Engadget

OWC's Mercury Accelsior PCIe SSD is Mac bootable, strictly neutral

Sharif Sakr — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 09:35:00 EST

If you've ever tried to jam a regular SSD into your Mac, then you'll know that many off-the-shelf drives feel like they're tailored and tested for, ahem, someone else. Not so with OWC's Mercury Accelsior, which claims to be the only Mac bootable and Mac supported PCIe SSD on the market. Regardless of which platform you use it with, however, the dual-SandForce card promises some neat tricks with its 24nm Toshiba Toggle NAND. Sequential read and write speeds are around 50 percent higher than what you'd get from a regular SATA III drive, with the cheapest 120GB model ($360) offering 758MB/s reads and 743MB/s writes. Random performance is notched up too, with around 100K IOPS in both directions. The 960GB version costs a coldly precise $2,096, but still -- a potential side order for when the Mac Pro line finally gets another refresh?

Continue reading OWC's Mercury Accelsior PCIe SSD is Mac bootable, strictly neutral

OWC's Mercury Accelsior PCIe SSD is Mac bootable, strictly neutral originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 09:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OCZ details Z-Drive R5 enterprise SSD, reckons it doubles speed of the R4

Sharif Sakr — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 10:46:00 EST

We've barely digested the carb-rich Z-Drive R4 and already OCZ wants to flaunt the next in its series of enterprise PCIe SSDs. The R5 sports an entirely new 'Kilimanjaro' controller platform (shown in the reference design above), developed in cahoots with Marvell and incorporated into each and every flash module that you might wish to add to the base card. These scalable controllers communicate directly with the host system, removing the need for an extra SATA RAID chip and thereby promising greater speeds -- especially as you pile on more modules. We won't get full specs until CES, but in the meantime OCZ has hinted at a doubling of the SandForce-based R4's performance, which could take us into the three million IOP realm. So long as the company also tackles the question of reliability on this new type of drive, then it'll likely be an easy sell. Check out the source link for more.

OCZ details Z-Drive R5 enterprise SSD, reckons it doubles speed of the R4 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Jan 2012 10:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Angelbird's Wings PCIe-based SSD preview and benchmarks

Darren Murph — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:00:00 EST

Storage enthusiasts (yeah, there is such a thing -- what of it?) would probably tell you that PCIe-based SSDs are a dime a dozen these days. But in all seriousness, the prices we're seeing are proof that a few more competitors wouldn't hurt. A few weeks back, Austria's own Angelbird started to ship a solution that we first heard about during 2010, and we were fortunate enough to pop a Wings PCIe SSD RAID card into our Mac Pro for testing. For years, we've been booting this up and running every single application off of its stock HDD -- a 640GB Hitachi HDE721064SLA360 (7200RPM) -- as we surmise many of you desktop owners might be. Anxious to see if these are the Wings your existing tower needs to soar? Head on past the break for our impressions.

Gallery: Angelbird's Wings PCIe-based SSD

Continue reading Angelbird's Wings PCIe-based SSD preview and benchmarks

Angelbird's Wings PCIe-based SSD preview and benchmarks originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OCZ's Z-Drive R4 PCIe SSD offers 2,800MB/sec, 500,000 IOPS, plenty of thrills

Darren Murph — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 17:00:00 EST

Hard to believe that we spotted OCZ Technology's original Z-Drive at CeBIT 2009. Just over two full years have passed, and already we've seen the 600MB/sec claims offered on that fellow eclipsed by a few successors. Today, the latest in the line is making its debut, with the Z-Drive R4 offering 2,800MB/sec and over 500,000 IOPS with a single SuperScale controller; step up to a dualie, and you'll see 5,600MB/sec transfer rates coupled with 1.2 million input-output operations per second. Not surprisingly, this guy's aimed squarely at enterprise users -- folks who can genuinely take advantage of the speed, and are willing to pay the unpublished rates (yeah, we asked!) that go along with it. It's retaining the PCIe-based form factor, and will be shipped in two standard configurations: a half height version designed for space constrained 1U servers and multi-node rackmount servers, and a full height version. Each of those will be made available with SLC / MLC NAND flash memory, and as with all of OCZ's enterprise kit, customer-specific configurations and functionality are available upon request. Full release is after the break, big spender.

