Samsung claims Flash breakthrough

Samsung Electronics today claimed to have developed the first solid state disk (SSD) based on Nand Flash memory technology.

The SSD has a power consumption rate less than five per cent of today's hard disk drives (HDDs), enabling next-generation mobile PCs to extend battery life by more than 10 per cent. The Nand-based SSD weighs less than half that of a comparably sized HDD.

The electronics giant is marketing the SSD as a low-power, lightweight storage media for notebooks, sub-notebooks and tablet PCs.

Using high-density 8Gbit Nand Flash, Samsung said it can build SSDs with a capacity of up to 16GB.

"Free of moving parts, Samsung's SSD memory has minimal noise and heat emission," the company said.

"Moreover, it is a highly reliable storage media that endures exceptionally well in environments with extreme temperatures and humidity, making it suited for industrial and military applications."

The storage disk reads data at 57Mbps and writes it at 32Mbps. Samsung claimed that these levels of SSD performance exceed those of a comparably sized HDDs by more than 150 per cent.

To ensure compatibility, the SSDs have been designed to look like HDDs from the outside.

The company has developed 2.5in SSDs that carry 16 Nand Flash devices of 4Gbit or 8Gbit density for 8GB and 16GB of storage respectively. Its 1.8in SSDs will also offer 4GB or 8GB of density. The 1.8in SSD will be available in August for sub-notebook and tablet PCs.

Samsung expects Nand Flash applications to expand from current applications in digital cameras, MP3 players and 3G mobile handsets to mobile and digital consumer appliances.