512GB Solid State Disks on the way

Posted at: 12:23pm 23rd October 2007 by CPC staff

Flash, aah, aah, it'll save every one of us!

Samsung has announced that it has developed the world’s first 64Gb (8GB) NAND flash memory chip using a 30nm production process, which opens the door for companies to produce memory cards with up to 128GB of storage and flash SSDs with capacities of half a Terabyte.

With flash memory becoming increasing used in consumer electronic devices, such as MP3/MP4 players, digital cameras and mobile phones, the increased capacity would allow for a significant increase in the quantity and quality of data stored. For example, a single memory card built using 16 of the new chips would be capable of storing the equivalent of 27 single-layer DVDs.

Perhaps more interesting for Custom PC readers is the prospect of solid state drives (SSDs) with capacities that rival typical hard disk drives. In our Dream PC Labs test we found that the Vadim system, which uses four 32GB SSDs in RAID 0, was significantly quicker than PCs using conventional hard disk drives, so two (or four) 512GB SSDs in RAID 0 could prove to be the ultimate storage system.

That said, given that the price of Samsung’s current 32GB SSD is £243 inc VAT from Scan, you’d probably need a bank balance to rival that of Roman Abramovich in order to buy four 512GB drives. You’ve got time to save up though, because products using the chips aren't due to appear until 2009.

Source: BBC