Intel Readies 25 nm NAND-based X25-M and X25-V SSDs for Q4 2010

btarunr · Aug 16, 2010, 08:56 AM

Intel is planning a series of four solid state drives (SSDs) in Q4 2010, that makes use of the latest IMFlash Technologies 25 nm NAND flash memory chips, under a possible "G3" (third generation) brand identifier, and sold complete under the Intel X25-M, and X18-M (mainstream) and X25-V (value) brands. The four drives will continue to carry the company internal codename "Postville", and mostly the same exact feature set as the 34 nm Postville SSDs, except for the new 25 nm NAND chips, native data encryption, SMART, and higher performance.

Under the 2.5" form-factor X25-M series, there are 600 GB, 300 GB, and 160 GB models on the roadmap, while an X25-V 2.5" value SSD featuring the 25 nm flash chips includes an 80 GB model in Q4. Later in Q1 2011, Intel will add new enterprise X25-E "Lydonville" models based on the new chips, as well as introduce 25 nm based 300 GB and 160 GB 1.8" mainstream X18-M SSDs, and a 40 GB X25-M model. The introduction of these new SSDs follows the February 2010 announcement of the 25 nm NAND flash memory chips by IMFlash Technologies. IMFlash is a joint venture between Intel and Micron Technology.

Source: ComputerBase.de

RejZoR · Aug 16, 2010, 09:30 AM

Cool. Q4 2010 or Q1 2011 will be interesting for SSD's. Maybe i'll get one for my netbook at that time.

Whitey · Aug 16, 2010, 10:38 AM

Here's hoping speen will be fast !

300 read / 300 write please

Whitey

LAN_deRf_HA · Aug 16, 2010, 11:17 AM

SATA 2 or 3?

btarunr · Aug 16, 2010, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LAN_deRf_HA

SATA 2 or 3?

SATA 3 Gb/s (SATA 2).

Yellow&Nerdy? · Aug 16, 2010, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whitey

Here's hoping speen will be fast !

300 read / 300 write please

Whitey

I don't really think we need more speed than we have now, a SandForce SF-1200 is fast enough to me. Actually, it's not far from your 300/300 at 285/275.

What I would like to see is CHEAPER SSDs. I hope within the next couple of years, prices of SSDs will fall to maybe 3-5 times more expensive per GB than regular HDDs, rather than the 20-30 times more expensive per GB that we have now.

devguy · Aug 16, 2010, 03:41 PM

Schweet, it looks like we'll be getting double the capacity for each model. Hoping that each new model will take on the pricing of the older one, we may see Intel SSDs for under $1.5 / GB! Here's hoping to see the 160GB G3 SSD between $199-225. I'd certainly buy one then!

Octopuss · Aug 16, 2010, 04:53 PM

Where are SLC ones?

edit: What are the X28-E models doing in Q2/2010?

mechtech · Aug 16, 2010, 05:20 PM

Hmmm I was going to get a 120GB sandforce 5 months down teh road in January, but I may have to wait for some 100GB Lyndonville benchies first.

Looks like SSD's are finally coming along at a decent rate. I still wish I could get something around 120GB on a pcie 8x bootable card with SLC, 5yr warranty, 600MB/s read write min speeds all for about $600.00.

Well maybe one day down the road.

RejZoR · Aug 16, 2010, 05:33 PM

I'd almost kill for a 160GB or 256GB drive with 150MB/s in both directions (with decent random read/write abviously), at least 5 years warranty and a price tag of 230€.

We all know random access is what's the most important so even though having 300MB/s read is nice, most could live with 150MB/s just fine.

Whitey · Aug 16, 2010, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yellow&Nerdy?

I don't really think we need more speed than we have now, a SandForce SF-1200 is fast enough to me. Actually, it's not far from your 300/300 at 285/275.

Yeah, I know

I had ordered two Corsair F40 last night (for raid 0), but the order was cancelled due to stock.

Then this morning I see Intel are updating; so here's hoping.

Am running an X25-E since they first came out, so have been enjoying the SSD experience.

Chris

Yukikaze · Aug 16, 2010, 06:54 PM

Oh goodie. I was just about to get another X-25M 160GB - Time to wait.

