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Corsair Force GT SSDs put through their paces, have graphs to prove it

Alexis Santos — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 05:44:00 EST

Instead of singling out one of Corsair's latest SandForce-equipped SSDs, the folks at StorageReview sussed out performance differences by putting each drive through the wringer. Though read / write specs are relatively uniform across the line, barring some slight dips in speed, they dug up a few juicy morsels of info that could benefit both frugal and performance-minded shoppers. In a read intensive gaming test, the 60GB entry drive performed similarly to the 480GB behemoth. Another notable result was a 60% jump in throughput between the 120GB and 180GB models. Keen on eking out the most performance-bang for your buck? Hop over to the source for the full skinny and a bevy of charts.

Corsair Force GT SSDs put through their paces, have graphs to prove it originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 02 Jun 2012 05:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SanDisk Extreme SSD has 'mighty' mix of performance and support

Sharif Sakr — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 08:28:00 EST

SanDisk's new Extreme SSD sounded nice enough when it launched recently, but we weren't expecting anything too crazy -- just another 6Gbps SandForce-based drive that would compete on $-per-GB more than performance. As it turns out, that doesn't do it justice. StorageReview has shown that the unit actually beats the Intel 520 in some key real-world tests and delivers a "chart-topping" 4K random write speed of 88,324 IOPS. With the bonus of the low price-point -- starting at $190 for 120GB -- and the level of support from SanDisk, the Extreme SSD can now boast an Editor's Choice trophy. Click the source link for the full report.

SanDisk Extreme SSD has 'mighty' mix of performance and support originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Feb 2012 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OCZ Octane SSD benchmarked, new Indilinx controller holds its ground

Sharif Sakr — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 08:40:00 EST

Maybe it's just interference from our seasonal goggles, but isn't there something quite cheery about SSD reviews? In the case of OCZ's Octane drive, our good spirits derive from the sturdy performance of its freshly-conceived Indilinx Everest controller, which ought to keep big players like SandForce and Samsung on their toes. HotHardware just reviewed the ~~$369~~ $879 512GB variant and found that it delivered fast boot-up times, strong read speeds and writes that were just shy of enthusiast-class drives. Follow the source link for the full and possibly festive benchmarks.

Update: Sorry about the optimistic price error. Guess we got carried away with all the holiday discounts. As many of y'all spotted, it's the 256GB version that goes for $369.

Update: We just added links to reviews from AnandTech and Storage Review, which both arrived at similarly positive conclusions.

OCZ Octane SSD benchmarked, new Indilinx controller holds its ground originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Nov 2011 08:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Plextor outs limited edition M2P SSD in weirdest press release ever

Sharif Sakr — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 09:39:00 EST

"Although no specific information is available," says Plextor in its own statement, "word has it that Plextor is serious about the limited edition status" of its latest M2P SSD. In other detective work, they've discovered that the drive comes in 128GB and 256GB variants that cost $240 and $440 respectively and should be available towards the end of the month. Both models handle 6Gb/s SATA III, are powered by the "server grade" Marvell 88SS9174 controller chip and deliver up to 500MB/s reads and 440MB/s writes. Engadget suspects the full PR is right after the break.

Continue reading Plextor outs limited edition M2P SSD in weirdest press release ever

Plextor outs limited edition M2P SSD in weirdest press release ever originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 Oct 2011 09:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SanDisk Ultra SSD heading to retailers, brings youthful exuberance to aging PCs

Billy Steele — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 03:58:00 EST

Who hasn't needed to upgrade their personal workstation when running short on funds? We've definitely been there. As luck would have it, SanDisk offers all of us who are a bit strapped for cash an option for improving our aging PCs. The company announced today that its latest offerings, the Ultra SSDs, are heading out to retailers as we speak. Promising 280MB / sec reads coupled with 270MB / sec write speeds, the drives provide a welcome tune-up for, ahem, experienced machines. Random speeds on these disks clock in at up to 3Gb / sec with three sizes available: 60GB, 120GB, and 240GB, ranging from $130 to $450. So save up your extra lunch money, as this is certainly a nice way to breathe new life into your current set-up without going completely broke. Who knows, maybe you can use those dollars you'll save on some of this. As for the full rundown, scope out the PR after the break.

