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Intel has announced the launch of a new series of SSDs called the 335 Series. Intel says that the new 335 Series SSDs use industry-leading 20 nm NAND flash memory process. The 335 Series are the first Intel SSDs to ship using that particular flash memory process.

The drive supports 6 Gb/s SATA connectivity and comes in up to 240 GB capacity. The drive promises to be fast with 4 kB reads at up to 42,000 IOPS and writes at up to 52,000 IOPS. The new SSD series uses the smallest and most efficient MLC NAND flash on the market today.

The 240 GB capacity 335 SSD promises sequential reads at 500 MB per second and sequential writes a 450 MB per second. Intel says that the 29 nm 64Gb NAND uses a planar cell structure, which is an industry first. That special structure allows the SSD to overcome difficulties that accompany advanced process technology and enable performance and reliability on par with 25nm technology.

This SSD line is available in a 2.5-inch form factor with a 9.5 mm thick case. The SSD series is designed to replace conventional hard drives and is backed by a three year limited warranty from Intel. The Intel SSD 335 Series is available around the globe starting today. Pricing information is unknown at this time.

Intel unveils new SSD 335 Series solid-state storage devices is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

The typical consumer may not realize all the individual components that are inside computer or a smartphone. There’s a myriad of little chips inside devices sourced from all around the world for things such as memory and storage. DRAM chips are the key components inside computing devices and smartphones that allow them to operate more quickly.

Since the 1980s, computers have been the main consumer of DRAM chips in the technology industry. However, data released by research firm iSuppli last week showed a major change in DRAM consumption for the first time since the 80s. Computers used 49% of all DRAM chips manufactured in Q2 of this year.

That left other devices such as smartphones and tablets consuming 51% of all DRAM chips manufactured, overtaking the computer industry for the first time in decades. The percentages are expected to continue to tip in favor of tablets and smartphones. By the end of 2013, iSuppli predicts that PCs will use only 42.8% of the DRAM chips produced.

DRAM chips are used inside of computers and other devices to store short-term information to help shorten the time it takes to process information inside the computer. Long-term storage inside smartphones and computers typically use hard drives with magnetic platters or solid-state storage using NAND chips. ISuppli expects that with the market tipping towards mobile devices as the main consumer of DRAM chips, manufacturers will increasingly focus on making better chips for smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices.

[via Reuters]

Smartphones and tablets overtake PCs as major consumer of DRAM chips is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

SandForce is a company that produces a number of different processors that control flash storage inside an SSD or computer. These controller chips can have a huge impact on how the computer performs overall including having a major impact on speed and battery life. The company has announced new controller chips promising significantly improved battery life called the SandForce SF-2200/2100 Client Flash Storage Processors.

Both of the new storage processor lines are aimed directly at the stringent power consumption requirements of ultrabooks. The most important new feature of the storage processors is that they consume significantly less power than predecessors promising as much as an extra hour of runtime per battery charge. An extra hour of runtime is a huge improvement in consumption.

SandForce is talking about three new specific products aimed at the ultrabook market, including the LSI SandForce SF-2141, SF-2241 and SF-2281 client FSPs. These processors have other benefits for the ultrabook market than extending battery life. The new processors will enable system boo and wake times to be reduced and are designed to meet the low C-height product requirement in the ultrabook market.

The controllers support SATA 6Gb/s host connectivity and are able to address between 24 GB and 512 GB of NAND flash memory. SandForce says that the processors support virtually all MLC flash product families. I’d wager these new flash controllers would find their way into other products as well since ultrabooks aren’t the only computing products that could benefit from an extra hour of battery life.

SandForce SF-2200/2100 storage processors promise an extra hour of runtime is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.