Intel provides an update on second generation 3D XPoint memory used for Optane

[Greg S]

Recap: 3D XPoint non-volatile memory spent many years under development by Intel and Micron. The two co-developers have decided to split up after launching the second generation of 3D XPoint and could spur further innovations resulting from independent research and development.

Intel and Micron partnered on the long endeavor to create 3D XPoint memory that now is used in Intel's Optane drives. The non-volatile memory offers very low latency with read and write speeds that are competitive with high end solid state drives.

Even though the technology was co-developed, the two partners are planning to go in different directions following the release of second generation 3D XPoint. Next generation 3D XPoint products will be available during the first half of 2019. Following its release, Micron and Intel will be independently pursuing further improvements to the technology.

Both businesses will continue to share the Intel-Micron Flash Technologies fabrication center in Lehi, Utah, but will effectively operate completely independently of one another.

Intel plans to continue development on 3D XPoint primarily for use in Optane drives. Department heads at Intel are looking to continue targeting server and client markets with Optane. Micron sells to more industrial customers and offers embedded solutions that Intel does not always choose to compete with.

The split between Micron and Intel could mean that 3D XPoint memory is applied to far more products than it currently is. How useful the technology remains will depend on how quickly other non-volatile storage solutions improve. It is likely that Optane or similar products will fit specific needs for quite some time due to its high write endurance capabilities and low latency.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/75535-intel-provides-update-second-generation-3d-xpoint-memory.html

 

[ShagnWagn]

Kudos for continuing to make drives faster and faster. Let's work on getting them to reasonable sizes and cost...

I continue to wonder why they don't build these SSD drives in the standard 3.5" size. Being limited to 500GB and 1TB drives is crappy... They keep sticking us with these 2.5" drives when we could have 4GB+ SSD drives right now (and for several years already). SMH

 

[texasrattler]

Optane has to either be cheaper for them to do vs SSD or it at least is giving them higher profit margins.

There are 4TB SSDs but are rare and expensive which is why not many companies use them.

In time SSDs will finally be main stream. We are almost there, HP switched a lot of their main line laptops to SSDs this year. Apple and Lenovo have been doing it for several years. Dell is doing it more so in the last 2 years. Asus needs to use SSDs more they mainly only do it on their ROG models and higher end 2 in 1s.
Lower end laptops also have SSDs, not referring to those 32 and 64 garbage ones but the 128gb SSD models. All typically under $500.
So it's coming, just may take a lil longer then we'd all like but it's coming.

 

[Dimitrios]

Optane has to either be cheaper for them to do vs SSD or it at least is giving them higher profit margins.

There are 4TB SSDs but are rare and expensive which is why not many companies use them.

In time SSDs will finally be main stream. We are almost there, HP switched a lot of their main line laptops to SSDs this year. Apple and Lenovo have been doing it for several years. Dell is doing it more so in the last 2 years. Asus needs to use SSDs more they mainly only do it on their ROG models and higher end 2 in 1s.
Lower end laptops also have SSDs, not referring to those 32 and 64 garbage ones but the 128gb SSD models. All typically under $500.
So it's coming, just may take a lil longer then we'd all like but it's coming.

I bought a Bestbuy Laptop/Tablet hybrid for running HP TUNERS on my old 1999 LS1 Camaro and it has a 128GB SSD and I have to say for a cheap $180-$200 with USB 3.0 or whatever it is it's damn fast for reading my cars PCM live while driving ! Windows 10 sometimes pisses me off by I found ways around it.

 

[texasrattler]

Cool. a 128GB SSD for $200? Never seen one unless it was used or something. Lowest ive ever seen was maybe $350-$400.

Ive yet to have any real issues with win 10. Don't know why ppl still don't like it. Works fine here.

 

[enemys]

Kudos for continuing to make drives faster and faster. Let's work on getting them to reasonable sizes and cost...

I continue to wonder why they don't build these SSD drives in the standard 3.5" size. Being limited to 500GB and 1TB drives is crappy... They keep sticking us with these 2.5" drives when we could have 4GB+ SSD drives right now (and for several years already). SMH

What? You can buy 2.5'' SSD drives that are 4TB, and that's just consumer market hardware:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01G844OOO/?tag=httpwwwtechsp-20
They're far from cheap, but they're there. And the size is not an issue - the price can be.

 

[ShagnWagn]

What? You can buy 2.5'' SSD drives that are 4TB, and that's just consumer market hardware:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01G844OOO/?tag=httpwwwtechsp-20
They're far from cheap, but they're there. And the size is not an issue - the price can be.

Sorry, but I'm not following a revenue generating link. Thanks anyway though. 4TB is far less storage from what a significantly cheaper HDD can provide.

Billions of hours of labor are lost because businesses still have to run servers off of HDD storage due to cost. Not to mention how many laptops and desktops are still built with the snail's pace HDD drives, which consumes billions and billions of personal time, plus how much higher the failure rate of HDDs have combined with data loss. It is incomprehensible why the industry hasn't dropped HDDs from the market and fully invested into memory storage.