Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Intel 313 SSDs bring improved caching to ultrabooks, desktops, life in general]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/06/intel-313-cache-ssd/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/06/intel-313-cache-ssd/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/06/intel-313-cache-ssd/#commentsIntel 313 cache SSDJust like Intel's older 311 batch of small cache SSDs, the new 313 series is designed to sit alongside a traditional spinning HDD in order provide a tasty blend of speed and capacity. These newer drives are still SATA II, so there's no 6Gbps action here, but they use superior 25nm SLC flash, offer faster speeds for the same price (starting at $120 for 20GB) and are explicitly approved for use in the coming wave of Ultrabooks -- so don't be surprised if that's where you meet 'em next.

Intel 313 SSDs bring improved caching to ultrabooks, desktops, life in general originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Apr 2012 07:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>25nm7mmcachecache ssdCacheSsdhybridhybrid storageHybridStorageintelintel 313intel 313 ssdintel smart responseintel smart response technologyintel ssdIntel313Intel313SsdIntelSmartResponseIntelSmartResponseTechnologyIntelSsdsalesslcsmart response technologySmartResponseTechnologysolid statesolid state drivesolid state storageSolidStateSolidStateDriveSolidStateStoragessdssd cacheSsdCacheultrabookultrabooksFri, 06 Apr 2012 07:55:00 EST<![CDATA[OCZ expects to ship cheap TLC solid state drives in early 2012]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/04/ocz-expects-to-ship-cheap-tlc-solid-state-drives-in-early-2012/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/04/ocz-expects-to-ship-cheap-tlc-solid-state-drives-in-early-2012/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/04/ocz-expects-to-ship-cheap-tlc-solid-state-drives-in-early-2012/#comments It's about time triple-level-cell NAND came to life in consumer products and it looks like OCZ is blazing that trail. The company expects to release its first TLC drive early next year, with a vaunted 30 percent price reduction compared to current MLC drives, which are themselves much cheaper than SLC. The downside is shorter life expectancy, which will be as low as four years, but more durable forms of the technology are due to arrive later in 2012.

OCZ expects to ship cheap TLC solid state drives in early 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Nov 2011 11:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cheapcheaperflashminipostMLCNANDSLCsolid statesolid state driveSolidStateSolidStateDriveSSDthree-bit-per-cellTLCtriple level celltriple-level-cellTripleLevelCellFri, 04 Nov 2011 11:42:00 EST<![CDATA[Engadget Primed: SSDs and you]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/31/engadget-primed-ssds-and-you/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/31/engadget-primed-ssds-and-you/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/31/engadget-primed-ssds-and-you/#commentsPrimed goes in-depth on the technobabble you hear on Engadget every day -- we dig deep into each topic's history and how it benefits our lives. You can follow the series here. Looking to suggest a piece of technology for us to break down? Drop us a line at primed *at* engadget *dawt* com.

If you're a storage aficionado -- and who here isn't? -- you've probably heard a lot about SSDs, those friendly solid-state disks promising dramatically improved performance over their magnetically inclined brethren. No doubt you've heard about the advantages, thanks to NAND storage that makes them silent, shock resistant, energy efficient and lightning quick. Yet you've also heard the horror stories: drive slowdowns, controller failures and manufacturer recalls. And adding to all those anxiety-producing headlines, there's the price premium. While most magnetic drives average around a nickel or dime per gigabyte, even consumer-grade SSDs still run $1-2 per gigabyte, often for drastically smaller-capacity drives.

Three years ago, Intel launched its X25-M and X18-M: the "M" stood for "mainstream," and the pair of drives were designed to reintroduce solid-state storage to a cost-conscious consumer market. (Perhaps more importantly, they were also meant to solidify Intel's standing in the nascent SSD realm, up to that point a chaotic, Wild West-style domain. But we'll get to that.) For most users magnetic drives still remain king, with solid states appealing primarily to a niche of enterprise IT professionals and modding enthusiasts. How did that happen -- and should it be different? After the break we'll look at how and why SSDs haven't (yet) conquered the storage world, and examine whether they're poised to do just that.

