News

posted on 08 April 2008 07:49

At its Intel Developer Forum the firm revealed SSD properties of an extreme nature concerning write cycle length and I/O performance.

Intel said it would produce its own brand solid state disks (SSDs) in 2.5-inch and 1.8-inch form factors, with capacities ranging from 32 to 160GB, a SATA interface, and with write cycle totals up to 50 times longer than competing products. It also said that its power draw per IOP would be less than competing products because, although a write or read operation drew more power than competing products the operation was so very much faster less power was needed overall.

Recently Intel CEO Paul Otellini has said he'll fix Intel's ailing SSD business. Intel fellow Knut Grimsrud (pictured) has also blogged, bragged even, about the fast performance of an Intel SSD-equipped Intel notebook compared to a hard drive model.

These IDF revelations, if they are taken at face value, suggest that Intel's technologists have produced SSD technology with outstanding competitive advantages compared to products from Samsung, Toshiba and STEC.

Pricing and availability haven't been revealed.

Recently Intel has hived off NAND and NOR flash operrations into Numonyx, an independent company set up with STMicroelectronics. Numonyx has also inherited Intel's Phase Change Memory technology, touted as a way of combing DRAM speed and capacity with Flash' non-volatility.

Why it's sloughing off its own flash capability into Numonyx if its own flash technology is so great is a mystery. Is Numonyx the foundry for Intel's new SSDs? All will be revealed as Otellini's flash circus prepares to get its show on the road.

^{[Paul Roberts, news editor.]}