Continue reading SanDisk Ultra SSD heading to retailers, brings youthful exuberance to aging PCs

SanDisk Ultra SSD heading to retailers, brings youthful exuberance to aging PCs originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Jul 2011 03:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony's new VAIO Z ultraportable laptop with Power Media Dock hands-on (video)

Richard Lai — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 07:50:00 EST

Now that we've seen Sony's new VAIO Z in its luscious press shots, it's time to face reality and lay our itchy hands on this 13-inch ultraportable laptop, along with its eccentric expansion dock that packs both a Blu-ray drive and an AMD Radeon HD 6650M graphics chip (with 1GB of video RAM). Just as we were told by our little birdie, said dock is connected to the notebook via Light Peak -- a first for Sony -- but there's a catch: Sony's only implementing the architecture and not the connector, so for the time being, this sweet high speed connection is only compatible with the docking unit and nothing else.

Anyhow, here's a quick recap: what we have here is a 1.18kg feather-light machine packing an Intel Sandy Bridge i5 (also available with an i7), 256GB SSD and 1.3 megapixel webcam, plus a matte LCD display with resolution at 1600 x 900 or an optional 1920 x 1080. Oh yes, for an extra cost, you get some sweet full HD action at just 13 inches. This upgraded display performed well in the relatively dark confines of the press event, but how it fares under direct sunlight remains to be seen. Read on for more hands-on impression.

Gallery: Sony Vaio Z detailed hands-on

Gallery: Sony VAIO Z hands-on

Gallery: Sony VAIO Z components

Continue reading Sony's new VAIO Z ultraportable laptop with Power Media Dock hands-on (video)

Sony's new VAIO Z ultraportable laptop with Power Media Dock hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Jun 2011 07:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SanDisk outs faster U100 and i100 SSDs for ultra-portables and tablets, we go hands-on

Sharif Sakr — Tue, 31 May 2011 09:47:00 EST

SanDisk has been pumping out press releases all day thanks to Computex-mania, so we shuffled past its stall to see what all the fuss is about. The biggest news is the U100 range of tiny SSDs for ultraportables, which crank data in and out at twice the speed of SanDisk's previous generation P4 drives. We're talking 450MB/s reads and 340MB/s writes thanks to the latest SATA III interface, plus a max capacity of 256GB -- specs which have already enticed ASUS to use the U100 in its lightweight UX-series notebooks. Mass production is expected in Q3 of this year. Specs table and triple-shot of PR coming up after the break, plus a gallery showing size comparisons of the U100 SSD in its glorious mSATA and Mini mSATA varieties, stacked up against some common objects like a 2.5-inch SSD drive, an HP Veer, and a vaguely goth bracelet.

Meanwhile, SanDisk hasn't forgotten about our desperate need for faster tablets. The company has doubled the speed of its existing iNAND embedded flash modules, and is also releasing a brand new SATA III drive, the i100, specifically for this form factor. The i100 maxes out at 128GB and achieves a significantly slower write speed (160MB/s) than the U100, but it has same impressive read speed (450MB/s) -- which should mean nippier tablets in the not-too-distant future.

Gallery: SanDisk U100 mSATA SSD hands-on

Continue reading SanDisk outs faster U100 and i100 SSDs for ultra-portables and tablets, we go hands-on

SanDisk outs faster U100 and i100 SSDs for ultra-portables and tablets, we go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 May 2011 09:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Corsair Force series gets 90GB and 180GB brothers, middle child syndrome inevitable

Ben Bowers — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 01:33:00 EST

Corsair has added new 90GB and 180GB sizes to its blazin' fast Force Series of SSDs, growing the happy family which already included 60, 120, and 240GB versions in addition to the original 100GB and 200GB options released back in the spring. Unlike its previous siblings, both the F90 and F180 are also available immediately from Corsair dealers for suggested MSRPs of $255 and $430, respectively. Built around the lauded SandForce SF-1200 controller and capable of beastly 285MB/sec read speeds and 275MB/sec write rates, these latest releases are not too small and not too big, making them the perfect Goldie Locks drives of the SSD world. To hear the news straight from Corsair's mouth, check out the press release after the break.

