Bigger Capacity SSD Flash Drives Are Marching In

SanDisk 72GB Flash SSD

Because they use less power, generate less heat and have faster access times than hard drives, Flash-based solid state drives (SSDs) are poised to become more popular. If they can hurdle the price disadvantage, that is.

Price, notwithstanding, solid state Flash drives are marching in. We’re set to see more of them very soon.

SanDisk and Toshiba now have the manufacturing capabilities in place to produce 120GB to 160GB SSDs later this year. Their 32-Gigabit die combined with multilevel cell (MLC) technology will make this possible. Add to that the so-called X3 technology which allows 3bits/cell instead of the usual 2bits/cell in manufacturing Flash memory and we got it nailed. Pretty soon we’ll have SSDs that rival those hard disk drives in capacity.

MicroSD cards – those used in mobile phones – will also benefit; the new technology will double the capacity of today’s 8GB MicroSD to 16GB.

[Via: CNET]

Published by Chris Malinao

Chris teaches Lightroom as workflow software to photography students at the FPPF, Federation of Philippine Photographers Foundation. He also teaches smartphone photography.