Intel, Micron debut 3D XPoint storage technology 1,000 times faster than current SSDs

[IDemo]

Source: CNET

Intel and Micron today unveiled their all-new memory technology called 3D XPoint (pronounced "cross-point&quot . This is a new class of memory that can be used both as system memory as well as nonvolatile storage. In other words, 3D XPoint can be used to replace both a computer's RAM and its solid-state drive (SSD).

The companies claim that 3D XPoint is a major breakthrough in memory process technology, the first new memory category since the introduction of NAND flash in 1989. It's said to be extremely fast and durable, up to a thousand times faster (both in read and write speeds), and it will have higher endurance than existing NAND Flash memory currently being used in SSDs. What's more, it also has as much as 10 times greater density, leading to much more storage capacity in the same physical space, while remaining as energy efficient and affordable as existing NAND flash memory.

Mark Durcan, Micron's CEO, says the new technology is not to be confused with the 3D Flash memory used in Micron's latest SSDs, since 3D XPoint is a completely new class of memory.

According to Intel Vice President Rob Crooke, initially 3D XPoint will use PCI Express (PCIe) as its means of connecting to an existing computer, as PCIe currently has the the fastest bus speed of any peripheral interface. However, since PCIe is still not capable of handling the potential speed of 3D XPoint, in the future new ways will be developed to mount it, which will likely require entirely new motherboard architecture.

Read more: http://www.cnet.com/news/intel-and-micron-debut-3d-xpoint-storage-technology-thats-1000-times-faster-than-existing-drives/

[Psephos]

1. This is a real game-changer. Wow. n/t

[Adrahil]

2. Pardon me while I Nerd-squee! nt

[cstanleytech]

3. I wonder how much of an impact if any that this will have on video cards. nt

[mindwalker_i]

12. I would imagine very little

Video cards have lots of memory for frame buffers, which also holds textures, images, and other graphics stuff. Not a lot of use for non-volatile memory. However, video cards are also used for neural networks and there might be reason to store some of the state for those.

[BlueJazz]

4. You know when somebody says "This is huge!"

This is Huge!

[Bubzer]

5. I generally view Cnet as a pure click-bait site.

I hope there's less hype surrounding this than I suspect there is. With technology like the EM drive being woefully over-hyped, and the glaring lack of peer review... its hard to not take every tech headline with few thousand grains of salt.

[IDemo]

7. CNET is hardly the only source for this

But here is the joint web announcement from Intel and Micron -

https://intel-micron-webcast.intel.com/webcast

[Bubzer]

8. *nod* Most of the tech websites are carying the announcement.

Most of them don't try overly hard to verify claims, even somewhat questionable ones, made by big-name companies like Intel and Micron. That's why I tend to not put much faith in them.

As to Intel and Micron, well, tech companies are well known for grandiose claims. These two companies are certainly no exception.

[packman]

6. Think of the porn and cat pictures potential

[NBachers]

9. The article doesn't say when these are expected to be available.

[IDemo]

10. Not specifically, but the last paragraph does contain some info

3D XPoint technology is now in production and will be sampled later this year with select customers. Intel and Micron are developing individual products based on the technology that are forecast to be available sometime next year.

With both companies strongly into the SSD market, I would guess that it would be an obvious first target.

[NBachers]

11. Thanks, IDemo

[eringer]

13. Now AI Becomes Reality Way Sooner than Anyone Expected!

The only limiting factor now is how fast humans can program the necessary code. The first "Flesh Fair" can't be far off (thank you Stanley Kubrick for being such a visionary).



I wonder if Micron and Intel have the security to keep this technology away from foreign interests that can do us harm? Maybe its too late but someone in our government should be wondering the same thing (I hope!!).

[Bosonic]

14. I forsee a tumble in normal SSD prices in our near future.