Intel Launches SSD 525 mSATA Range for Ultrabooks

Posted 01/28/2013 at 6:02pm | by Pulkit Chandna

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Intel’s first 6Gb/s mSATA offering

Intel today announced the launch of a new mSATA solid-state drive. Based on 25nm multi-level cell (MLC) NAND flash memory, the Intel Solid-State Drive 525, as the new drive is called, is the Santa Clara-based chipmaker’s very first 6Gb/s mSATA offering.

The world was first warned about the coming of the performance SSD 525 series as early as July 2012, when VR-Zone spilled the beans on Intel’s SSD plans. As revealed back then, the SSD 525 is essentially the mSATA variant of the SSD 520. Both drives feature a SandForce SF-2281 controller and 25nm 2-bit MLC IMFT NAND. Further, the SSD 520 and the SSD 525 boast identical performance attributes: 50K/80K 4KB random reads/writes and maximum sequential read and write speeds of 550 MBps and 520 MBps, respectively.

"The Intel SSD 525 Series is Intel's latest 6 Gb/s mSATA product, which brings high performance to an ultra-portable form factor targeted for Ultrabooks and a myriad of embedded solutions," said James Slattery, product line manager for Intel Non-Volatile Memory Solutions Group Client SSDs, in a press release.

"Intel SSDs reduce the risk of data loss due to shock, vibration or jarring. With these new performance thresholds available in a small form factor package, and backed by Intel quality and reliability, the Intel SSD 525 opens the door to an unlimited number of creative embedded solutions such as in-flight entertainment, mobile workstations, microservers and IP phone storage."

The Intel SSD 525 comes in 30GB, 60GB, 90GB, 120GB, 180GB and 240GB capacities, priced at $54, $104, $129, $149, $214 and $279, respectively. Intel has already begun shipping the 120GB and 180GB drives and expects the "additional capacities and volume shipments to follow this quarter."