Editor’s Note: The following article is reprinted from the Today @ PC World blog at PCWorld.com.
Toshiba is upping the solid-state drive (SSD) game with new hard drives based upon 43-nanometer multi-level cell NAND technology. The company plans to showcase the first 2.5-inch, 512GB SSD as part of a new SSD roll out at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January.
Toshiba said that, besides the 512GB SSD, it will also offer capacities of 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB, offered in 1.8-inch or 2.5-inch drive enclosures or as SSD flash modules. These new SSDs are said to offer higher read and write speeds of 240 MB per second and 200 MB per second, respectively, due to its MLC controller. AES data encryption will also be included.
Mass production of these new SSDs is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2009. Toshiba seems to have no plans to rest on it laurels in trying to stay competitive in the hot SSD market. It will always have its hands full with Intel, which is good for consumers as it spurs innovation and slowly drives flash memory prices lower.