Dell has introduced a 32GB Flash memory based solid state hard drive for two of its notebook computers. 

Buyers will have the option of replacing the mechanical hard drive with a $549 Flash unit for the Latitude D420 ultra-mobile and Latitude ATG D620 semi-rugged notebooks.

The disks are currently available in the US and are scheduled for availability in Europe and Asia within a few weeks.

Because the Flash drive lacks any moving parts, the device improves data integrity, system reliability and power consumption, and reduces the notebook's noise.

Flash memory also offers faster data transfer rates, so the notebook reduces system boot times by 34 per cent and overall system performance by 23 per cent.

Dell said that the notebooks offer twice the shock tolerance of those fitted with a mechanical hard drive. Regular hard drives are designed to survive a 30in drop, whereas the solid state version can absorb a 60in drop.

The drives are supplied by SanDisk, which unveiled the units in January. The device is designed to fit into the slot for a regular 1.8in mobile hard drive inside a notebook computer.  

Flash-based storage has already been deployed in computers designed to operate in harsh environments for the military, aerospace and telecoms industries. The new Dell laptops make the technology available for mainstream applications.

Intel unveiled its first solid state hard drives last month. But the chip maker is targeting its Flash drives at low cost computers with limited storage capacities of up to 8GB rather than mainstream notebook computers.