New Intel SSD out in Feb

[Emulex]

you have "V"ALUE MLC
mainstream consumer MLC
enterprise MLC (hybrid slc+mlc)
SLC

eMLC is where it's going to be at the moola. I'll take 8 400gb units right now please.

 

[taltamir]

you have "V"ALUE MLC
mainstream consumer MLC
enterprise MLC (hybrid slc+mlc)
SLC

eMLC is where it's going to be at the moola. I'll take 8 400gb units right now please.

eMLC isn't a hybrid between MLC and SLC... its a more expensive higher grade MLC which exhibits reliability that falls between standard MLC and SLC.
SLC = single level cell. where every cell holds 1 bit.
MLC = multi level cell. where every cell holds 2 or more bits.

It is impossible to have a hybrid between 1 bit per cell and 2 or more bits per cell.

Intel actually developed a 3 bit cell... but it had to be significantly beefed up to have any level of reliability... don't expect it anywhere but the cheapest USB sticks.

 

[IntelUser2000]

So the 510 will replace the current E series? Which means much higher pricing I assume. So that leaves us still waiting for G3 (M series).

No, the E will remain, that's for Data Centers. This 510 is an entirely new thing. Comparing it to CPUs...

X25-E: Xeon 5600
SSD 510: Core i7 Extreme Edition
X25-M: Core i3/i5/i7

The question is what's the reason for 510. I've read that 510 is based on Marvell's controller. That's even more strange.

 

[LwarX]

Just googled some details about upcoming Intel G3 SSD series:

http://www.silica.com/fileadmin/02_.../Intel/SSD_Product_Selection_Guide_Jan_11.pdf

Capacity   Product Code     Product Description           Line   First Availability
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
510-Series
120GB      SSDSC2MH120A2K5   2.5” 6Gb/s MLC 9.5mm          34nm     2H Q1
250GB      SSDSC2MH250A2K5   2.5” 6Gb/s MLC 9.5mm          34nm     2H Q1
 
320-Series
 40GB     SSDSA2CT040G3K5    2.5" MLC 9.5mm (Reseller Box) 25nm     Mar'11
 40GB     SSDSA2CT040G3B5    2.5" MLC 9.5mm (Retail Box)   25nm     Mar'11
 40GB     SSDSA2CT040G310    2.5" MLC 9.5mm (Brown Box)    25nm     Mar'11
 80GB     SSDSA2CW080G3K5    2.5" MLC 9.5mm (Reseller Box) 25nm     Mar'11
 80GB     SSDSA2CW080G3B5    2.5" MLC 9.5mm (Retail Box)   25nm     Mar'11
 80GB     SSDSA2CW080G310    2.5" MLC 9.5mm (Brown Box)    25nm     Mar'11
120GB     SSDSA2CW120G3K5    2.5" MLC 9.5mm (Reseller Box) 25nm     Mar'11
120GB     SSDSA2CW120G3B5    2.5" MLC 9.5mm (Retail Box)   25nm     Mar'11
120GB     SSDSA2CW120G310    2.5" MLC 9.5mm (Brown Box)    25nm     Mar'11
160GB     SSDSA2CW160G3K5    2.5" MLC 9.5mm (Reseller Box) 25nm     Mar'11
160GB     SSDSA2CW160G3B5    2.5" MLC 9.5mm (Retail Box)   25nm     Mar'11
160GB     SSDSA2CW160G310    2.5" MLC 9.5mm (Brown Box)    25nm     Mar'11
300GB     SSDSA2CW300G3K5    2.5" MLC 9.5mm (Reseller Box) 25nm     Mar'11
300GB     SSDSA2CW300G3B5    2.5" MLC 9.5mm (Retail Box)   25nm     Mar'11
300GB     SSDSA2CW300G310    2.5" MLC 9.5mm (Brown Box)    25nm     Mar'11
600GB     SSDSA2CW600G3K5    2.5" MLC 9.5mm (Reseller Box) 25nm     Mar'11
600GB     SSDSA2CW600G3B5    2.5" MLC 9.5mm (Retail Box)   25nm     Mar'11
600GB     SSDSA2CW600G310    2.5" MLC 9.5mm (Brown Box)    25nm     Mar'11

 

[VirtualLarry]

Intel actually developed a 3 bit cell... but it had to be significantly beefed up to have any level of reliability... don't expect it anywhere but the cheapest USB sticks.

There was a post in this exact forum that Sandisk USB flash drives use 3LC.

 

[taltamir]

There was a post in this exact forum that Sandisk USB flash drives use 3LC.

heh. ok, expect it in some SSDs

 

[Makaveli]

and how will that stop it from having a SATA III interface?
Having a SATA III interface will look good for uneducated morons and doesn't hurt any (I can't begin to count how many people told me the SATA1 raptor was slower then regular SATA2 drives... because it has a lower SATA)

Fudzilla is just throwing fud again... we already heard that intel delayed their G3s to feb from better sources... so FUD is taking that and adding ridiculous claims to it like "will use 32nm", etc.

Well from a performance stand point if the 250/170 specs are indeed true slapping a SATA III interface on it won't do squat. However from a marketing stand point you are correct most of the sheep will only look at the interface speed.

