Intel Readies First Consumer SSD Based on 3D Xpoint Memory

[btarunr]

Intel plans to launch the first consumer SSD based on its new 3D Xpoint memory technology, a successor to NAND flash which promises exponential gains in performance and capacity, some time in 2016. The Intel-branded drive will be called Intel Optane, will come in modern form-factors such as M.2/NGFF, SATA-Express, PCI-Express (add-on card), and will take advantage of the new NVMe protocol.

Early prototypes of Optane demoed at IDF already offer up to 5.5 times the throughput of NAND flash-based DC P3700 series SSDs, and we're only talking about single-queue performance. Compared to the queue depth of just 32 commands for AHCI, NVMe offers command queue depth of a staggering 65,535 commands. Since Micron Technology is the co-developer of 3D Xpoint, it's likely that we'll also see Micron/Crucial branded drives based on this tech.



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[Ebo]

Seems like im into the market for a new SSD next year then

 

[Chaitanya]

exciting times ahead for consumers no matter what the case. I think these drives might replace their current 750 series nvme drives.

 

[Parn]

5.5 times the throughput of P3700, does that mean the sequential transfer rate is going to approach 10GB/sec?

Apart from using PCI-E 3.0 x8 or x16 slots, is there any other ways to get even closer to that speed on current consumer motherboards? If Intel is coming out with those new drives, does it also imply that they will release something with more PCI-E lanes than Z170 or even PCI-E 4.0 next year?

 

[Legacy-ZA]

Does that mean, obtane will actually make them obtainable price wise...?

 

[semantics]

5.5 times the throughput of P3700, does that mean the sequential transfer rate is going to approach 10GB/sec?

Apart from using PCI-E 3.0 x8 or x16 slots, is there any other ways to get even closer to that speed on current consumer motherboards? If Intel is coming out with those new drives, does it also imply that they will release something with more PCI-E lanes than Z170 or even PCI-E 4.0 next year?

Not really a Z170 meant product as i'd assume the price is going to be x99 asinine.

 

[blunt14468]

or the next HEDT that I would like to hold out for

 

[n-ster]

*drools*

I can`t wait to upgrade to the next HEDT platform next year and buy one of those

 

[buggalugs]

They shouldn't call it Optane, too close to OCZ Octane.

 

[Arjai]

Maybe they should call it Buggalugs, naw, too close to being picky.