News

posted on 26 May 2008 16:38

Samsung is to produce a 256GB capacity 2.5-inch format flash solid state disk (SSD) by the end of the year, which will be the fastest MLC, 2.5-inch SSD in the world.

The device uses multi-layer cell (MLC) technology and has a 200MB/sec sustained read speed and 160MB/sec read speed, pretty close to single layer cell (SLC) speeds. Its reliability is in the SLC area too, being 1 million hours mean time between failure (MTBF).

Samsung chipman

Jim Elliott, memory marketing VP for Samsung Semiconductor, was in full hype mode in Samsung's announcement statement: "With development of the 256GB SSD, the notebook PC is on the brink of a second stage of evolution. This change is comparable to the evolution from the Sony Walkman to NAND memory-based MP3 players, representing an initial step in the shift to thinner, smaller SSD-based notebooks with significantly improved performance and more than ample storage,"

The chip features embedded encryption and a low power draw of 0.9 watts when active. It uses a 3Gbit/s SATA II interface.

The chip is small, measuring 100.3 x 19.85 x 9.5mm. An even smaller 1.8-inch version is due in the fourth quarter of this year.  Both will be sampling in September and in production by the end of the year.

Samsung launched its 128GB SSD in January this year. Lenovo's ThinkPad and Apple's MacBook Air use its 64GB flash SSD. It says coyly that it is in talks about the new SSD with major PC manufacturers.

Samsung also mentions a Q1 2008 report by the semiconductor market research firm iSuppli, the SSD market will grow at an annualized average of 124 percent from 2008 to 2012.

Everything in its chip garden is rosy.

^{[Paul Roberts, news editor.]}