Toshiba details 7mm-thick 19nm MLC-based SSDs

June 11, 2012 | 14:48

Tags: #19nm #mlc #msata #multi-level-cell #nand-flash #solid-state #solid-state-drive #solid-state-storage #ssd

Companies: #toshiba

Toshiba has confirmed plans to being mass production of solid-state drives (SSDs) based on a 19nm multi-level cell (MLC) process and measuring just 7mm thick.

Designed for use in ultra-portable laptops, compact all-in-one PCs and even the thicker ultrabook models, Toshiba's latest drives will stick to the maximum thickness of 7mm even at the peak capacity of 512GB.

As well as the latest 19nm multi-level cell NAND flash components, the drivers are tipped to include Toshiba's proprietary Quadruple Swing-By Code (QSBC) technology which the company claims protects more efficiently against read errors than traditional error correcting code (ECC) technologies alone.

Interestingly, the latest Toshiba drives will also include a system to protect against data corruption following unexpected power loss, along with a read-only mode which allows for data recovery in the event that the device becomes too damaged to operate normally.

If Toshiba's focus on ultra-portable electronics wasn't clear from the svelte dimensions of the 2.5in drives, the power characteristics would be a dead giveaway: Toshiba is keen to point out that the use of improved advanced power management (APM) capabilities mean a measured power draw of just 0.1W when running the MobileMark 2007 Workload test.

Although full performance specifications are not yet available, Toshiba has released sequential read and write performance figures: according to the company's internal testing, the low-power ultra-slim drives are capable of reading at 524MB/s and writing at 461MB/s, putting them towards the top of the performance charts for 2.5in consumer-grade SSDs.

Finally, the drives also support the deterministic zeroing function of the TRIM instruction set, providing operating systems with TRIM support with the ability to provide information to the SSD regarding empty data blocks that can then be wiped by the SSD internally ready for re-use.

The same technology will also be used to create a bulkier but cheaper range of 9.5mm drives suitable for standard laptops and all desktops, along with an mSATA variant for use with motherboards that support the connection standard.

The drives are due for mass production in August, in the ultra-slim THNSNFxxxGCSS family, thicker THNSNFxxxGBSS and mSATA THNSNFxxxGMCS families. Capacities available at launch will be 64GB, 128GB, 256GB and 512GB. Pricing, naturally, has not yet been confirmed.
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