Continue reading OCZ's Z-Drive R4 PCIe SSD offers 2,800MB/sec, 500,000 IOPS, plenty of thrills

OCZ's Z-Drive R4 PCIe SSD offers 2,800MB/sec, 500,000 IOPS, plenty of thrills originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Aug 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OCZ's RevoDrive 3 X2 review roundup: SSD melts faces with 1.5GBps read and 1.2GBps write speeds

Michael Gorman — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 07:41:00 EST

Did our footage of OCZ's new RevoDrive 3 X2 whet your appetite for more info on the super speedy SSD? Well, your wish is the web's command, and we've got a full roundup of reviews that'll tell you all you need to know. After putting OCZ's latest through its paces, the consensus is that the SSD is seriously quick in remembering and retrieving data. According to Tom's Hardware, the RevoDrive 3 X2 -- with its max 1.5GBps read and 1.2GBps write speeds -- "smokes everything" they've had pass through their lab. However, AnandTech noted that such capacious bandwidth is "simply overkill" for most users, as the drive only really flexes its muscles once the queue depth increases from enterprise-level workloads. Several sites noted that the lack of TRIM support on Windows machines was also a concern, and that more cost effective (albeit slower) storage solutions can be had with a DIY RAID array of SATA SSDs. Of course, you don't have to take our word for it, get down to the nitty gritty in the links below.

Read - Hot Hardware
Read - AnandTech
Read - Tom's Hardware
Read - PC Perspective
Read - The SSD Review

OCZ's RevoDrive 3 X2 review roundup: SSD melts faces with 1.5GBps read and 1.2GBps write speeds originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Jun 2011 07:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TMS RamSan-70 SSD packs 2GB-per-second throughput, up to 900GB capacity

Zach Honig — Sun, 22 May 2011 08:48:00 EST

There are SSDs and then there are SSDs -- the Texas Memory Systems (TMS) RamSan-70 is definitely the latter, packing 900GB of high-speed SLC NAND flash onto a single half-length PCIe card. Boasting an incredible 2GB-per-second sustained external throughput, this near-terabyte solid state drive is clearly overkill for most of us, considering that it's guaranteed to have a sky-high price (once details are released). Instead, the "900GB Gorilla," as it's come to be known around TMS HQ, is destined for high-end servers -- though we certainly wouldn't object to clearing out a slot in our desktop, if by some miracle we can afford this monster when it starts shipping in four to eight weeks.

Continue reading TMS RamSan-70 SSD packs 2GB-per-second throughput, up to 900GB capacity

TMS RamSan-70 SSD packs 2GB-per-second throughput, up to 900GB capacity originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 22 May 2011 08:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Super Talent debuts CoreStore MV, super small, super fast mini PCIe SSD

Christopher Trout — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 09:05:00 EST

Super Talent is living up to its name today with the release of the world's "smallest and fastest" mini PCIe SSD. When we last took a look at the company's mini PCIe offerings, they were rocking 40MBps reads and 15MBps writes, but with the release of the new CoreStore SSD line, these exceptional storage makers have destroyed those 2009 specs with speeds topping out at 350MBps and 80MBps. The speedy CoreStore MV measures a mere 30mm x 50.95mm, combines Marvell's latest controller with DDR ONFi 2 flash, and is compatible with netbooks, notebooks, and other devices sporting a second gen mini-PCIe slot. Those devices working a standard PCIe slot can expect 350MBps reads and 220MBps writes with MV's big brother, the CoreStore MP. Both drives come in 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB and should be available starting next month at an undisclosed price -- though we figure true speed freaks will pay just about anything to get their fix. Jonesing for specs? Check out the source link below.