Continue reading Corsair Force series gets 90GB and 180GB brothers, middle child syndrome inevitable

Corsair Force series gets 90GB and 180GB brothers, middle child syndrome inevitable originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Dec 2010 01:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The joy and pain of upgrading a 27-inch iMac with an SSD (video)

Richard Lai — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 18:36:00 EST

As the old Chinese proverb says: "Time flies like an arrow." Just like that, today -- coincidentally the 27th -- marks the one year anniversary of my Core i7 27-inch iMac. No words can express the satisfaction of having such sheer screen estate and computing power all encased in one gorgeous body, but said joy started to fade recently -- ask my colleagues and they'll testify to my regular rants about the darn machine freezing up over the last few weeks. I've had it with the bloody hard drive, and being a geek who's pimped up his last two laptops with SSDs, I thought rather than just reformatting it, why not spoil my iMac with the same goodie that it clearly deserves? Read on to find out how the upgrade went.

Gallery: The joy and pain of upgrading a 27-inch iMac with a SSD

Continue reading The joy and pain of upgrading a 27-inch iMac with an SSD (video)

The joy and pain of upgrading a 27-inch iMac with an SSD (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 27 Nov 2010 18:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SanDisk works it harder, unveils G4 and P4 solid state drives

Sean Hollister — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 18:04:00 EST

Still haven't dropped a speedy solid state drive into your PC? SanDisk might just tempt you with its latest batch. At Computex 2010 the memory manufacturer announced its fourth-generation SSD lineup, consisting of the laptop-sized SSD G4 and the diminutive SSD P4 -- those tiny mini-SATA netbook boards you see chilling outside Jefferson's posh, nickel-plated mansion. The former will arrive in up to 256GB capacities with 220MB / sec read speeds and 160MB / sec writes (a sizable bump from prior numbers) while the latter range in size from 8GB to 128GB. Both feature the usual set of marketing buzzwords indicating speed and reliability, and both are slated to enter the OEM market in Q3 2010. That said, considering SanDisk's recent track record here, we wonder if the company meant third quarter next year. PR after the break.

Continue reading SanDisk works it harder, unveils G4 and P4 solid state drives

SanDisk works it harder, unveils G4 and P4 solid state drives originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Jun 2010 18:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

Sean Hollister — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 01:10:00 EST

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.

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Lenovo RapidDrive brings SSD and HDD together, demoes 66 percent speed boost on video

Richard Lai — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 18:04:00 EST

You know, making that jump from HDD to SSD still costs an arm and a leg, so how about somewhere in between that gap? That's what Lenovo's offering as an option for the IdeaPad Y460 and Y560 coming in March. The idea with this RapidDrive technology is that you can have a 32GB or 64GB PCI-Express SSD installed alongside your regular HDD (up to 500GB option), and the two drives will effectively be combined into one. Sounds like a tribute to the hybrid hard drives that seem to have quietly disappeared. The guys at Lenovo Blogs claim that "this is not Intel TurboMemory" as RapidDrive implements a "more automatic" algorithm to dynamically pool and manage the hybrid drive, thus giving up to 66 percent increase in Windows 7 boot speed as well as everyday performance. Regardless of this jab at Intel, we've seen this demoed at CES and it looked as good as the video demo after the break. Just don't let us down with the SSD prices, Lenovo.

