th 2010 9:50PM]

@pedro

That's overkill, but sure why not.

[Wwhat Posted Jan 31st 2010 6:06AM]

@pedro
there's room where the camera ought to be.

[joquarky Posted Feb 1st 2010 1:41PM]

I still don't understand why SLC flash is way more expensive than MLC. From my understanding, it should only be twice the cost as making MLC, but it has 10x the write cycles, and is much faster than MLC. Unfortunately, it seems to be about ~4x the price instead of ~2x the price.