Intel to launch 34nm SSD with 450/300 MB/s R/W in February

[zalbard]

Source: http://www.fudzilla.com/

Intel is getting ready to launch two new 34nm 2.5 SSD drives based on its latest 34nm process.

Codename Emcrest will convert to Intel 510 brand that will guarantee up to 450MB read and 300MB/s write speeds. Let’s not forget that these drives are SATA III 6Gb/s compatible. The specification promises up to 20K IOPs at 4KB read and 4K IOPs at 4KB write.

Intel plans to launch these drives in February and the bigger of two is Intel 510 250GB, which is going to sell for $579 at launch. The smaller one is Intel 510 120GB 34nm drive that will debut for $279 in February. The previous performance king, the X25-E with its 64GB storage and 250MB read and 170MB write, still sells for around €600.

If you are after performance and you can afford to buy an SSD drive that costs more than an average Joe's TV, you might want to mark February in your calendar.

What the hell? Where's our 25nm NAND X25-M G3? Guess they have some issues...
These have too low IOPS, also...

[Etihtsarom]

34nm.....!!...Seriously?...What's taking Sandforce so long?

[Russian]

These appear to suck compared to the SF drives from OCZ>...

[Etihtsarom]

Actually I couldn't care less what sequential read and writes are, just bring those random numbers up to the 2-300 range and we're good.

[Levish]

These appear to suck compared to the SF drives from OCZ>...

intel drives have delivered so far, maybe not in peak read/write speeds but they also don't require highly compressible data to achieve their ratings

4k random reads and writes is where they shine, and performance is already at a level where you won't see a difference from drive A to drive B unless you are benching.

[deathman20]

Yeah personally I prefer not to have my drive compressed unless I tell it to do so. Though even the top end sandforce when it hits a file not compressible will drop like a fly for writes, reads don't think it takes a hit on.

And the sizes.... ARG give me something in the 150-200Gig Range...

[phantomferrari]

are there any ssds out now that use microns 25nm memory? i find it very odd that intel would release another ssd based on 34nm memory when it costs them more money, and the fact that the micron 25nm should be shipping now. hmmm, very suspicious.

me thinks maybe the 25nm memory is having some problems

[Hornet331]

... they just sell there build up inventory, you dont sell a new product when you still have old stuff laying around which still can be sold for the full price. I bet a few months after the release of the 510 you'll see a G2, just as we did with postville which had a switch form 50nm to 34nm.

Also the IOPs have nothing to with the flash, its a artifical limitation to segregate the mainstream market more form the professional market.

I bet the 25nm 240gb will then be sold for the same price as the 120gb 34nm.

[Computurd]

well it is fudzilla of course...and there have been many conflicting reports coming out on the intels....wait my friends. when we have drives we shall see.
Intels aim is to spur market growth and innovation, NOT actually be the leader. they just want mainstream adoption. they are selling the nand building blocks, so they profit either way.

[madrooster]

These new SSDs are already mentioned here:

http://www.intel.com/cd/channel/rese...ture/index.htm

[TimPrice]

I think this is old news, those are like the old ones G2 with a new form factor, and some improvements.

Intel 310 6k iops (4KB)
http://www.intel.com/design/flash/na...ldocuments.htm

So, Intel 510 must be better.

More here:
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/....php?p=4721727

[HKPolice]

These new SSDs are already mentioned here:

http://www.intel.com/cd/channel/rese...ture/index.htm

Intel 510 has been removed and replaced with X-25M again, any updates on what's going on?

[zanzabar]

34nm.....!!...Seriously?...What's taking Sandforce so long?

34nm is old, 22 is the newest

[nirvana_1911]

omg what happened to the IOPS?
screw burst read/writes, it's all about 4K random read/writes.
just have to wait and see i guess.

[cx-ray]

Intel 510 has been removed and replaced with X-25M again, any updates on what's going on?

Perhaps their intention is to time the release together with SATA III on Sandybridge. Since that has now been delayed the drives will come later as well. In the meantime they're keeping the new drive designation sort of "secret"

[Mech0z]

If these are cheap then its pretty nice as the life cycle of 34nm chips should be very good know (More mature production process) ? So should last very long

[Sam_oslo]

Micron has already annoyed C400 uses 25nm NAND, so it can't be too many issues there.
I'm wondering why Intel is selling 25nm to OEM, but not using them selv.

[irev210]

intel drives have delivered so far, maybe not in peak read/write speeds but they also don't require highly compressible data to achieve their ratings

4k random reads and writes is where they shine, and performance is already at a level where you won't see a difference from drive A to drive B unless you are benching.

sandforce sort of pisses me off because in the benchmark world they do well, but in the real world, not all data is so compressible.

people always talk about how great it is, but people never really focus on average/read writes - always just peak, which is not real-world in many scenarios.

When sandforce first came out, I drank the kool-aide and put two in my HTPC... worst mistake of my life putting in a drive that sucks with data that can't be compressed in a computer that just deals with highly compressed videos/music.

[deathman20]

sandforce sort of pisses me off because in the benchmark world they do well, but in the real world, not all data is so compressible.

people always talk about how great it is, but people never really focus on average/read writes - always just peak, which is not real-world in many scenarios.

When sandforce first came out, I drank the kool-aide and put two in my HTPC... worst mistake of my life putting in a drive that sucks with data that can't be compressed in a computer that just deals with highly compressed videos/music.

I hear you man. SSD's are new to the market, then on top of that adding hardware compression I wasn't thrilled with that. Sure it might work OK but I don't need another component of a new tech to break my drive if something goes wrong.

I love my G2 drives, they work great and will look forward to the G3/G4 drives (hopefully die shrunk) in the future.

Besides how many times do you see intel drives failing and a lot of others have?

[bmg]

I'll never buy an SSD that uses compression.

[Ao1]

Micron has already annoyed C400 uses 25nm NAND, so it can't be too many issues there.
I'm wondering why Intel is selling 25nm to OEM, but not using them selv.

The first G3 delay rumour was due to the fact that Intel wanted to build up enough stock so the G3 would not have supply problems on release, as occurred with the G2.

That was plausible I guess.

The next rumour was that erase cycles were not yet good enough. Again plausible.

But now The C400 is due out soon and OCZ are already shipping drives with IMF nand.

Maybe Intel needed time to give the G3 controller a makeover to catch up with the competition.

OCZ have not dropped prices now they are using 2Xnm. The free capacity has gone down and by all accounts write speeds with non compressible data are slower. If this is what can be expected with 2Xnm I'm going to stick with 3Xnm.

[bmg]

I've been wondering if Intel was upgrading the G3 controller for 6gbps. For then to introduce a new SSD at this point in time with only 3gbps would seem really dumb.

[keiths]

>The free capacity has gone down

What do you mean?

> and by all accounts write speeds with non compressible data are slower.

Are there some links you could point to?

[Computurd]

But now The C400 is due out soon and OCZ are already shipping drives with IMF nand.

yeah something is amiss here a01. i agree big time. either intel is having probs with its controller, or others are shipping drives that might not be ready for prime time. but doubt that. very interesting.

[thigobr]

>The free capacity has gone down

What do you mean?

> and by all accounts write speeds with non compressible data are slower.

Are there some links you could point to?

Here:
http://www.guru3d.com/news/ocz-verte...ported-slower/

http://www.ocztechnologyforum.com/fo...-NAND.-Q-amp-A