Intel 128GB SSD - who's gonna put one in their MBA?

[macanudo]

CNet has a blog article on intel's 128GB SSD, slated for the 2nd quarter 2008
http://blogs.cnet.com/8301-13924_1-9888760-64.html

Anyone thinking about upgrading their MBA (either 80GB HD or 64GB SSD) when this puppy comes out (or at least when the price is reasonable)? The HD is definitely the biggest bottleneck of the MBA, so I am going to give a SSD upgrade a serious thought when prices are more reasonable. Another interesting point is that Intel is claiming a 3.0GB/sec performance mark, which eclipses the present day 100MB/sec that Samsung is aiming for.

[FJ218700]

didn't read the article. Is this one thin enough? AFAIK, so far, other 3rd party 128's are not.

[macanudo]

didn't read the article. Is this one thin enough? AFAIK, so far, other 3rd party 128's are not.

Yes, they will be offering both 1.8" and 2.5" SSD's

[Mactagonist]

Hopefully it will be 1.8" 5mm height with the ZIF connector. Boy the Air is particular!

[macanudo]

Yeah, even though I consider myself an "early adopter", I still can't buy a SSD and hopefully as prices come down in a year or so, I hope that this 1.8" SSD will increase the performance of the MBA's main bottleneck, the HD.

[Tom J]

Intel is talking about SATA drives. The current PATA interface in the Air won't offer the speeds that Intel is describing. Do we even know if Intel will offer the drives in PATA?

Apple's going to have to revise the Air's motherboard to SATA to make any appreciable difference.

Makes me wonder why Apple went with PATA in the first place.

[Scott6666]

Makes me wonder why Apple went with PATA in the first place.

I think Apple had a few warehouses full of iPod drives they weren't going to be able to sell as everyone goes to Touch. Had to find some way to dump 'em. Tie 'em to a sexy laptop and people might complain a bit but they'll buy them. Seems to have worked. :rolleyes:

[Mactagonist]

From AnandTech.com review of the macbook Air


In order to maintain the slim form factor of the Air, Apple stuck with a PATA interface for the hard drive; this isn't your grandmother's 44-pin PATA connector, it's a 40-pin low profile, ZIF (Zero Insertion Force) ribbon connector. There is no SATA equivalent so if you want to build a very small device you need to rely on a PATA drive, which is exactly what Apple did. Unfortunately, it also means that the $999 SSD Apple uses isn't the fastest SSD in the world - the 2.5" models are much quicker.

[Tom J]

Good catch. Thanks.

[Arthur Young]

I Think Intel said gonna make an 80GB SSD @ 5mm 1.8" available.

so this means for the next revision macbook air, their will be a 80GB SSD option.

[Mactagonist]

I Think Intel said gonna make an 80GB SSD @ 5mm 1.8" available.

so this means for the next revision macbook air, their will be a 80GB SSD option.

That is an odd size. All the SSDs I have seen followed the 8/16/32/64/96/128/256/... pattern.