Octopuss · Aug 16, 2010, 07:35 PM

Guys can you tell me what is the difference between 18- and 25- series? Is it just the proportions or something else? I am getting confused by all the models. And that's just Intel

Whitey · Aug 16, 2010, 08:16 PM

Different form factor size iirc !

Thickness maybe ?

Yukikaze · Aug 16, 2010, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Octopuss

Guys can you tell me what is the difference between 18- and 25- series? Is it just the proportions or something else? I am getting confused by all the models. And that's just Intel

1.8" vs 2.5"

Octopuss · Aug 16, 2010, 09:21 PM

Ah so just that. Okay.
Guess the thing to get is still X25-M

WarEagleAU · Aug 16, 2010, 10:37 PM

Awesome, Intel has the best drives for the random reads and writes these days. I was hoping for some SLC drives as well. Would be nice if the new drives can be raided with TRIM support.

sethk · Aug 22, 2010, 06:55 PM

Given the capacity ramp up, I'm hoping prices are going down, and since I see Best Buy is now selling the G2 X25-M drives at low prices, I'm guessing they're thinning out inventories and planning the slow lowering of current-gen prices so that the G3 doesn't look like a huge price drop. I'm going to guess $299 retail for the 160GB G3.

danwat1234 · Oct 31, 2010, 09:00 PM

Well, the Sandforce 2000 chip will give the G3 a beating.
G3:
Sequential Read: 250MB/s
Sequential Write:170MB/s
read IOPS: 50K
write IOPS:40K
Security: AES-128

Sandforce 2000:
Sequential Read: 500MB/s
Sequential Write:500MB/s
read IOPS: 60K
write IOPS:60K
Security: AES-256

Source: http://www.anandtech.com/show/3971/s...s-and-60k-iops

Aug 16, 2010, 08:56 AM	#1
btarunr Editor & Senior Moderator Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Hyderabad, India Posts: 14,982 (7.30/day) Thanks: 788 Thanked 12,899 Times in 5,650 Posts System Specs	Intel Readies 25 nm NAND-based X25-M and X25-V SSDs for Q4 2010 Intel is planning a series of four solid state drives (SSDs) in Q4 2010, that makes use of the latest IMFlash Technologies 25 nm NAND flash memory chips, under a possible "G3" (third generation) brand identifier, and sold complete under the Intel X25-M, and X18-M (mainstream) and X25-V (value) brands. The four drives will continue to carry the company internal codename "Postville", and mostly the same exact feature set as the 34 nm Postville SSDs, except for the new 25 nm NAND chips, native data encryption, SMART, and higher performance. Under the 2.5" form-factor X25-M series, there are 600 GB, 300 GB, and 160 GB models on the roadmap, while an X25-V 2.5" value SSD featuring the 25 nm flash chips includes an 80 GB model in Q4. Later in Q1 2011, Intel will add new enterprise X25-E "Lydonville" models based on the new chips, as well as introduce 25 nm based 300 GB and 160 GB 1.8" mainstream X18-M SSDs, and a 40 GB X25-M model. The introduction of these new SSDs follows the February 2010 announcement of the 25 nm NAND flash memory chips by IMFlash Technologies. IMFlash is a joint venture between Intel and Micron Technology. Source: ComputerBase.de

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Aug 16, 2010, 09:30 AM	#2
RejZoR Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Europe/Slovenia Posts: 3,963 (1.26/day) Thanks: 39 Thanked 752 Times in 540 Posts System Specs	Cool. Q4 2010 or Q1 2011 will be interesting for SSD's. Maybe i'll get one for my netbook at that time. __________________ RejZoR's Little Secrets @ rejzor dot tk

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Aug 16, 2010, 10:38 AM	#3
Whitey Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Surrey, UK Posts: 35 (0.03/day) Thanks: 2 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts System Specs	Here's hoping speen will be fast ! 300 read / 300 write please Whitey

Aug 16, 2010, 11:17 AM	#4
LAN_deRf_HA Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 4,022 (2.15/day) Thanks: 290 Thanked 831 Times in 588 Posts System Specs	SATA 2 or 3?