Continue reading Engadget Primed: SSDs and you

Engadget Primed: SSDs and you originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CompaqConnor PeripheralsConnorPeripheralsduraclassenergy efficientEnergyEfficientengadget primedEngadgetPrimedHDDHPIBMintelMaxtormicronMIPSmlcnandprimedQuantumRAMRAMACRPMRPMsSandForceScorpioseagateSeagate TechnologySeagateTechnologyslcsolid state driveSolidStateDriveSPESSDssd controllerSsdControllerSsdDriveSSDsstorageVelociRaptorvideoWestern DigitalWesternDigitalMon, 31 Oct 2011 16:46:00 EST<![CDATA[Open your IOPS to ioDrive's next-gen SSDs]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/04/open-your-iops-to-iodrives-next-gen-ssds/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/04/open-your-iops-to-iodrives-next-gen-ssds/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/04/open-your-iops-to-iodrives-next-gen-ssds/#comments We're ripe for an ioRefresh and thankfully here it is: the ioDrive2 and ioDrive2 Duo will be out from November, bringing hugely faster speeds at a much lower dollar-per-gig compared to their predecessors. The single-level cell version of the next-gen Duo (depicted above) will deliver 700,000 read IOPS, 900,000 write IOPS and a 3GB/s bandwidth that could possibly surpass OCZ's Z-Drive R4. Prices start at $6,000 and top out at something too ridiculous to mention for a maximum 2.4TB of storage. But you're an enterprise, remember, so at least try to haggle before you settle for a cheaper alternative. Full PR after the break.

Continue reading Open your IOPS to ioDrive's next-gen SSDs

Open your IOPS to ioDrive's next-gen SSDs originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Oct 2011 11:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2.4TB3gbsenterpriseflashiodriveiodrive duoiodrive2iodrive2 duoIodrive2DuoIodriveDuoiopsmlcnandslcSSDTue, 04 Oct 2011 11:08:00 EST<![CDATA[Intel's 710 'Lyndonville' and 720 'Ramsdale' SSDs see full spec leak well ahead of release]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/16/intels-710-lyndonville-and-720-ramsdale-ssds-see-full-spec/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/16/intels-710-lyndonville-and-720-ramsdale-ssds-see-full-spec/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/16/intels-710-lyndonville-and-720-ramsdale-ssds-see-full-spec/#comments You may recall Intel's 710 "Lyndonville" and 720 "Ramsdale" enterprise SSDs outted by a leaked roadmap back in April, but details were as thin as high mountain air. Luckily, German site Computer Base has obtained what appears to be a full spec sheet for the aforementioned drives. Starting with the 710, this 25nm HET MLC -- a more durable variant of MLC -- device will come in 100GB, 200GB, and 300GB flavors, and it claims to have read and write speeds at up to 270 MB/s and 210 MB/s, respectively, along with a 3Gbps SATA connection.

Things are a bit wild with the 720: not only does it have 34nm SLC chips making up the 200GB and 400GB versions, but it also boasts some truly insane read and write speeds of up to 2200 MB/s and 1800 MB/s, respectively. Yes, 2200 MB/s and 1800 MB/s, garnished by the fast 4K IOPs as well. We had our doubts initially, but looking at the previously stated 6Gbps PCIe interface and the much higher power draw, we think there's a good chance for this to come into reality. Well, only time will tell if these numbers will stick around for the Q3 launch this year -- not that our wallets will want to know, mind you. Hit the source link for the full lowdown.

Update: As pointed out by our readers, it looks like the 720 will need more than 6Gbps at the PCIe bus to accommodate its maximum read and write speeds. At this point, we can only assume that there is indeed a typo somewhere -- either on the roadmap or on this table.