Continue reading Lenovo RapidDrive brings SSD and HDD together, demoes 66 percent speed boost on video

Lenovo RapidDrive brings SSD and HDD together, demoes 66 percent speed boost on video originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Jan 2010 18:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kingston SSDNow V dips to 30GB size, lower price

Vlad Savov — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 22:44:00 EST

We've already made our fond feelings toward Kingston's SSDNow V line quite clear, so you'll understand our joy at the news that it's about to add a new member to the fold. Cutting storage down to 30GB should mean Kingston is about to offer its cheapest drive yet, though all the info we have is that it'll be "under 90GBP" (or $145). That doesn't immediately strike us as better value than the 40GB SSDNow V -- which reached an $85 price point not too long ago -- but European prices aren't directly comparable at the best of times. In exchange for your cashola, you'll get a speedy little boot drive, backed by a three-year warranty, 24/7 tech support, and the knowledge that it can withstand a baseball bat should the need ever arise. Full PR after the break.

Continue reading Kingston SSDNow V dips to 30GB size, lower price

Kingston SSDNow V dips to 30GB size, lower price originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Jan 2010 22:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toshiba bolsters 32nm mSATA SSD lineup, your future netbook nods approvingly

Darren Murph — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 08:45:00 EST

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.

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OCZ Vertex 2 Pro SSD previewed: awesome, and could do with some 6Gbps SATA love

Richard Lai — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 07:05:00 EST

Speedy SSDs might still be a pipe dream for most of us, but at least picking a top brand isn't a challenge. OCZ would no doubt be a popular choice, and SandForce has just made it easier with its debut SSD controller, SF-1500, to be featured on the forthcoming Vertex 2 Pro SSD. Our friends at AnandTech managed to harvest some jaw-dropping results out of their 100GB prototype -- most notably, the drive topped the charts with 2MB sequential performances at around 260MB/s (which is "virtually bound by 3Gbps SATA"), as well as a 50.9MB/s 4KB random write rate. SandForce dubs the magic behind these results DuraWrite, which is likened to real-time compression on the drive thus saving a significant number of write cycles. No prices announced yet, but hey, do we even care any more?

OCZ Vertex 2 Pro SSD previewed: awesome, and could do with some 6Gbps SATA love originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jan 2010 07:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Super Talent intros a sub-$300, 128GB solid-state drive -- things will never be the same

Joshua Topolsky — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 08:22:00 EST

If you've been waiting for SSD prices to drop to reasonable ranges -- now may be the time to put the credit card down. Super Talent has begun selling its 128GB, 2.5-inch, SATA II "MasterDrive LX" for the shocking affordable price of $299, which works out to about $2.49 per gigabyte. If that still puts of pinch on your pocketbook (and what doesn't right now?), then perhaps you can be enticed by the company's 64GB offering, which clocks in at a fairly doable $179. With prices this low, you barely have a defense against purchase... unless, you know... you don't have the money. Then we totally understand.

[Via jkOnTheRun]

Filed under: Storage

Super Talent intros a sub-$300, 128GB solid-state drive -- things will never be the same originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Sep 2008 08:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SSD-maker responds to nasty report, says it'll do better next time

Joshua Topolsky — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 10:58:00 EST

If you were shaken to your very core at the recent report that SSDs may not be as power-friendly as you'd been led to believe, drive-maker STEC wants to talk you down from the ledge. According to the company's Patrick Wilkison, the Tom's Hardware article which benchmarked (and gave failing grades) to power-consumption of the non-mechanical drives was flawed because, "They are using legacy drives, none of which will be used by any major PC OEM." According to Patrick (whose job, you might note, is to sell SSDs), new versions of the drives will / do have intelligent power management which circumvents the issues that report shed light on. Wilkison goes on to say that, "Drives will need to have very intelligent power management systems. Some of these SSDs will have them, and those (that) do not have such power intelligence will not be used (by PC makers)." So it's sort of like saying a car you buy in the future will get better gas mileage than the one you own now, provided the automaker cares about fuel efficiency. Small solace, we'd say.

Update: We've gotten a statement from Micron concerning the report -- you can check it out after the break.

Continue reading SSD-maker responds to nasty report, says it'll do better next time

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SSD-maker responds to nasty report, says it'll do better next time originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Jul 2008 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SSDs save battery power, right? Wrong.

