A recently leaked Intel roadmap has revealed the company's plans to refresh its entire range of SSDs towards the end of this year and beginning of 2011. The lineup includes a new entry-level SSD, code-named Soda Creek, which will arrive early next year as a small form factor SATA device using 34nm process technology with 40GB and 80GB capacities.

Moving up, the current entry-level X25-V transitions from 34nm MLC to 25nm MLC with an 80GB unit in the last quarter of this year and a 40GB boot drive in Q1 2011. The smaller 1.8-inch drives are getting a revamp with 25nm MLC and double the storage capacity of current models, replacing the 80GB and 160GB X18-M with 160GB and 300GB variants in Q1 2011. Meanwhile, Intel's mainstream X25-M range gets its 'Postville refresh' towards the end of 2010 with 160GB, 300GB and 600GB models featuring SMART commands, encryption and enhanced performance.


Last but not least, Intel's also revitalizing their extreme line of SSDs early next year with 100GB, 200GB and 400GB capacities as well as MLC memory. The move should bring down the cost per gigabyte compared with current SLC-based drives, though Intel still notes that the MLC NAND used in this case is 'enterprise grade' so a premium is likely involved. No firm dates have been set but the roadmap gives a good idea of Intel's plans in the SSD market for the months to come.