Intel's 710 'Lyndonville' and 720 'Ramsdale' SSDs see full spec leak well ahead of release originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Jun 2011 02:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>710720driveHETHET MLCHetMlcintelintel ssdIntelSsdleakLyndonvilleMLCRamsdaleSLCsolid statesolid state driveSolidStateSolidStateDrivespecspec leakSpecLeakssdstorageThu, 16 Jun 2011 02:54:00 EST<![CDATA[Micron RealSSD P320h can read 3GBps, write 2GBps, impress millions of geeks per second]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/03/micron-realssd-p320h-can-read-3gbps-write-2gbps-impress-millio/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/03/micron-realssd-p320h-can-read-3gbps-write-2gbps-impress-millio/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/03/micron-realssd-p320h-can-read-3gbps-write-2gbps-impress-millio/#comments Speed may be a relative thing, but whatever you choose to compare Micron's new RealSSD P320h series to, you'll probably find them pretty competitive. Coming in 350GB and 700GB capacities, these PCI Express solid state drives can process data at a rate of 3GB per second and write it at a no less impressive 2GBps. If you're more interested in input / output operations per second, the P320h clocks in at 750,000 IOPS when running Linux or 650,000 with Windows Server as the OS. You don't need us to tell you that both numbers represent screaming-fast performance. Such mighty feats are achieved with the use of 34nm SLC NAND flash memory and Micron's own controller chip. Samples of the P320h are trickling out now and mass production is coming in the third quarter of 2011, and while no pricing info has been offered yet, it's safe to say you'll be needing your company CFO's blessing before making any P320h purchases. Video and full PR after the break.

Continue reading Micron RealSSD P320h can read 3GBps, write 2GBps, impress millions of geeks per second

Micron RealSSD P320h can read 3GBps, write 2GBps, impress millions of geeks per second originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Jun 2011 03:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>34nmfastflashflash storageFlashStoragemicronnandpcipci expresspci-expresspciePciExpressrealssdslcslc nandSlcNandsolid statesolid state drivesolid state storageSolidStateSolidStateDriveSolidStateStoragespeedssdstoragevideoFri, 03 Jun 2011 03:09:00 EST<![CDATA[Intel SSD 720, 710 and 520 Series leak out, Larsen Creek and Paint Creek bring up rear guard]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/28/intel-ssd-720-710-and-520-series-leak-out-larsen-creek-and-pai/http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/28/intel-ssd-720-710-and-520-series-leak-out-larsen-creek-and-pai/http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/28/intel-ssd-720-710-and-520-series-leak-out-larsen-creek-and-pai/#comments Remember Intel's Larsen Creek SSD? It's not alone. By the end of the year, it looks like Intel expects to ship five new solid state storage series in total -- some of them even speedier than its current SSD 510 Series flagship. We managed to obtain this leaked roadmap listing the potential additions, and we're afraid to ask how much the new kings of the hill might cost -- the "Ramsdale" SSD 720 Series uses up to 400GB of SLC NAND in a PCI Express card form factor, and the "Lyndonville" SSD 710 series with a similar quantity of enterprise-grade MLC flash. There's also a direct successor to the current top-of-the-line in the "Cherryville" SSD 520 Series, which will stretch all the way up to 480GB and down to 64GB in Q4 of this year, as well as Paint Creek, which seems destined for boot drives with only 80GB and 40GB capacities to choose from. Still, the most intriguing addition might be Larsen Creek after all, which sounds like it's been purpose-built for caching data from your existing rotational storage. It's slated to come in both 2.5-inch SATA and mSATA configurations in Q3 and uses SLC NAND, which suggests it won't run cheap despite the tiny capacity here. We can't wait to find out for sure.

