Intel did not announce pricing for Optane.
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3D Xpoint is a new type of non-volatile storage, which means that unlike DRAM, it can retain data without any power. However, the SSD looked like another high-end SSD in a PCI Express card form-factor.
When Intel introduced 3D XPoint last month, it promised the technology would deliver read speeds that are up to 1,000 times faster than today’s NAND chips. The technology was developed jointly between Intel and Micron, and at IDF 2015 Intel CEO Brian Krzanich announced that Intel will be bringing 3D XPoint to market in 2016 under its Intel Optane brand.
We don’t yet know how much Optane-based drives will cost or anything of that sort, but given the density advantages Intel is claiming for it, it’s possible 3D Xpoint storage could reach parity with the cost of NAND fairly soon.
To illustrate the performance benefits of Optane drives, the firm showed off a demo of an Optane SSD running IOMeter next to one of the fastest PCIe SSDs now available, Intel’s DC P3700.
The first Optane products will hit the market next year in the form of high-endurance, high-performance Intel solid state drives.
Chris Roberts, head of Roberts Space Industries and creator of the Star Citizen universe, said that a new memory technology from Intel will be “revolutionary” for games.
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With a dense, stackable design, Intel has been promoting the merits of 3D XPoint as being significantly faster than the storage available today. Intel believes this is an example of how 3D XPoint has the ability to greatly improve the performance of upcoming storage products. What will be interesting to see is what kind of interface will they use.
