Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC), the world’s largest chip maker, is looking for the right fit for its 3D Xpoint memory and storage technology, reports PC World. Intel’s groundbreaking 3D Xpoint technology is poised to shake up computer memory and storage with its high capacity and fast speed. The chip making giant claims that 3D Xpoint is 10 times denser than other memory.
Finding uses for the tech
Intel’s new 3D Xpoint SSDs, which will be branded Optane, will ship by the end of this year. During an earnings call this week, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich said the 3D Xpoint memory DIMMs will come next year. Krzanich also told analysts and investors that some 3D Xpoint SSDs have already been shipped to testers, including cloud providers, to assist in disclosing uses for the technology.
However, the chip maker is trying to figure out where multi-dimensional 3D Xpoint can be used. Multi-dimensional 3D Xpoint can be storage, memory, or both when needed. The chip maker has figured out some good matches for 3D Xpoint. Krzanich said the faster and higher-capacity SSDs could be attractive to gamers with the high level of disk performance that gamers crave.
“You can pre-load in a cache-like environment the next level of your game so it loads almost instantly,” Krzanich said.
The CEO also said that the first SSDs will target high-end PCs like business desktops and gaming rigs. In addition, Optane SSDs will be available for enterprise and laptops storage.
Intel 3D Xpoint tech: faster, durable and denser
The 3D Xpoint technology is developed by Micron and Intel. It is a new class of memory and storage that, in comparison to conventional DRAM and flash storage, can be denser, more durable and faster. The chip maker claims that it is up to 10 times faster than conventional SSDs.
Intel will put 1TB of storage into a 1.5-millimeter-thick Optane drive for tablets and laptops and up to 15TB of storage on a larger 2.5-inch drive. The SSDs will fit into PCI-Express slots and be compatible with the NVMe protocol. The SSDs should work with Macs and Windows PCs that have PCIe-compatible storage.
Facebook, as part of its Open Compute Project, is collaborating with the chip giant on 3D Xpoint. The technology could probably bring changes in server designs. Arrays with 3D Xpoint SSDs could serve as both storage and memory and could provide flexibility in a small space.
On Thursday, Intel shares closed down 3.98% at $34.27. Year to date, the stock is down more than 2%, while in the last year, it is up more than 16%.