Intel SSD 720, 710 and 520 Series leak out, Larsen Creek and Paint Creek bring up rear guard originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Apr 2011 05:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>boot driveBootDriveCherryvilleIntelLarsen CreekLarsenCreekLyndonvilleMLCMLC-HETmSATAPaint CreekPaintCreekRamsdaleSLCsolid state drivesolid state storageSolidStateDriveSolidStateStorageSSDSSD 710SSD 720Ssd710Ssd720Thu, 28 Apr 2011 05:04:00 EST<![CDATA[(You can't get no) SATAsfaction 6Gbps SSDs (yet)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/27/you-cant-get-no-satasfaction-6gbps-ssds-yet/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/27/you-cant-get-no-satasfaction-6gbps-ssds-yet/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/27/you-cant-get-no-satasfaction-6gbps-ssds-yet/#comments Enterprise solid state drives aren't typically our foray, but when they support SATA 6G, we pay attention. It also doesn't hurt when they sport a fantastic name. The SATAsfaction drives from Accelerated Memory Production (AMP) have both Sandforce controllers and the speedy ports to match, alongside 12 byte per sector ECC error correction and TRIM support. Still, they're not the fastest SSDs around, clocking in at only 260MB / sec reads and 150MB / sec writes, but they do have SLC flash memory for likely higher reliability than the current speed demon. No pricing or availability yet, but SLC NAND is pretty expensive stuff... so unless you're buying for a corporation with a large bankroll, better count on waiting for the cheaper Devo version.

Continue reading (You can't get no) SATAsfaction 6Gbps SSDs (yet)

(You can't get no) SATAsfaction 6Gbps SSDs (yet) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Apr 2010 01:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Accelerated Memory ProductionAcceleratedMemoryProductionAMPECCenterprise storageEnterpriseStoragesandforcesandforce controllerSandforceControllerSata 3.0SATA 6GSATA IIISata3.0Sata6gSataIiiSATAsfactionslcSLC NANDSlcNandsolid state disksolid state driveSolidStateDiskSolidStateDriveSSDTue, 27 Apr 2010 01:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Toshiba bolsters 32nm mSATA SSD lineup, your future netbook nods approvingly]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/09/toshiba-bolsters-32nm-msata-ssd-lineup-your-future-netbook-nods/http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/09/toshiba-bolsters-32nm-msata-ssd-lineup-your-future-netbook-nods/http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/09/toshiba-bolsters-32nm-msata-ssd-lineup-your-future-netbook-nods/#comments We like to think of 'em as the SSDs for the little guys, and we couldn't be happier to hear that they're getting bigger and bigger in terms of capacity. Toshiba introduced the first solid state drives to use the mini-SATA interface back in September of '09, and while those 32nm units were made available in 30GB and 62GB sizes, the pack rats weren't satisfied. Now, the company has introduced a 128GB flavor with an mSATA interface, offering up a maximum sequential read speed of 180MB/s and a maximum sequential write speed of 70MB/s. The 128GB modules are said be one-seventh the volume and one-eighth the weight of 2.5-inch SSDs, and in case that's not enough, the third-generation HG SSDs will bring nearly twice the aforesaid speed and will ship in capacities of 64GB, 128GB, 256GB and 512GB. Hit the source link for all the dirt... except for the pricing, naturally.

Toshiba bolsters 32nm mSATA SSD lineup, your future netbook nods approvingly originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 09 Jan 2010 08:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>32nmcesces 2010CES 2010 videoCes2010Ces2010Videoflash memoryFlashMemorymini satamini-sataMiniSatamsatanandnand flashnand flash memoryNandFlashNandFlashMemorysataslcsolid state diskSolidStateDiskssdstores-and-shoppingToshibaSat, 09 Jan 2010 08:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Seagate's first Pulsar SSDs ready to blast the enterprise]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/08/seagates-first-pulsar-ssds-ready-to-blast-the-enterprise/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/08/seagates-first-pulsar-ssds-ready-to-blast-the-enterprise/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/08/seagates-first-pulsar-ssds-ready-to-blast-the-enterprise/#comments We first heard of Seagate's plans to enter the SSD market way back in mid 2007 and then again in 2008. Here we are in the final days of 2009 and guess what: the first Seagate SSD has been announced. Unfortunately, Seagate's 2.5-inch SATA Pulsar SSD targets the raised-floor crowd locked away in your corporate data center, not you directly. The SLC-based Pulsar tops out at 200GB and claims a peak performance of 30,000 read IOPS and 25,000 write IOPS and a 240MBps sequential read and 200MBps sequential write -- damn quick compared to Samsung's enterprise-class SSDs released last year clocking 100MBps sequential reads and 80MBps writes. Hopefully, we'll see Seagate push into the consumer sector once they finish milking corporate IT budgets, or what's left of 'em.

