The Best Nand News, Reviews, Features, and Forums | MaximumPC - All of the Best Software and Hardware Reviews

FeaturesSolid-State Drive Review Roundup -- Performance & Drawbacks

Posted 11/17/08 at 06:00:00 PM by David Murphy

Storage that uses flash memory is quite unlike the hard disk drives used to hold your computer’s data. The latter rely on speedy actuators to read and write information on spinning magnetic platters. SSDs use electrical charges to read and write the state of individual flash memory cells. An SSD’s flash memory is nonvolatile: Unlike your computer’s RAM, an SSD drive retains your data when you switch the power off. And since the handshake is electric, SSDs can access that data in a fraction of the time it takes a mechanical hard drive to do so.

Sounds ideal, right? Actually, the performance potential of SSDs needs to be weighed against some significant drawbacks. We’re going to outline the pros and cons of the technology and how it compares to traditional hard disk storage. We’re also going to put seven leading solid state drives to the test and let the benchmark numbers do the talking. At this stage in the storage race, an SSD is a big investment; we want to help you maximize your return.

Read on!

Comments: 2
TAGS: storage, Hard Drive, hardware, nand, ssd, features, build a pc, solid-state drive, review roundup

NewsMemory Chip Makers Look to Reduce Costs by Asking Workers to Take Unpaid Leave

Posted 11/05/08 at 01:10:05 PM by Paul Lilly

Memory module makers continue to suffer through what some analysts suggest is the worst the DRAM market has been in 15 years with chip manufacturers posting record high losses. To stop the bleeding, most module makers have already cut production in an attempt to drive prices back up, and while that has been met with some success in niche markets (DDR prices are up 30 percent), slumping demand paints a grim outlook for memory makers in the immediate future.

The solution? Send home your workforce without laying them off. That's essentially the strategy some Tawain DRAM and memory module makers are trying to take in an attempt to reduce operating costs, according to DigiTimes. Rather than hand out pink slips, the tech news outlet reports that chip makers are asking employees to take time off without pay.

This isn't an isolated scenario, either. DigiTimes claims that Nanya Technology, Powerchip Semiconducter Corporation (PSC), and ProMOS Technologies have all taken "measures to encourage employees to voluntarily take one work-day off per week without pay in order to help the companies reduce operating costs."

Comments: 3
TAGS: Memory, hardware, nand, DRAM, business, modules, unpaid leave

NewsToshiba Introduces Ultra-Dense 43nm Flash Chips

Posted 10/30/08 at 09:59:53 AM by Paul Lilly

Toshiba this week announced what it claims is the "industry's largest density SLC NAND chip at 16Gb." The claim comes from the company's new lineup of 43nm Single-Level Cell (SLC) NAND flash memory products available in densities ranging from 512Mbits on up to 64Gbits.

"The new ranges includes three products, 16Gb, 32Gb, and 64Gb, which integrate monolithic 16Gb chips, the highest density SLC NAND chips available," Toshiba said in a press release.

Up until this point, Toshiba's production of SLC chips has been confined to 56nm and 70nm process technologies. Taking the density down to 43nm, Toshiba is touting both the read and write performance of the new parts, as well as the reliability in terms of write and erase cycles.

Devices using the new chips, including mobile phones, office automation equipment, and servers will start showing up in the market in 2009.

Comments: 1
TAGS: toshiba, flash, hardware, nand, consumer electronics, slc, 43nm

NewsMicron's Restructuring to Cut Workforce and Scale Back Flash Production

Posted 10/10/08 at 09:41:59 AM by Paul Lilly

Cheap memory prices are taking a toll on chip manufacturers, with Micron last week reporting a $344 million fourth quarter loss, the seventh quarter in a row the company has been in the red. The fallout of another quarterly loss was to fall on the shoulders of executives, who Micron said would see a 20 percent pay cut. Now it appears it won't be enough.

In addition to the high level pay cuts, Micron now says it plans to reduce its global workforce by about 15 percent. The job reduction is part of a restructuring plan and will be rolled out over the next two years with most of the cuts taking place in Boise, Idaho.

"The combination of declining customer demand and product oversupply in the marketplace has driven selling prices for NAND flash memory significantly below manufacturing costs," Micron said in a statement.

Because of this, IM Flash Technologies (IMFT), which is a joint venture between Micron and Intel, will stop producing NAND flash memory from Micron's Boise facility, a move that will reduce IMFT's flash production by about 35,000 wafers per month.

Comments: 0
TAGS: flash, Memory, nand, job cuts, micron, workforce

NewsToshiba Announces 256GB SSD with MLC Controller

Posted 09/27/08 at 08:26:09 PM by Pulkit Chandna

Toshiba has announced that it is all set to begin mass production of a new 256GB SSD with MLC controller. The company will also be introducing a few small-sized Flash Modules for UMPCs and other mobile devices.

The high density NAND-flash-based SSD boasts a maximum read speed of 120MB/sec and maximum write speed of 70MB/sec. On the other hand, the small-sized Flash Modules, which support 8GB, 16 GB and 32 GB densities, are claimed to be capable of a maximum read speed of 80MB/sec and maximum write speed of 50MB/sec. Both drives utilize the SATA-2 interface.

Let us see if Toshiba can pleasantly surprise everyone with cheaper than expected prices.

Comments: 6
TAGS: toshiba, flash, hardware, nand, ssd, Sata 2

NewsFake Flash Memory Spreading Quickly in China

Posted 09/17/08 at 10:13:03 AM by Paul Lilly

As if times weren't tough enough for memory chip manufacturers, who recently bemoaned that the market is the worst it has been in 15 years, the challenges just keep coming. Not only do chip makers have to contend with an oversupply of memory, but according to a DigiTimes report, fake NAND flash memory is making the rounds in China, which can only further hurt the industry.

Samsung may end up bearing the brunt of the scheme, as most of the counterfeit memory is being made available as Samsung-branded chips and sold at bargain basement pricing. Even worse, though the counterfeiters package the memory as finished products, many are being found without so much as a die inside.