Super Talent debuts CoreStore MV, super small, super fast mini PCIe SSD originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 09:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OCZ intros Vertex 3 Pro, Vertex 3 EX and Z-Drive R3 PCIe SSD at CES

Darren Murph — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 23:00:00 EST

Hello, speedsters! OCZ Technology has just busted out a new trio of solid state solutions here at CES, so we won't waste any time getting down to business. Up first is the performance-oriented, MLC-based Vertex 3 Pro, which runs along quite hastily on the SATA 6Gbps interface. We're told that it's built with a next-generation SandForce controller, enabling it to approach 80,000 IOPS and demonstrate 550MB/sec transfer rates. Up next is the Vertex 3 EX, which also utilizes a SATA 6Gbps interface but relies on SLC Flash memory. It's also capable of pushing a similar read rate (and the write rate of 525MB/sec ain't too shabby, either), with both the EX and Pro to be offered in capacities of 50GB, 100GB, 200GB and 400GB. Finally, the third-generation Z-Drive is being officially revealed, with the Z-Drive "R3" PCI Express SSD being the company's first SandForce-drive PCIe SSD. It's engineered for Tier-0/1 data applications, and offers performance rates of 1GB/sec and 135,000 IOPS. Those with absurdly deep pockets can buy one with up to 1.2TB of onboard storage, but alas, OCZ's not serving up MSRPs on any of these guys. The full release is after the break, complete with details on its new ZX Series of power supplies.

Gallery: OCZ intros Vertex 3 Pro, Vertex 3 EX and Z-Drive R3 PCIe SSD at CES

Continue reading OCZ intros Vertex 3 Pro, Vertex 3 EX and Z-Drive R3 PCIe SSD at CES

OCZ intros Vertex 3 Pro, Vertex 3 EX and Z-Drive R3 PCIe SSD at CES originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Jan 2011 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OCZ RevoDrive X2 PCIe SSD reviewed: blisteringly fast in every conceivable way

Darren Murph — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 11:53:00 EST

Hard to say why OCZ Technology pushed out revision two of its RevoDrive so soon after the original launched, but it's hard to complain with numbers like this. Just in time to shock the performance hound in your life with an outlandish Christmas gift comes the RevoDrive X2, and this here PCIe SSD solution has now been benchmarked to the hilt. The bottom line? It's fast. Really fast. In fact, Hot Hardware calls it "simply one of the fastest PCI Express based SSD solutions" that they have tested, noting that it went toe-to-toe with Fusion-io's ioXtreme while costing a good bit less. Critics over at Tweak Town echoed those thoughts, and while both teams felt the $680 asking price for a 240GB model was a touch pricey, neither felt that it wasn't worth it if you've got the coin laying around. Hit the links below for more charts than you'd ever want to see as an eight grader.

OCZ RevoDrive X2 PCIe SSD reviewed: blisteringly fast in every conceivable way originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Nov 2010 11:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OCZ amps up performance on RevoDrive X2 PCIe SSD: 740MB/sec, up to 120k IOPS

Darren Murph — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 16:23:00 EST

Blink, and you've probably missed it. Just four short months after we saw OCZ Technology's original RevoDrive reviewed (and subsequently adored), along comes revision two. The RevoDrive X2 PCI-Express SSD looks, feels and smells the same as the first, but the performance is obviously looking north. The unit we saw introduced at Computex was capable of hitting 540MB/sec, while the X2 pushes that to 740MB/sec and up to 120,000 IOPS -- "nearly triple the throughput of other high-end SATA-based solutions." Furthermore, this guy packs double the SandForce SF-1200 controllers (four versus two in the original), and it retains the onboard RAID 0 design that you've come to know and love. It's available as we speak in 100GB to 960GB capacities, but there's nary a mention of price; something tells us that you're probably not the target market if you have to ask.

Gallery: OCZ RevoDrive X2 PCI-Express SSD

Continue reading OCZ amps up performance on RevoDrive X2 PCIe SSD: 740MB/sec, up to 120k IOPS

OCZ amps up performance on RevoDrive X2 PCIe SSD: 740MB/sec, up to 120k IOPS originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Oct 2010 16:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PhotoFast's PowerDrive-LSI PCIe SSD screams past the competition at 1400MB a second

Vlad Savov — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 07:54:00 EST

Usually we find overwrought product names, ostentatious paintjobs, and flame decals tacky, but all's forgiven with this PCI Express 2.0 SSD. CompactFlash stalwart PhotoFast has unveiled its all-new PowerDrive, which claims it can read your ~~mind~~ data at 1.4GBps and write it at an even faster 1.5GBps. That's the rough equivalent of reading two full CDs' content every second! Need we say more? The PowerDrive's speed puts the stinking fast Fusion-io ioXtreme to shame, humbles PhotoFast's own 1GBps G-Monster, and matches OCZ's otherworldly Z-Drive. The supported OS list includes a nice selection of Linux flavors as well, and sizes stretch from 240GB up to 960GB. Pricing? One word: unaffordable.