Seagate's first Pulsar SSDs ready to blast the enterprise originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 Dec 2009 05:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>200gbcorporateenterpriseiopsitpulsarsataseagateslcssdTue, 08 Dec 2009 05:04:00 EST<![CDATA[Leaked Lenovo roadmap shows Calpella laptops coming January 2010?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/19/leaked-lenovo-roadmap-shows-calpella-laptops-coming-january-2010/http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/19/leaked-lenovo-roadmap-shows-calpella-laptops-coming-january-2010/http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/19/leaked-lenovo-roadmap-shows-calpella-laptops-coming-january-2010/#comments Our compatriots at Engadget Chinese have happened upon what looks to be a roadmap for Lenovo's upcoming laptops between now and March 2010. Recently in the wild T400s is on there, slated for mid-July or so, with a pair of new SL models following in August. More interesting than all that, however, is the sheer number of new X, T, W, SL, and SLc laptops listed for the beginning of 2010 that utilize Intel's upcoming Calpella platform. We're not gonna put too much stock into these pictures right now, but it definitely raises a few eyebrows. More slides after the break.

Continue reading Leaked Lenovo roadmap shows Calpella laptops coming January 2010?

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Leaked Lenovo roadmap shows Calpella laptops coming January 2010? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>calpellaintel calpellaIntelCalpellaleaklenovolenovo sllenovo slclenovo t400LenovoSlLenovoSlcLenovoT400rroadmaprumorrumorsslslctt400t400sthinkpadwxFri, 19 Jun 2009 00:49:00 EST<![CDATA[Samsung's 30nm NAND chips give birth to 32GB memory cards]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/12/samsungs-30nm-nand-chips-give-birth-to-32gb-memory-cards/http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/12/samsungs-30nm-nand-chips-give-birth-to-32gb-memory-cards/http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/12/samsungs-30nm-nand-chips-give-birth-to-32gb-memory-cards/#commentsSamsung's 30nm NAND chips give birth to 32GB memory cards
Remember the halcyon days of 2007, when Beyonce's "Irreplaceable" rocked the charts and Samsung revealed its 30-nm manufacturing process, promising a 128GB memory card in every digicam? We're still not quite there yet, but the company is finally releasing the first cards to utilize that manufacturing process, the biggest offering 32GB of storage goodness. That's twice the capacity of its 40nm cards, which never made it past the 16GB mark. 30nm moviNAND chips are in production now in 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB sizes, and hopefully will hit retail before that 33 megapixel Mamiya we've had on order finally ships.

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Samsung's 30nm NAND chips give birth to 32GB memory cards originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 May 2009 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>16gb30-nm30nm32gb4gb8gbflashmovinandnandsamsungsamsung 30nmsamsung movinandsamsung nandSamsung30nmSamsungMovinandSamsungNandslcTue, 12 May 2009 08:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Texas Memory Systems goes Texas, hobbles together RamSan-620 5TB SSD "drive"]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/22/texas-memory-systems-goes-texas-hobbles-together-ramsan-620-5tb/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/22/texas-memory-systems-goes-texas-hobbles-together-ramsan-620-5tb/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/22/texas-memory-systems-goes-texas-hobbles-together-ramsan-620-5tb/#comments
Way to play to your stereotypes, Texas. Texas Memory Systems just announced what it claims is the largest SLC SSD on the market, with 5TB of single level cell (the good kind) flash memory spread across a 2U rack shelf. The drive can handle 250,000 sustained I/Os per second, churn through 3GB of data a second, and has 80 microsecond write latency. Texas Memory Systems claims that for similar performance from a HDD setup you'd need half a million dollars and consume 20x the power. TMS calls the system "affordable for mainstream IT shops" but hasn't mentioned a price or release date just yet. We'll take two.