So we probably will see it with a SATA III interface so intel doesn't have to listen to all the best buy shoppers crying about why it should have one.

 

[techs]

Wonder if the recall of Sandy is having an effect on the G3's? If the G3's are SATA6 then Intel may want the Sandys out there for it.

 

[Seven]

Looking forward to 120Gb.

 

[bgstcola]

It seems like Intel removed the info from:
http://www.intel.com/cd/channel/reseller/asmo-na/eng/products/nand/feature/index.htm

 

[aceO07]

It seems like Intel removed the info from:
http://www.intel.com/cd/channel/reseller/asmo-na/eng/products/nand/feature/index.htm

What was removed? I didn't see that before.

 

[huelle]

That looks really stupid, they did not remove the specs/reason for the 510, but replaced the recommended ssd with the old G2.

Now the G2 is the targeted at enthusiast as well as mainstream consumers - wow must be an awesome drive

After the cost cutting programs during the crisis they may just employ some apprentices in marketing.

 

[Bob_123]

Yeah, this doesn't make any sense to me. Intel would be making far better gross margins on their smaller nm flash memory. I would think that they would want to switch their product line as soon as possible. And why would they use an effectively third-party controller, rather than their own first-party controller, which again they would make greater gross margins on.

Agreed. Using last generation flash technology, using a third party controller....this is going to be the highest cost drive released by anyone in 2011.

This seems like a rush job. Basically, a product they never intended on making that was recently conceived and being rushed to market. Question is why?

Is it a marketing or technical snafu?

The technical case would be that Intel got into SSD qual testing in Fall 2010 to hit their original Q4 2010 G3 release date and realized 25nm NAND wasn't ready for the SSD world. With Crucial and Sandforce coming out with next gen drives in 1H 2011, they couldn't wait to resolve the technical issues and decided to rush a 34nm next gen drive to market. There's no time to design a new controller, so use a third party one. And since it's using proven 34nm NAND technology (and a proven Marvell controller), may be able to cut corners in the SSD quals to speed up time to market.

The marketing case would be that the G3 specs weren't going to be competitive with next gen specs of the other guys (mainly on sustained read/write speeds), so needed something that was. I think this is much less likely than the technical argument. Even if the G3 hit the original timeline of Q4, everyone knew much better spec'd drives from other companies were just around the corner.

I wonder how many of these 510 drives they'll sell? They may be $1/GB higher price than the G3 that is supposed to be out in March. But the expectation is that Intel plays in the high end, and the G3 is not going to be high end. This is just a really expensive way to play in the high end.

 

[Old Hippie]

The technical case would be that Intel got into SSD qual testing in Fall 2010 to hit their original Q4 2010 G3 release date and realized 25nm NAND wasn't ready for the SSD world. With Crucial and Sandforce coming out with next gen drives in 1H 2011, they couldn't wait to resolve the technical issues and decided to rush a 34nm next gen drive to market. There's no time to design a new controller, so use a third party one. And since it's using proven 34nm NAND technology (and a proven Marvell controller), may be able to cut corners in the SSD quals to speed up time to market.

The marketing case would be that the G3 specs weren't going to be competitive with next gen specs of the other guys (mainly on sustained read/write speeds), so needed something that was. I think this is much less likely than the technical argument. Even if the G3 hit the original timeline of Q4, everyone knew much better spec'd drives from other companies were just around the corner.

Very plausible.

I second that emotion.

 

[taltamir]

what do you mean when you say "quals", I cannot guess its meaning contextually. quals is not a word.

 

[GoSharks]

quals is short for qualification(s).

 

[Makaveli]

That's a new one.

 

[yottabit]

quals is short for qualification(s).

I inferred he meant quality assurance & testing from the context

 

[GoSharks]

I inferred he meant quality assurance & testing from the context

"quals" is commonly used as short for qualification test for grad students that need to pass one in their career, which would also apply to anything that needs to be tested.

In other words, same as Q&A.

 

[ksec]

Marvel SSD controller actually had an ARM Core inside. Interesting.

So we are now nearing Mid Feb and March it coming? What is going on?

 

[ksec]

Well now there is new OCZ Vertex 2 's 25nm NAND isn't working very well.

 

[Nintendesert]

Probably says more about OCZ than it does the 25nm nand process.

 

[Old Hippie]

Here's a big kiss to you guys from OCZ for buying their new drives......

For those customers that have already purchased an “E” part and wish to move to a 32 Gbit die based drive solution, OCZ will offer a program in which customers can trade in their “E” drive and receive a credit towards the more expensive 32 Gbit die‐based drives.

Customers only need to pay the difference in the raw NAND price and OCZ will ship the replacement drive once the original “E” drive is received.

Smooch, Smooch!

I'm definately slow today....already being discussed!

 

[watzup_ken]

Looking forward to see how the G3 performs looking at the performance of OCZ with 25nm.

 

[Emulex]

dude you realize the ocz 25nm is double the chipsize so they use half the # of chips aka channels. thus slower.

SLC and mlc can exist in the same ssd. it's called RESERVE space. if you haven't studied all of the amazing things ssd's do in reserve area you have no clue how SLC would be awesome for that purpose. RESERVE.

you missed the 800gb model too [oem]