Joshua Topolsky — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:32:00 EST

If you just shelled out some pretty pennies for the a high-speed, low-power SSD, Tom's Hardware may have stumbled onto some findings that won't sit well. According to a rigorous benchmarking session, they discovered that not only do the drives not save you battery power... they eat more of it. How is this possible you ask? Well mechanical drives only hit peak drainage when the actuator has to move the heads, whereas SSDs use full power whenever they're in use, so the end result is actually a diminished efficiency. What that means is that the hype over "green" drives may be just that: pure hype. On the other hand, you're still getting a drive with no moving parts, which at least makes your data more secure, if not more eco-friendly.

[Via Eeeuser; Thanks, Tony]

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SSDs save battery power, right? Wrong. originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BiTMICRO introduces 832GB SSD for CES 2008

Joshua Topolsky — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 12:18:00 EST

The folks at BiTMICRO are about to blow some doors off of the SSD truck with a new product they'll be showing at CES this year. According to a press release, the company is introducing a new, 2.5-inch solid-state drive with a whopping 832GB of NAND flash goodness. The SATA II (3Gbps) drive is a new addition to the company's E-Disk Altima line, and utilizes a technology the company calls multi-level cell (or MLC) memory, which apparently doubles the number of bits stored per memory cell when compared with single-level cell (SLC) NAND. The drives are expected to ship Q3 2008 in capacities ranging from 32GB to 832GB -- and you can be sure we'll be staring intently at them (and asking for demo units) as soon as CES rolls around.

[Via Macrumors forums]

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BiTMICRO introduces 832GB SSD for CES 2008 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Jan 2008 12:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hitachi's new SSD withstands lots of overwrites

Darren Murph — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 22:54:00 EST

Those who live for nothing more than to cram their SSD to the brim with useless data, only to mass delete the bulk of it, rinse, and repeat, we've found the perfect drive for you. Hitachi ULSI Systems Co., a subsidiary of Hitachi, has reportedly "developed a solid state disk on which data can be overwritten 100 times more than is possible on a conventional product of that type." On the device, "data predicted to have a high overwrite frequency is stored on the DRAM and not sent to the flash memory, while information with low overwrite frequency is stored on the flash." Consequently, "overwrite frequency on the flash portion" is substantially less than that of traditional alternatives. According to the company, it will start shipping out samples next month, but there's no mention of a commercial launch date. [Warning: Read link requires subscription]

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Hitachi's new SSD withstands lots of overwrites originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 Sep 2007 22:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alienware offers up dual 64GB SSD Area-51 m9750

Evan Blass — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 11:55:00 EST

You've got to stay on the bleeding edge of component offerings when you're trying to charge the prices that Alienware does, so it's no surprise that the Dell subsidiary is the self-proclaimed first manufacturer on the market to stuff dual 64GB solid state disks into a consumer PC. Of course, you'll be paying out the nose to add 128GB of un-RAIDed SSD goodness to an Area-51 m9750 gaming notebook -- just about $2,000, nearly doubling the machine's base price. Those feeling a little "stingier" or perhaps requiring more storage space can also opt for a 64GB SSD / 200GB 7,200RPM HDD combo as well, which only tacks another $1,400 onto an entry-level rig. Still, despite the steep cost, we're sure that there are more than a few folks out there who can't put a price on having the fastest read times in their guild.

Filed under: Gaming, Laptops, Storage

Alienware offers up dual 64GB SSD Area-51 m9750 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Sep 2007 11:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PNY unveils SSDs for laptops, iPods, and more

Thomas Ricker — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 04:05:00 EST

They told us they were coming, now sure enough, PNY has loosed their line-up of Solid State Disks. Available in 1.8- and 2.5-inch profiles, the new SSDs feature up to 66MBps read and 55MBps write speeds and standard ZIF, micro-SATA, 44-pin IDE, and regular ol' SATA interfaces for drop-in replacement of hard disks in things like iPods (you wish PNY) and laptops -- right, the same price as SanDisk. Unfortunately, you'll have to be an OEM to take order (starting today) of the 2.5-inch, 32GB jobbie which costs about $350 when purchased in quantity. By Q3, PNY (and everyone else it seems) expects to be shipping their 1.8-inch and 2.5-inch SSDs in 64GB and 128GB capacities, respectively.

