Storage
SK Hynix announced this week that it had started volume production of its 238-layer TLC NAND memory. The new device promises higher bit density and lower NAND bits cost for the manufacturer and enables ultra-high-performance SSDs as it features a very high interface speed of 2400 MT/s. SK Hynix's first 238-layer 3D TLC NAND device has a 512 Gb capacity (64 GB). It has a number of benefits when compared to its 176-layer predecessor, including a 34% higher manufacturing efficiency (i.e., smaller die size, lower usage of materials, and expensive process steps, etc.), a 21% lower power consumption during read operations thanks to the ONFI 5.0 interface with the NV-LPDDR4 signaling method, and a 2400 MT/s interface transfer rate, which is a 50% increase. The latter...
Seagate and Western Digital 1TB Drives: Improved and Green
Hitachi beat everyone to the 1TB drive level, but can these more recent offerings offer a compelling alternative? We'll find out, as Western Digital and Seagate target your green.
32 by Dave Robinet on 11/26/2007Ultra ULT40010: Keeping it Cool
We put Ultra's new HD cooler through the ringer and it barely breaks a sweat.
32 by Dave Robinet on 11/2/2007Transcend TS16GSSD34E: SSD ExpressCard for those on the Go...
We take a look at one of the first ExpressCards featuring SSD technology and will not be giving up our USB thumb drives, just yet.
11 by Dave Robinet on 10/25/2007Transcend 16GB SSD
We put one of Transcend's latest SSD drives through the wringer and look at the benefits and drawbacks of this technology.
18 by Dave Robinet on 10/23/2007ICY DOCK MB664US-1S: eSATA with a twist
ICY DOCK's 12 year quest to build market share continues. Do they have a hit with the MB664?
20 by Dave Robinet on 10/9/2007RAID Primer: What's in a number?
In preparation for some upcoming RAID product reviews, we wanted to provide a brief introduction to the concept of RAID storage setups, what the various levels mean, and the...
41 by Dave Robinet on 9/7/2007MTRON 32GB SSD: Better in a Notebook?
Our early look with a notebook platform and the MTRON 32GB SSD reveals this drive is faster than a speeding bullet. Well almost.
25 by Gary Key on 8/17/2007MTRON SSD 32GB: Wile E. Coyote or Road Runner?
Our preview reveals one very fast SSD drive from MTRON, but how fast depends on whether you are using an Intel or NVIDIA chipset.
37 by Gary Key on 8/15/2007Western Digital SE16 750GB: "Quiet" a Performer
With the prices of 750GB drives falling like a rock, they are finally becoming a realistic option for many buyers. How does Western Digital's offering stack up to the competition?
38 by Dave Robinet on 8/9/2007Galaxy Metal Gear Box 3500SASP - SATA/USB 2.0 Enclosure on a Budget
We take a look at one of the more inexpensive SATA/USB 2.0 enclosures on the market that provides SATA functionality and USB portability.
8 by Gary Key on 7/15/2007ICY DOCK MB559US-1SMB: eSATA Enclosure with Pizzazz
We take a look at ICY DOCK's newest external eSATA/USB 2.0 enclosure and wonder how to keep it clean in a lab full of dirty hands.
14 by Gary Key and Dave Robinet on 7/11/2007Samsung SpinPoint T166 500GB: Cool, Quiet, and Quick
Our first look at Samsung's latest SpinPoint T166 drive reveals a quick and affordable drive... oh yeah, did we mention it was quiet?
44 by Gary Key on 7/9/2007Seagate 7200.10 500GB: Hitting the Sweet Spot
Our updated look at Seagate's mid-range Barracuda 7200.10 desktop series that proves you get performance close to what you pay for today.
20 by Gary Key and Dave Robinet on 7/6/2007Super Talent SSD: 16GB of Solid State Goodness
We provide a first look at the Super Talent SSD16GB25/25M Flash Drive that is designed for the commercial and industrial markets.
45 by Gary Key on 5/7/2007Hitachi Deskstar 7K1000: Two Terabyte RAID Redux
We are back with a new test bed to provide an updated but brief review of the Hitachi Deskstar 7K1000 in RAID 0.
28 by Gary Key on 4/23/2007Hitachi Deskstar 7K1000 in RAID 0: Is Two Terabytes really better than One?
Armed with a retail unit we provide a quick second look at the Hitachi Deskstar 7K1000 in RAID 0 and wonder what all the fuss is about.
49 by Gary Key on 4/19/2007Hitachi Deskstar 7K1000: Terabyte Storage arrives on the Desktop
Our first look at Hitachi's new Deskstar 7K1000 desktop series featuring second generation perpendicular recording technology in a massive 1TB drive.
75 by Gary Key on 3/19/2007Western Digital WD740ADFD: Bottled Lightning
We take a quick look at Western Digital's latest update to their 74GB Raptor drive and discover a drive that is faster at times than its Raptor 150GB counterpart.
27 by Gary Key on 2/7/2007Western Digital WD1600AAJS: 160GB Served on Single Platter
We take a look at the latest Western Digital Caviar SE series featuring 160GB per-platter technology in the ultra competitive budget sector.
19 by Gary Key on 2/5/2007Western Digital and Seagate: 320GB Grudge Match
We take a look at the latest Western Digital SE16 and Seagate 7200.10 320GB hard drives and determine a winner in the mid-range desktop performance sector.
21 by Gary Key on 7/27/2006