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Aug 16, 2010, 03:41 PM	#7
devguy Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: SoCal Posts: 1,198 (0.52/day) Thanks: 49 Thanked 171 Times in 133 Posts System Specs	Schweet, it looks like we'll be getting double the capacity for each model. Hoping that each new model will take on the pricing of the older one, we may see Intel SSDs for under $1.5 / GB! Here's hoping to see the 160GB G3 SSD between $199-225. I'd certainly buy one then! __________________ CPU-Z validation sig pics temporarily blocked

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Aug 16, 2010, 04:53 PM	#8
Octopuss Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Czech republic Posts: 473 (0.34/day) Thanks: 38 Thanked 21 Times in 17 Posts System Specs	Where are SLC ones? edit: What are the X28-E models doing in Q2/2010?

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Aug 16, 2010, 05:20 PM	#9
mechtech Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: canada, northern ontario, way up in the sticks Posts: 250 (0.11/day) Thanks: 9 Thanked 18 Times in 17 Posts System Specs	Hmmm I was going to get a 120GB sandforce 5 months down teh road in January, but I may have to wait for some 100GB Lyndonville benchies first. Looks like SSD's are finally coming along at a decent rate. I still wish I could get something around 120GB on a pcie 8x bootable card with SLC, 5yr warranty, 600MB/s read write min speeds all for about $600.00. Well maybe one day down the road. __________________ Life does'nt change after marriage, it changes after children!!

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Aug 16, 2010, 05:33 PM	#10
RejZoR Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Europe/Slovenia Posts: 3,963 (1.26/day) Thanks: 39 Thanked 752 Times in 540 Posts System Specs	I'd almost kill for a 160GB or 256GB drive with 150MB/s in both directions (with decent random read/write abviously), at least 5 years warranty and a price tag of 230€. We all know random access is what's the most important so even though having 300MB/s read is nice, most could live with 150MB/s just fine. __________________ RejZoR's Little Secrets @ rejzor dot tk

Aug 16, 2010, 06:54 PM	#12
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Aug 16, 2010, 07:35 PM	#13
Octopuss Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Czech republic Posts: 473 (0.34/day) Thanks: 38 Thanked 21 Times in 17 Posts System Specs	Guys can you tell me what is the difference between 18- and 25- series? Is it just the proportions or something else? I am getting confused by all the models. And that's just Intel

Aug 16, 2010, 08:16 PM	#14
Whitey Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Surrey, UK Posts: 35 (0.03/day) Thanks: 2 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts System Specs	Different form factor size iirc ! Thickness maybe ?

Aug 16, 2010, 09:21 PM	#16
Octopuss Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Czech republic Posts: 473 (0.34/day) Thanks: 38 Thanked 21 Times in 17 Posts System Specs	Ah so just that. Okay. Guess the thing to get is still X25-M

Aug 16, 2010, 10:37 PM	#17
WarEagleAU Bird of Prey Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Gurley, AL Posts: 9,994 (3.98/day) Thanks: 3,810 Thanked 557 Times in 521 Posts System Specs	Awesome, Intel has the best drives for the random reads and writes these days. I was hoping for some SLC drives as well. Would be nice if the new drives can be raided with TRIM support. __________________ =-TheEagle-= http://www.heatware.com/eval.php?id=62454 “You crazy? Surfing any website without an antivirus is like freaking with a dirty woman without protection” -OzzmanFloyd120 - Edited for content and clarity

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Aug 22, 2010, 06:55 PM	#18
sethk Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 63 (0.03/day) Thanks: 2 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts	Given the capacity ramp up, I'm hoping prices are going down, and since I see Best Buy is now selling the G2 X25-M drives at low prices, I'm guessing they're thinning out inventories and planning the slow lowering of current-gen prices so that the G3 doesn't look like a huge price drop. I'm going to guess $299 retail for the 160GB G3.

Oct 31, 2010, 09:00 PM	#19
danwat1234 Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 4 (0.00/day) Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Sandforce 2000 pwns G3 Well, the Sandforce 2000 chip will give the G3 a beating. G3: Sequential Read: 250MB/s Sequential Write:170MB/s read IOPS: 50K write IOPS:40K Security: AES-128 Sandforce 2000: Sequential Read: 500MB/s Sequential Write:500MB/s read IOPS: 60K write IOPS:60K Security: AES-256 Source: http://www.anandtech.com/show/3971/s...s-and-60k-iops

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