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PNY unveils SSDs for laptops, iPods, and more originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Jun 2007 04:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PQI debuts 256GB 2.5-inch SSD drive

Donald Melanson — Wed, 30 May 2007 13:07:00 EST

We've seen 256GB and even 512GB SSD drives before, but they've so far been confined to the larger 3.5-inch form factor -- not exactly the ideal solution to fulfill our dream of an all-SSD laptop with more storage than we're ever likely to use. Well, it looks like Taiwanese manufacturer PQI is starting to bring that excessively-demanding dream a little closer to reality, recently unveiling a 2.5-inch SSD drive with a full 256GB of storage space. Unfortunately, there's no word on what it'll cost, although we're sure it'll be enough to dampen our enthusiasm considerably. That's apparently not all PQI has up its sleeve though, with the company also set to release a 32GB SSD ExpressCard, a 32GB 1.8-inch SSD drive, and a high-speed 16GB CompactFlash card for good measure.

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PQI debuts 256GB 2.5-inch SSD drive originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2007 13:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fujitsu bets the farm on SSDs

Thomas Ricker — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 09:01:00 EST

Good news SSD fans: Fujitsu has halted their planned production of 1.8-inch hard disk drives due to increased interest in using solid state disks in handheld devices. A Fujitsu spokesman said, "We want to see if the market tips toward flash, or if it stays with hard drives." The move effectively leaves the 1.8-inch HDD market to the likes of Seagate, Toshiba, and Samsung. It's interesting to note that Fujitsu already offers SSD drives as options in their Lifebook Q and B laptops and P1610 Tablet PC. However, "their" SSDs aren't home cooked, they come by way of Samsung. To the best of our knowledge Fujitsu has no formal plans to enter the burgeoning flash drive industry at all; a market where Samsung already reigns supreme with Toshiba (via their partnership with Sandisk) coming on strong. With SSDs dropping in price by about 60% annually, we can't say that we blame Fujitsu for bailing.

[Via iLounge, thanks Erion 1]

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Fujitsu bets the farm on SSDs originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Apr 2007 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung unveils quick 64GB SSD

Thomas Ricker — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 09:14:00 EST

Oh sweet mother of solid state disks, Samsung just birthed another. Their new 1.8-inch 64GB SSD not only doubles the capacity of their current offering, it's said to be up to 60% faster than their existing SLC NAND-based 32GB SSD to boot. Mass production of this 1.8-inch drop-in replacement for hard disks is expected to begin in Q2. Fine, but hey, Samsung, in case you haven't noticed SSDs are already plenty fast enough in comparison to the conventional hard disks they are meant to replace. So how 'bout bringing us consumers bigger and cheaper SSDs based on your new MLC NAND instead of your lickity-quick SLC NAND? After all, Sandisk and Toshiba are breathing down your neck on this one. Thanks for listening.

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Samsung unveils quick 64GB SSD originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Mar 2007 09:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Attorn BV intros HyperDrive4 solid state disk

Darren Murph — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 23:56:00 EST

If you figured the barrage of SSD launches that we've endured over the past week was finally over, you'd be altogether incorrect, as Attorn BV is following in Super Talent, Adtron, and SanDisk's footsteps by readying a solid state disc of its very own. The HyperDrive4 doesn't seem to tout any unusual extras, as it boasts the same "no moving parts," DRAM-based, play-and-play functionality, and "super fast bootup" features as all the other guys. The drive does use registered ECC memory modules in order to provide "a higher level of data integrity," and also claims a sustained transfer rate of 125Mbps. Interestingly, the drive can purportedly be picked up in sizes as small as a single gigabyte, but we can't really imagine the majority of takers opting for such a diminutive option. Per usual, no word on pricing or availability at the moment, but it ought to hit shelves soon if it plans on stealing any marketshare from the early entrants.

