Intel is planning to launch two new solid state disk (SSD) series in May of this year, according to reports.
PC manufacturers in Taiwan told DigiTimes the chip maker was planning on a new 300 series codenamed Maple Crest and a new 720 series codenamed Ramsdale to follow up from the 520 series it unveiled in February.
Both new ranges will be based on 25nm MLC (Multi-Level Cell) technology. Further specifics of the Maple Crest series were not revealed, but the Ramsdale SSDs are reported to come with either 400GB or 800GB of capacity and a PCIe interface, designed specifically for the business market.
In addition to the two ranges in May, a further family of SSDs is set for launch in the third quarter of 2012, according to the PC vendors, codenamed Kings Crest. This will be based on 20nm MLC, rather than the previous 25nm.
The PC makers also claimed more models would emerge in the fourth quarter under the 300 and 700 series headers, Jay Crest and Oak Crest for the former and Taylorsville for the latter coming in 100GB, 200GB, 400GB and 800GB capacities.
The move continues to show the on-going trend towards SSDs, as the prices start to fall and get closer to the more traditional Hard Disk Drives (HDDs).
A recent report by DRAMeXchange, a subsidiary of larger analyst firm TrendForce, claimed mass production of SSDs using processes on 19nm and 20nm technologies was set to start in the second half of this year and prices would fall below $1 per GB by the end of 2012.
IT Pro contacted Intel for more information on the reports, but a spokesperson said the company did not comment "on rumour or speculation."
