Intel Optane Client SSDs to Debut Alongside "Kaby Lake" Processors

[btarunr]

Intel's first client SSDs based on the company's revolutionary 3D XPoint memory technology, under the company's new Optane brand, could debut alongside the company's 7th generation Core "Kaby Lake" processors (late-2016), according to a leaked company slide. According to the slide, the company could launch at least three Optane branded SSD lines in either late Q4-2016 or Q1-2017, addressing three distinct market segments.

Leading the pack is the Optane "Mansion Beach" SSD, positioned in the upper-end of the "Enthusiast Workstation" segment, with PCIe gen 3.0 x4 interface, and NVMe support. A notch underneath this is the Optane "Brighton Beach" series, featuring PCIe gen 3.0 x2 interface. Interestingly, Intel doesn't have a mainstream SSD based on the 3D XPoint tech around this time, yet has an entry-level "System Accelerator" segment drive codenamed "Stony Beach," which also takes advantage of PCIe gen 3.0 x2. This drive comes in M.2 form-factor. Some time later (2018?), the company plans to launch a single-chip successor to "Stony Beach," codenamed "Carson Beach."



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[TheLostSwede]

Expect this to come at a hefty price premium over "regular" SSDs

 

[Legacy-ZA]

Ah finally some news on Intel's Optane, I can't wait to see them in action.

Expect this to come at a hefty price premium over "regular" SSDs

I don't know, we will have to wait and see; Intel has surprised us before with a product with massive performance and at a good price point (2600k / 2500k Sandy Bridge). Have a look at this document from Intel, they say it's less expensive and way faster:

http://www.intelsalestraining.com/infographics/memory/3DXPointc.pdf

 

[Parn]

Considering the 3DX memory support will be available on the mainstream Union Point 200 series chipset, the price of the Optane SSDs may actually be within reach for the average consumers.

 

[Prima.Vera]

At least they have big competition on the SSD market otherwise the prices would have been at least double we would expect. No like on the CPU market where they do how they please.