PhotoFast's PowerDrive-LSI PCIe SSD screams past the competition at 1400MB a second originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Sep 2010 07:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RevoDrive PCIe SSD reviewed, deemed awesome, cheap, and awesome because it's cheap

Joseph L. Flatley — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 14:09:00 EST

Just the thought of an almost affordable PCIe SSD inspires some serious gadget lust, so we're glad to see reviews of the OCZ RevoDrive starting to pop up 'round the net. The gang at PC Perpective got their hands on a model, and they're clearly smitten, calling it "an absolute breath of fresh air." Although it ain't the fastest when compared to FusionIO's offering, "it is less demanding on system resources and remains an outstanding performer for its price point" (in the $400-$600 range, depending on configuration). And it employs a simple RAID controller, so you can use it for your boot drive. The reviewer at AnandTech was a little less enthusiastic, pointing out that "application launch times and most conventional desktop uses won't be affected" by the drive. But that's not to say it isn't a well-thought out piece of kit: "As far as the architecture of the drive goes," it continues, "there doesn't appear to be any downside to OCZ's PCI-X to PCIe solution." But that ain't the half of it! Check out the source links to get the nitty-gritty details.

RevoDrive PCIe SSD reviewed, deemed awesome, cheap, and awesome because it's cheap originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 Jun 2010 14:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OCZ reveals consumer-level RevoDrive PCIe SSD, blazing fast HSDL data interface

Darren Murph — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 22:27:00 EST

OCZ has a penchant for doling out new kit at trade shows, and this year's Computex is no different. The star of the new-release show was the RevoDrive, a PCIe card with between 128GB and 480GB of SSD onboard. The unit we saw here in Taipei was near-final, with a pair of SandForce SF-1200 controllers, a daughter board expansion slot (for possibly combining two in a RAID scenario) and a promised starting price of around $400 to $600 (not to mention read / write times of nearly 540MB/sec). Obviously, this hits well below the multi-thousand dollar PCIe SSD options from Fusion-io and company, and it's the first time we've seen PCIe SSD become even remotely affordable. If all goes well, the RevoDrive will start shipping within a few months. In related news, the company also announced that the Vertex 2 line of solid state solutions will be slimmed down for the 1.8-inch form factor (like you'd find in an iPod classic), but details on pricing or availability were nowhere to be found. Lastly, and potentially most importantly, the company revealed a fresh-out-of-the-lab prototype that could significantly enhance transfer rates from PCIe devices. Codenamed HSDL (high speed data link; shown above), the solution combines an industry standard SAS connector with an OCZ-built PCIe board in order to enable transfer rates as high as 20Gbit/sec. The company said a final product is at least six months out, but it's already toying with the idea of selling a single and quad-slot card in due time. Peek the gallery below for more of what's to come.

Gallery: OCZ RevoDrive and HSDL data interface hands-on at Computex 2010

Continue reading OCZ reveals consumer-level RevoDrive PCIe SSD, blazing fast HSDL data interface

OCZ reveals consumer-level RevoDrive PCIe SSD, blazing fast HSDL data interface originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Jun 2010 22:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Seagate pairs 7200RPM HDD with 4GB of NAND in 2.5-inch Momentus XT hybrid drive

Darren Murph — Mon, 24 May 2010 08:01:00 EST

Just as we surmised, Seagate is taking the wraps off its new hybrid drive, with OEM shipments of the Momentus XT starting today. Hailed as the fastest 2.5-inch laptop drive on the planet, this here device marries a 7200RPM hard drive (250/320/500GB) with 4GB of SLC NAND flash memory and 32MB of cache, and the company's Adaptive Memory technology allows it to store frequently used information on the latter for ultra-speedy access. It can boot up to 100 percent faster than a conventional 5400RPM hard drive, and thankfully for us all, it utilizes a standard 9.5mm-high form factor that the vast majority of laptops use. Seagate also affirms that the drive "operates independently of the operating system and the motherboard chipset," but we're going to hold tight until we see the first real benchmarks (it'll soon be an option in ASUS' ROG G73Jh gaming laptop) before getting all hyped up. In related news, the outfit also announced the world's highest capacity 7200RPM drive at 750GB, with the Momentus 750GB boasting SATA 3Gbps support, an NCQ interface, 16MB of cache and "silent acoustics." No price is mentioned, but you can bet a hefty premium will placed on something this capacious. The full presser, another image and a specs sheet awaits you beyond the break.

