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Intel launches 34nm SSDs: lower prices, better performance

by Parm Mann on 21 July 2009, 17:14

Tags: Intel (NASDAQ:INTC)

Quick Link: HEXUS.net/qas5o

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Intel has today announced its 34nm solid state drives (SSDs) - successor to the existing 50nm drives launched in September 2008.

The new 2.5in drive, which continues to be named the X25-M, is available in 80GB and 160GB capacities, and the move to 34nm has lowered the price for consumers by up to 60 per cent.

Intel's 50nm drives arrived with price tags of $595 and $945 for the 80GB and 160GB models, respectively. Channel prices for the 34nm successors, however, are far more palatable at $225 (£135) and $440 (£270), respectively.

In addition to lower prices, Intel's 34nm revamp also introduces performance improvements. Through a combination of controller and firmware tweaking, the new drive promises to reduce latency by up to 25 per cent, bringing it down to as low as 65 microseconds.

Intel states that random write performance has increased twofold, adding that the X25-M is capable of delivering up to 6,600 4KB write IOPS and up to 35,000 read IOPS.

Looking ahead, Intel plans to issue a new Trim-supporting firmware to coincide with the launch of Microsoft's Windows 7. Meanwhile, Intel's smaller 1.8in drive, known as the X-18M, will be given a 34nm refresh later this quarter.

Randy Wilhelm, Intel vice president and general manager, Intel NAND Solutions Group, had this to say:

Our goal was to not only be first to achieve 34nm NAND flash memory lithography, but to do so with the same or better performance than our 50nm version. We made quite an impact with our breakthrough SSDs last year, and by delivering the same or even better performance with today’s new products, our customers, both consumers and manufacturers, can now enjoy them at a fraction of the cost.



HEXUS Forums :: 26 Comments

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Wow, SSD announcements everywhere.

Those prices look considerably better then their current SSD pricing!! Glad this appeared as I have been umming and ahhing over those crucial babies…..

Guess it's a good reason to sit tight a couple of weeks and see what happens.
Want!
shaithis
Wow, SSD announcements everywhere.

Those prices look considerably better then their current SSD pricing!! Glad this appeared as I have been umming and ahhing over those crucial babies…..

Guess it's a good reason to sit tight a couple of weeks and see what happens.

I wouldn't sit for too long or you are going to be sitting for years… I would imagine that SSDs are going to be rapidly improving in speed/capacity/price for at least the next year to year and a half.

Personally I have put my line in the sand at £100 for a 120+gb (big enough for my OS, games and apps) fast SSD, when that happens I will put my toe in the water (assuming I can still afford to buy one)…. until then I am sitting on the sidelines watching the prices tumble whilst capacity slowly increases and the maximum speeds attainable have sort of increased depending on what benchmarks are important this week.

Oh and I will wait until W7 has hit the market and TRIM has had any bugs worked out, although i expect that to have happened before SSDs hit my price point.
We are edging closer to £1/GB woot! Seriously tempted by the 80gig for a system drive now.
funke_munke
We are edging closer to £1/GB woot! Seriously tempted by the 80gig for a system drive now.

£1 per GB is what im waiting for then its time to go for some RAID 0 Action!