[Via Channel Register]

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Texas Memory Systems goes Texas, hobbles together RamSan-620 5TB SSD "drive" originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Apr 2009 09:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ramsanramsan-620slcslc ssdSlcSsdssdtexas memory systemsTexasMemorySystemstmsWed, 22 Apr 2009 09:09:00 EST<![CDATA[Intel 80GB SSD price cut by one-third, still very expensive]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/06/intel-80gb-ssd-price-cut-by-one-third-still-very-expensive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/06/intel-80gb-ssd-price-cut-by-one-third-still-very-expensive/http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/06/intel-80gb-ssd-price-cut-by-one-third-still-very-expensive/#comments Looks like Intel is giving some of its SSDs a more reasonable -- yet still very exorbitant -- price tag. The company has slashed the 2.5-inch 80GB X25-M from $595 in September to now $390. While a 34 percent cut is nothing to scoff at, that's still $90 more expensive than Western Digital's 2TB spinner, which offers 25 times the capacity. The company also recently discounted its 160GB variant 19 percent, from $945 to $765. No reason was given for the markdown, but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize the economy isn't looking too kindly on solid state's dollar-to-data ratio.

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Intel 80GB SSD price cut by one-third, still very expensive originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Feb 2009 17:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>intelintel ssdIntelSsdmlcslcsolid state driveSolidStateDrivessdx-18mx-25ex-25mx18-mx25-ex25-mFri, 06 Feb 2009 17:27:00 EST<![CDATA[Video: Micron's Washington PCIe prototype SSD card is wicked quick]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/05/video-microns-washington-pcie-prototype-ssd-card-is-wicked-qui/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/05/video-microns-washington-pcie-prototype-ssd-card-is-wicked-qui/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/05/video-microns-washington-pcie-prototype-ssd-card-is-wicked-qui/#comments
Up until now, Fusion-io's ioDrive has pretty much put every other SSD-on-a-PCIe-card to shame in terms of sheer performance, but it just might be looking at its first formidable competitor in the Micron Washington. The prototype device was recently showcased on video (posted after the break), and while we're not told how capacious it is, it is understood to be using 64-bit SLC NAND chips. When placed in a Xeon-powered server, the unit is able to achieve 150,000 to 160,000 random write IOPS with a bandwidth of 800MB/sec per card. Micron is convinced that it can reach a bandwidth of 1GB/sec and 200,000 IOPS with this technology, though Fusion-io's CTO proclaims that users can achieve "over 6GB per second" when using eight of its ioDrives in conjunction. Of course, the aforementioned ioDrive is actually shipping, whereas this elusive Washington doodad won't see commercial light until at least 2010.

[Via The Register, thanks Vik]

Continue reading Video: Micron's Washington PCIe prototype SSD card is wicked quick

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Video: Micron's Washington PCIe prototype SSD card is wicked quick originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Dec 2008 09:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>flash memoryFlashMemoryfusionFusion-ioIometeriopsMicronNANDPCIeSANSLCSLC NANDSlcNandspeedssdssd controllerSsdControllerstoragevideoWashingtonx25-eFri, 05 Dec 2008 09:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Samsung's 25GB / 50GB Enterprise SSDs can't stop, won't stop under heavy loads]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/31/samsungs-25gb-50gb-enterprise-ssds-cant-stop-wont-stop-und/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/31/samsungs-25gb-50gb-enterprise-ssds-cant-stop-wont-stop-und/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/31/samsungs-25gb-50gb-enterprise-ssds-cant-stop-wont-stop-und/#commentspureSilicon's rugged Renegade SSDs may be tough as nails, but if you're lookin' to start up your own video-on-demand server or online transaction processing center, you may want to look Samsung's way. The outfit has just announced that it's mass producing 25GB and 50GB Enterprise SSDs, which are designed for "performance-optimized server applications." Sammy proclaims that the SLC-based drives have around "twice the random write performance of its standard 32GB and 64GB SLC SSDs," and better still, they consume less than 25% of the power of a 2.5-inch 15k SAS HDD. More specifically, this duo will provide 100 times the number of IOPS per watt as a typical 15K 2.5-inch SAS HDD and five times the number of IOPS per dollar as a 10K 2.5-inch SCSI HDD. Not surprisingly, Samsung doesn't bother dishing out prices, but you can expect to pay top dollar given the abuse these are built to withstand.

