Intel Cuts Prices for SSDs

Intel Corp. (Nasdaq: INTC) has slashed the prices of its solid-state disks (SSDs).

In an e-mail sent to the media, Intel said the new prices for its SSD laptops, the 1.8-inch X18-M and 2.5-inch X25-M, are $390 each. The 160-GB version of the drives is $765. The former prices were $595 and $945, respectively.

Intel, which gave no reason for the price cuts, also lowered the price of its 32-GB SSD for servers, storage, and workstations. The price for the X25-E was chopped to $415 from $695. Intel for the first time also released pricing for the 64-GB version: $795.

Intel released its SSDs for mobile PCs in December. Computer manufacturers offer SSDs in ultralight laptops and mini-notebooks, which are used primarily for e-mail and Web browsing.

SSDs are particularly useful in these machines because the drives are lighter and use less power than hard disk drives. Major computer makers such as Dell Inc. (Nasdaq: DELL), Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE: HPQ), and Lenovo Group Ltd. offer SSDs in notebooks, but the devices come at a stiff premium.Intel's laptop SSDs have read speeds up to 250 MBps and write speeds up to 70 MBps. Both are available with SATA interfaces of 1.5 Gbps and 3.0 Gbps. The life expectancy is 1.2 million hours of mean time before failure, and power consumption is 150 milliwatts during a typical PC workload and 0.06 of a watt at idle.

Intel does not make the largest SSDs available for laptops. Toshiba Corp. (Tokyo: 6502), for example, sells a 512-GB, 2.5-inch SSD. Toshiba also makes 2.5-inch and 1.8-inch SSDs in 64-GB, 128-GB, and 256-GB capacities.

InformationWeek is presenting a Webcast, Six Ways To Cut Laptop And Mobility Costs, on Wednesday, Feb. 18, which will explore how IT and networking groups with fixed budgets can meet the demands of a growing mobile workforce. For more information, click here