Update: The reviews are already pouring in, and at just $155 for the 500 gigger, it's receiving a fair amount of praise.

Continue reading Seagate pairs 7200RPM HDD with 4GB of NAND in 2.5-inch Momentus XT hybrid drive

Seagate pairs 7200RPM HDD with 4GB of NAND in 2.5-inch Momentus XT hybrid drive originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 May 2010 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Seagate's 'game-changing' storage tech coming to ASUS ROG G73Jh laptop

Darren Murph — Thu, 20 May 2010 09:09:00 EST

Well, well -- what's this? Wouldn't you like to know. What it is, fine people, is the "device that becomes you, so you become faster." Seriously, that's the teaser line that Seagate's feeding the press this fine morning, inviting us to join the company as it reveals the next "game-changing" device meant to boost system performance by a staggering 150 percent. Judging by the image above and the fact that ASUS' ROG G73Jh gaming laptop will be first to house it, we're guessing it's a breed of SSD this world has never seen. We're told that the mystery product will be 20 percent quicker than a 600GB 10,000rpm SATA drive, 80 percent faster than a conventional 7200rpm HDD and able to boot "within six seconds of an SSD drive." It'll also be able to "learn about its user to dynamically decrease disk time, boot time, and application load time," and if you're lucky, it may just cleanse that work coat of yours, whip up a nutritious breakfast and convert your clunker into a hovercraft. We'll be finding out a lot more come May 26th -- till then, try not to gnaw your nails past the cuticle.

Update: Sounds like Seagate may finally be ready to launch that "pie in the sky" mutant hybrid SSD technology that we first caught wind of back in 2008. Dare we say, the Momentus XT Hybrid? Thanks, Sneakz and Khattab!

[Thanks, Michael]

Seagate's 'game-changing' storage tech coming to ASUS ROG G73Jh laptop originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 May 2010 09:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OCZ's Z-Drive gets swappable NAND sticks, ludicrous speed in second incarnation

Sean Hollister — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 06:21:00 EST

While Fusion-io's PCI-Express SSDs garner glowing reviews and deplete wallets accordingly, OCZ hasn't been so lucky -- even as its similar Z-Drive boasted seriously speedy sequential transfer speeds that made it desirable for video editing and the like, it was tested and found wanting in consumer applications. This time, OCZ is playing to its strengths and marketing its next batch of Z-Drives directly to the professional market. Boasting banks filled with hot-swappable NAND modules, OCZ claims the Z-Drive R2 can be serviced and upgraded in the field -- and with two full tiers of flash memory woven together in a 2TB, eight-way RAID 0 configuration on their premium Z-Drive p88 model, the company claims you'll see 1.4GB/s (yes, that's gigabytes per second) read and write speeds. No word on pricing and availability, but you can safely assume that the power to instantaneously teleport your entire Doctor Who wallpaper collecti-- we mean, edit raw 1080p footage in real time -- won't come cheap.

OCZ's Z-Drive gets swappable NAND sticks, ludicrous speed in second incarnation originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Apr 2010 06:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Seagate teams with LSI to enter PCIe-based SSD game

Darren Murph — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 13:26:00 EST

Seagate didn't bother serving up a gaggle of new wares at CES this year, but judging by its release shot out today, it's hoping to make a serious splash in the SSD market a bit later on. Thanks to collaboration from LSI, the outfit is expected to deliver its own line of PCI Express-based solid state storage solutions. We're guessing these devices will be similar in scope to the PCIe SSDs already outed by Fusion-io and OCZ Technology, but at least initially, they'll be aimed squarely at the enterprise market. We're hoping that's just a beta test (of sorts) and that performance-minded desktop users will be able to snap one up at their local Best Buy in short order -- too bad we've no assurance that these will be priced within the realm of feasibility, though.

