Intel X25-M G2 SSD - image courtesy Anandtech.com

Intel has come across a snag in their new 34nm SSDs. A bug in the firmware may cause data corruption if “a password is set on the drive in the system BIOS, and then changed or disabled later.” While it doesn’t appear many units have been shipped through resellers yet, everyone is sitting on their stock and Intel has ceased manufacturing until the problem is remedied. A firmware patch is expected quickly and everything should start flowing again.

Source: [Engadget]

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New Intel X-25M G2 SSD board - image from Anandtech.com

A few days ago Intel released a new lineup of SSD drives that are more efficiently made with the intention of driving SSD costs down, opening up the market to more people.

We noted in that article that Anandtech had posted their usually excellent analysis of the decision and technology, but they also had one of the new X25-M (G2) drives dropped off for a bit o fun. This is just an initial preview, but has a good look at the changes in the drive and some benchmarks.

I’m also going to point you to another article of Anand’s that is a must-read if you’re interested in SSDs. There is far more underneath the surface of “bunch of flash chips with a SATA connector on them.” SSDs have evolved incredibly since their initial debut and there are a number of real world concerns with usability and performance. Anand covers all this in the “SSD Anthology” as he calls it – which is an accurate description, at 31 individual pages in the article.

I admit to reading every page, geeking out like I haven’t in a while, but if you’re interested in SSD technology I highly recommend a read of at least the first 5-6 pages. The most interesting analysis of SSD technology occurs through about page 15 and after that it covers evolution of SSD technology in the past few months, largely prompted by the discoveries of the online tech review community. Here’s the Anthology, enjoy and let me know what you think.

Update: If you’re interested in a technical discussion of the new SSDs, I highly recommend you check out Anandtech’s article

Today Intel announced a new line of Solid State Drives (SSDs) using highly efficient manufacturing techniques to drastically reduce cost.

This is it folks. SSDs are heading mainstream at full speed and nothing is stopping them. Intel has been collaborating with fellow silicon-noisseur Micron Technologies and the joint-venture firm named IM Flash Technologies created flash memory based around a 34nm NAND manufacturing process. Samsung and Toshiba are also working on a smaller flash technology, to be built at 32nm, which will really up the competition level as well.

What does this mean to you? Intel’s previous flash drives were based on a 50nm manufacturing process, making the transistors in the new drives 32% smaller. When you can fit more transistors in the same slice of silicon, you can make more devices from that slice and reduce costs thanks to economies of scale. The sweet images and presentation Intel released yesterday on how a processor is made are very applicable to what we’re talking about here.

These new drives will still be called the X25-M (2.5-inch form factor) and X18-M (1.8-inch), but they will of course have new SKU’s. The X25-M 80GB (SKU SSDSA2MH080G2C1) and 160GB (SKU SSDSA2MH160G2C1) model built on 34nm technology will be available very soon, with a 320GB model expected at an unknown later date. The X18-M versions should ship later this quarter.

Prices have been a huge roadblock for SSD proliferation and they are dropping rapidly. While the original 80GB X25-M announced for $595 not even a year ago, the new model is priced around $225. The 160GB version is appropriately doubled, offering double the capacity for $440, down from $945 at launch.

P.S. Maybe now we can all afford to go crazy with SSD.

Source: [DailyTech]

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