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Samsung's 25GB / 50GB Enterprise SSDs can't stop, won't stop under heavy loads originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 31 Oct 2008 05:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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[Via Electronista]

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Intel announces its first SSDs, plans to ship in a month originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 Aug 2008 18:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>intelmlcslcssdx-18mx-25ex-25mx18-mx25-ex25-mTue, 19 Aug 2008 18:24:00 EST<![CDATA[Intel's "mainstream" 80GB and 160GB SSDs ready to launch with mainstream price?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/15/intels-mainstream-80gb-and-160gb-ssds-ready-to-launch-with-ma/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/15/intels-mainstream-80gb-and-160gb-ssds-ready-to-launch-with-ma/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/15/intels-mainstream-80gb-and-160gb-ssds-ready-to-launch-with-ma/#comments
Looks like Intel, the big bad daddy of silicon, is about to unleash its first consumer oriented SSDs into the market. While Intel's 1.8- and 2.5-inch 80GB and 160GB SSD plans were pretty thoroughly detailed in those May leaks, Expreview has slapped up an honest-to-goodness slide which looks like it came straight from the Intel deck. Assuming it's authentic, then we now know that Intel's 2.5-inch X25-M and 1.8-inch X18-M SSDs top out with a 240MBps sustained read and 70MBps write. That's just a bit slower than the blazing Micron RealSSD C20 but still seriously quick and hopefully priced for the mainstream audience they are targeting. Dell, for example, sells a 128GB Samsung SSD for $450 -- surely Intel can beat that cost per Byte... right Intel? We're guessing that the enterprise-class 32GB and 64GB X25-E SSDs will feature some of that Micron co-developed "world's fastest" SLC NAND in order to achieve that ridiculous 240MBps / 170MBps read / write speed at what's expected to be an equally ridiculous price. The 80GB X25-M and X18-M are expected to launch in Q3 (so any day now) while the 160GB solid state slab should break free for consumers in Q1 (not Q4 2008) of 2009. Expect to hear more on these next week as Intel kicks off another International Developers Forum.

[Via TG Daily]

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Intel's "mainstream" 80GB and 160GB SSDs ready to launch with mainstream price? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 Aug 2008 03:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Look out memory nerds, as Toshiba has just announced a more capacious embedded NAND flash memory device than you ever thought possible. The new 32GB chip boasts full compliance with eMMC and eSD standards, is fabricated with Tosh's 43-nanometer process technology, includes a dedicated controller and should slip right into your favorite handset / PMP of tomorrow. Samples are slated to hit couriers in September for an undisclosed price, while mass production will get going in Q4. So, how long 'til you guys and gals repeat this news with "64" or "128" in place of that lowly "32?"

[Via Electronista]

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Toshiba launches 32GB embedded NAND for PMPs and handsets originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Aug 2008 08:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>32gb nand32gbNandeMMCeSDflash memoryflash storageFlashMemoryFlashStoragenandSLCTAECTOSHIBAThu, 07 Aug 2008 08:56:00 EST<![CDATA[Hynix develops triple-level-cell NAND flash: 30 percent cheaper than MLC]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/04/hynix-develops-triple-level-cell-nand-flash-30-percent-cheaper/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/04/hynix-develops-triple-level-cell-nand-flash-30-percent-cheaper/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/04/hynix-develops-triple-level-cell-nand-flash-30-percent-cheaper/#commentsThe more cells you can pack onto a NAND chip, the cheaper the storage, so we're excited about Hynix's recent announcement of triple-level-cell NAND flash. You might have noticed that MLC-based SSDs are cheaper than SLC units, and TLC keeps the trend alive -- Hynix says the cost of TLC production is some 30 percent lower than current chips. On top of that, the 32GB chips themselves are 30 percent smaller than current NAND chips, meaning device manufacturers will be able to cram more storage into our PMPs and phones. We'll have to wait a little while though: production is going to ramp up in October, and Hynix hasn't committed to using the new chips in SSDs quite yet.