Seagate teams with LSI to enter PCIe-based SSD game originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Jan 2010 13:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OCZ's Z-Drive priced at Amazon: $1,561 and way up

Darren Murph — Tue, 19 May 2009 09:34:00 EST

The kind folks at OCZ Technology's CeBIT booth told us that they expected the forthcoming Z-Drive to be priced between $1,500 and $2,000, and unfortunately for consumers, they were obviously just talking about the starting tag. Today, the much-hyped PCI-Express SSD card -- which strings a few blocks of flash memory together on a wicked fast PCI-E pipeline -- has been listed at Amazon, and the asking prices are downright eye-popping. The drive is slated to ship in 250GB, 500GB and 1TB flavors, with Amazon demanding $1,561.30, $2,450.50 and $3,368.99 for each in order of mention. We know read rates up to 500MB/sec and write rates of up to 470MB/sec are appealing and all, but damn.

[Thanks, Gary]

Read - 250GB Z-Drive listing
Read - 500GB Z-Drive listing
Read - 1TB Z-Drive listing

Filed under: Storage

OCZ's Z-Drive priced at Amazon: $1,561 and way up originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 May 2009 09:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Prototype OCZ Z-Drive PCI-Express SSD splayed, scoped out

Darren Murph — Mon, 18 May 2009 08:56:00 EST

Mmm, PCI-Express-based SSD storage. Be honest, is there anything more delicious? The camera-wielding cats over at Hot Hardware managed to climb behind the scenes at OCZ Technology and snap a bevy of shots of the outfit's highly anticipated Z-Drive in prototype form, and while the device doesn't look all that different than the press shots we peeked last month, there seems to be some ways yet to go before this bad boy's available for purchase. At any rate, the innards look about as you'd expect 'em to, with loads of green PCB littered about with oodles of ultra-speedy flash storage. The drive pictured above is actually a 512GB version with a single 4-pin molex power connector and an X4 PCI-e slot, and it benched at upwards of 500MB/sec during read tests and 400MB/sec on write tests. Check the read link for a closer look -- just don't forget to prep the drool rag before heading over.

Filed under: Storage

Prototype OCZ Z-Drive PCI-Express SSD splayed, scoped out originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 May 2009 08:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PhotoFast G-Monster-Promise PCIe SSD does 1000MB/s read and writes

Nilay Patel — Tue, 05 May 2009 16:02:00 EST

Just a month after dropping the 750MB/s G-Monster PCIe SSD RAID card on us, PhotoFast is back with the G-Monster Promise, which jacks read / write speeds to 1000MB/s. Not the fastest we've ever seen, but we'll take it. It'll be available sometime this month in Japan in sizes from 128GB to 1TB -- just make sure you've save a lot of pennies, cause it ain't gonna be cheap.

Update: Our friends at Engadget Japan have chimed in to tell us they're on sale in the Akihabara district to the tune of USD $1,600 for 128GB, $2,000 for 512GB, and a whopping $4,500 for the 1TB model.

[Via PCLaunches]

Filed under: Storage

PhotoFast G-Monster-Promise PCIe SSD does 1000MB/s read and writes originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 May 2009 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OCZ gets official with Z-Drive PCI-Express SSD

Darren Murph — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 14:16:00 EST

Technically, OCZ outed this here PCI-Express SSD way back at CeBIT in March, but it's just now making things super official. Now available with a fresh face and hard specifications, the Z-Drive is aiming to take on wares by firms like Fusion-io and provide blistering transfer rates to anyone who buys in. Essentially, this device removes the SATA bottleneck by employing the PCIe architecture and four Vertex controllers configured in four-way RAID 0 array. Curious about performance? Read speeds can hit upwards of 510MB/sec, while write speeds top out at 480MB/sec -- plenty respectable in our eyes. OCZ's planning to push these out in 250GB, 500GB and 1TB capacities, and while final pricing is still being kept under wraps, we're told that it'll be kept "competitive."

Gallery: OCZ gets official with Z-Drive PCI-Express SSD

Filed under: Storage

OCZ gets official with Z-Drive PCI-Express SSD originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 24 Apr 2009 14:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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