Intel Reshapes Solid-State Drive Roadmap: 25nm Flash Everywhere
 

Intel Corp. has redesigned its solid-state drives roadmap in a bid to utilize more flash memory produced using 25nm fabrication technology at IM Flash foundries. The company also decided not to use multi-level cell (MLC) flash memory for Enterprise-series solid-state drives (SSDs), but utilize the so-called enterprise MLC (eMLC) flash chips in a bid to improve reliability and lifespan of devices.

The reshaped roadmap seen by X-bit labs postpones introduction of code-named Lyndonville solid-state drives for enterprise markets to Q1 2011 from the last quarter of this year. However, thanks to such delay, the new drives will utilize eMLC NAND made using 25nm process technology, which has considerably higher amount of write cycles than traditional MLC, even though single-level cell (SLC) NAND still boasts even higher number of write cycles. Previously Intel planned to use 34nm MLC flash for Lyndonville drives that will succeed currently available SLC-based X25-E family of SSDs. As a result of switch to MLC type of flash, Lyndonville drives will be available in 400GB, 200GB and 100GB capacities.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/storage...te_Drives.html