32GB NAND Flash Drive in Samsung Q30Laptop
Back in september 2005, Todd Gold reported that Samsung had developed a 16 GB NAND Flash memory chip, that would enable the production of a flash memory card with up to 32 GB capacity. Fast forward 8 months and we learn that Samsung have unveiled the world's first laptops equipped with NAND Flash-based hard drives. The capacity may only be 32 GB, however these new drives operate in complete silence, and offer other advantages over traditional hard drives including quicker booting and increased battery life.
Enjoy your harddrive while you have it. The flash-based solid state disks (SSDs)are on their way, a lot sooner than you think. SamsungElectronics is releasing in early June in Korea its first suchnotebooks based on SSD technology-the Q1, an ultramobile device,and the Q30 notebook with its 12.1-inch display, both of whichfeature a 32 GB flash-based NAND SSD. Flash-basedmemory storage has upsides on traditional hard drives. TheSamsung SSD-based devices can take twice the beating (drops,collisions, drop kicks) that a hard drive can, without beingwrecked.
When and if they do succumb to malfunction, they areeasier to retrieve memory off. The Samsung SSD is about half as heavy as your typical laptop hard drive as well, but the capacityis only 32 GB.
However, it readsthree times faster and writes one and a half times faster. Thatmeans you'll have no problem running multiple apps, saving datafrom one and then other, simultaneously with a flash-basedstorage system. It also means, for instance, that your typicalWindows XP operating system will boot up in as little as half thetime with a SamsungSSD, compared to the average hard drive.
If that wasn't enough, an SSD-based notebook is alsocompletely silent. There's no whirl of the hard drive as ittracks down data, no crescendo toward explosion as you work yourlaptop to its limits.
Wait, Bob, there's more. The devices in question, the Samsung Q1and Q30, both come with DMB TV receivers. The Q1 will be even able to tap into video andstill photos on its flash drive withouthaving to be booted up. You, on the other hand, may want to bootwhen you see the prices. The Q1 goes for about $2,430 retail, theSamsung Q30 $3,700.
Samsung says it will continue to put out more and more SSD-basedlaptops. So like every other technology, hopefully prices will drop themore commonplace they become.