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Hynix develops triple-level-cell NAND flash: 30 percent cheaper than MLC originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Jun 2008 10:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>flashhynixmlcnandslcssdtlctriple level celltriple-level-cellTripleLevelCellWed, 04 Jun 2008 10:25:00 EST<![CDATA[TDK intros SATA-compatible industrial SSD drives]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/12/tdk-intros-sata-compatible-industrial-ssd-drives/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/12/tdk-intros-sata-compatible-industrial-ssd-drives/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/12/tdk-intros-sata-compatible-industrial-ssd-drives/#commentsIt's far from the first SATA-compatible SSD drive, but TDK seems to think its new GBDisk RS1 series drives will be just the ticket for some very particular users (though not likely you or us). Apparently designed specifically for industrial use, the drive uses single level cell NAND flash memory (as opposed to multi-level cell) and a GBDriver RS1 SATA controller, which TDK says will together help it maintain data reliability while standing up to frequent, high-speed data writing. You will have to make do with some fairly small storage capacities even by SSD standards, however, with the drives topping out at 16GB, all of which come in 2.5-inch drive enclosures. No word on prices just yet, but you can look for them to start rolling out this June.

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TDK intros SATA-compatible industrial SSD drives originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 May 2008 11:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>flash memoryFlashMemorynanndsataSLCssdtdkMon, 12 May 2008 11:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Intel and Micron develop "world's fastest" NAND -- kiss SSD random write lag goodbye]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/intel-and-micron-develop-worlds-fastest-nand-kiss-ssd-rand/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/intel-and-micron-develop-worlds-fastest-nand-kiss-ssd-rand/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/01/intel-and-micron-develop-worlds-fastest-nand-kiss-ssd-rand/#commentsHow do 200MBps reads and 100MBps writes in a storage device sound to you? Pretty sweet if you ask us. That's the upper spec for Micron's new highspeed 8Gb (Gigabit not Gigabyte, kids) SLC NAND co-developed with Intel on a 50-nm processes node. Once slapped together in an SSD, you can expect performance to easily outshine any existing SSD or mechanical drive on the market while easily kicking the SSD bugbear -- random read/writes -- to the curb. The rub, of course, is that SLC NAND is more expensive than MLC so you can expect to pay dearly for that performance. Watch for the speedy Micron flash to pop in cellphones, camcorders, SSDs (and pretty much every portable consumer electronics device out there) sometime in the second half of 2008 -- sampling now to manufacturers.

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Intel and Micron develop "world's fastest" NAND -- kiss SSD random write lag goodbye originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Feb 2008 03:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>50-nm50nmbreaking newsBreakingNewsflashim flash technologiesImFlashTechnologiesimftintelmicronmlcnandslcssdFri, 01 Feb 2008 03:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Samsung reveals first 30-nm 64Gb NAND chip -- and a bit of skin]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/23/samsung-reveals-first-30-nm-64gb-nand-chip-and-a-bit-of-skin/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/23/samsung-reveals-first-30-nm-64gb-nand-chip-and-a-bit-of-skin/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/23/samsung-reveals-first-30-nm-64gb-nand-chip-and-a-bit-of-skin/#comments
We're not sure what's more impressive here: the fact that Samsung has produced the world's first 30nm-class 64Gb (bit, not byte!) NAND chip or that they're now roping defenseless product waifs into hawking their silicon wafers. Nevertheless, we're looking at a serious jump in density in just 10 months. A maximum of 16 of the new chips can be combined for cost-effective 128GB (byte, not bit!) MLC NAND-based flash cards used primarily for data storage. Sammy's faster SLC based flash cards will still be the preferred choice when speed is of the utmost priority and cost isn't an issue. As such, Samsung also announced a 32Gb SLC NAND chip based on the same SaDPT (Self-aligned double patterning technology) manufacturing process. Sadly, we'll have to wait until 2009 for production to begin. Still, he looks happy dontchathink?

[Via AVING]

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Samsung reveals first 30-nm 64Gb NAND chip -- and a bit of skin originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Oct 2007 03:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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