[Via Gearlog]

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Attorn BV intros HyperDrive4 solid state disk originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2007 23:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fujitsu gives P1610 Tablet PC the SSD treatment

Thomas Ricker — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 10:28:00 EST

While a natural evolution of the ultra-portable, it's still noteworthy when a vendor gives in and offers an SSD option to their gear. Once again, it's Fujitsu doing the honors by bringing that Solid State Disk action from Samsung to their 8.9-inch, 2.2-pound P1610 convertible Tablet PC -- something they've been offering on their Q and B series of laptops since October. But come now Fujitsu, you can do better than $700 and $1,200 for the 16GB and 32GB SSD, respectively. Perhaps you should look for a cheaper supplier.

[Via Laptop Magazine]

Update: It looks like the P1610 isn't the only LifeBook getting an SSD transplant, with Fujitsu's B6210 also getting in on the action, available with the same 16GB or 32GB drives. CNET's also reporting that both tablets are, in fact, available now, though you'll need to get in touch with Fujitsu for a price quote, which usually isn't a good sign.

Filed under: Laptops, Tablet PCs, Storage

Fujitsu gives P1610 Tablet PC the SSD treatment originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Mar 2007 10:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fujitsu's Lifebook Q and B laptops get 32GB SSD

Thomas Ricker — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 08:45:00 EST

In a trend we see as nothing but good, Fujitsu just announced the availability of Samsung's 16GB or 32GB Solid State Disks in their Lifebook Q and B series laptops. Just prepare to throw down heavy on the Yen son, 'cause the SSD option demands a significant ¥84,000/¥168,000 (about $703/$1,406) premium for that flash durability, cut in weight, extended battery life, and supposed 25-to-50% reduction in boot and sleep recovery times. However, check that video of two HDD and SSD systems booting side-by-side which we can only assume are otherwise identical... not exactly twice as fast, eh?

[Via Impress]

Filed under: Laptops, Storage

Fujitsu's Lifebook Q and B laptops get 32GB SSD originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Oct 2006 08:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony's Vaio UX, now with 32GB of Solid State Disk

Thomas Ricker — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 09:33:00 EST

Sony continues kickin' out the updates on the VAIO UX lineup with a new 32GB Solid State Disk option for those tempted to drop Yen in Japan. And tempted they will be since the larger capacity SSD brings sufficient capacity for XP and MS Office without the heat and vibration associated with the current 40GB hard disk. What's more, that SSD smokes the HDD's read/write times while extending battery life, dropping the weight, and cutting OS boot and sleep recovery times by half in the process. You'll pay for the privilege though with the 16GB SSD option already demanding a pricey ¥60,000 premium (about $515) which should bump the take-home price to right around 3 grand. Still if given the choice between this and the $2,663 Q1-SSD with that same 32GB SSD and OS, well, we'd probably take our chances on the UX dontchathink?

[Via Impress]

Filed under: Handhelds, Storage

Sony's Vaio UX, now with 32GB of Solid State Disk originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Sep 2006 09:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony's Vaio UX90 gets 16GB flash drive and mobile TV

Thomas Ricker — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 07:54:00 EST

So you thought Sony's VAIO U with Core Solo was pretty hot, right, but that hefty chub and feedback-free keyboard were keeping you on the fence? We understand. Well, how would you feel if Sony aced the hard disk in favor of a silent running 16GB solid-state flash drive which bumps battery life by 13%, drops the weight by 29g to 492g, massively accelerates app launches, and should cut XP's resume and boot times by half? No, not doing it for ya? Then how about some hot OneSeg mobile digital television squeezed in for some on-the-go entertainment? Well Sony did just that today with the introduction of their Vaio UX90. Still, you'll have to be ready to pop for the ¥209,800 (about $1,800) when these drop July 3rd in Japan. But if you lived in Nippon, you might just bite, eh? Thought so.

[Via Impress]

Filed under: Handhelds

Sony's Vaio UX90 gets 16GB flash drive and mobile TV originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Jun 2006 07:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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