Traditional 2.5" hard disks no longer rule for storage space with Toshiba's latest line-up of 43nm NAND SSDs, which includes the world's first 512GB solid state drive. This SSD now brings SSD capacity to the largest currently available 2.5" traditional hard disk, so the only major competitive advantage left for traditional hard disks is their very low price per GB compared with SSDs.
This 43nm MLC based line-up includes drive capacities of 64GB, 128GB and 256GB available in 1.8" and 2.5" form factors and a 512GB model available in a 2.5" form factor. The drives feature an advanced MLC controller for improved read/write parallel data transfers and claim to offer maximum sequential read and write transfer rates of 240MB/s and 200MB/s, respectively. To protect against unauthorised data access, such as if a laptop is lost or stolen, they support AES data encryption.
Toshiba has high hopes for the SSD market in which it expects 10% of laptops to be equipped with an SSD drive by 2010 and to reach 25% of laptops by 2012. They will demonstrate the 512GB drive at next year's International CES 2009, which takes place in Las Vega in January. This new 43mn line-up will be available in the first quarter of 2009, followed by mass production in the second quarter.
