Intel Launches Optane Memory M.2 Cache SSDs For Consumer Market
by Billy Tallis on March 27, 2017 12:00 PM EST- Posted in
- SSDs
- Storage
- Intel
- SSD Caching
- M.2
- NVMe
- 3D XPoint
- Optane
- Optane Memory
Last week, Intel officially launched their first Optane product, the SSD DC P4800X enterprise drive. This week, 3D XPoint memory comes to the client and consumer market in the form of the Intel Optane Memory product, a low-capacity M.2 NVMe SSD intended for use as a cache drive for systems using a mechanical hard drive for primary storage.
The Intel Optane Memory SSD uses one or two single-die packages of 3D XPoint non-volatile memory to provide capacities of 16GB or 32GB. The controller gets away with a much smaller package than most SSDs (especially PCIe SSD) since it only supports two PCIe 3.0 lanes and does not have an external DRAM interface. Because only two PCIe lanes are used by the drive, it is keyed to support M.2 type B and M slots. This keying is usually used for M.2 SATA SSDs while M.2 PCIe SSDs typically use only the M key position to support four PCIe lanes. The Optane Memory SSD will not function in a M.2 slot that provides only SATA connectivity. Contrary to some early leaks, the Optane Memory SSD uses the M.2 2280 card size instead of one of the shorter lengths. This makes for one of the least-crowded M.2 PCBs on the market even with all of the components on the top side.
The very low capacity of the Optane Memory drives limits their usability as traditional SSDs. Intel intends for the drive to be used with the caching capabilities of their Rapid Storage Technology drivers. Intel first introduced SSD caching with their Smart Response Technology in 2011. The basics of Optane Memory caching are mostly the same, but under the hood Intel has tweaked the caching algorithms to better suit 3D XPoint memory's performance and flexibility advantages over flash memory. Optane Memory caching is currently only supported on Windows 10 64-bit and only for the boot volume. Booting from a cached volume requires that the chipset's storage controller be in RAID mode rather than AHCI mode so that the cache drive will not be accessible as a standard NVMe drive and is instead remapped to only be accessible to Intel's drivers through the storage controller. This NVMe remapping feature was first added to the Skylake-generation 100-series chipsets, but boot firmware support will only be found on Kaby Lake-generation 200-series motherboards and Intel's drivers are expected to only permit Optane Memory caching with Kaby Lake processors.
Intel Optane Memory Specifications | |||
Capacity | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
Form Factor | M.2 2280 single-sided | ||
Interface | PCIe 3.0 x2 NVMe | ||
Controller | Intel unnamed | ||
Memory | 128Gb 20nm Intel 3D XPoint | ||
Typical Read Latency | 6 µs | ||
Typical Write Latency | 16 µs | ||
Random Read (4 KB, QD4) | 300k | ||
Random Write (4 KB, QD4) | 70k | ||
Sequential Read (QD4) | 1200 MB/s | ||
Sequential Write (QD4) | 280 MB/s | ||
Endurance | 100 GB/day | ||
Power Consumption | 3.5 W (active), 0.9-1.2 W (idle) | ||
MSRP | $44 | $77 | |
Release Date | April 24 |
Intel has published some specifications for the Optane Memory drive's performance on its own. The performance specifications are the same for both capacities, suggesting that the controller has only a single channel interface to the 3D XPoint memory. The read performance is extremely good given the limitation of only one or two memory devices for the controller to work with, but the write throughput is quite limited. Read and write latency are very good thanks to the inherent performance advantage of 3D XPoint memory over flash. Endurance is rated at just 100GB of writes per day, for both 16GB and 32GB models. While this does correspond to 3-6 DWPD and is far higher than consumer-grade flash based SSDs, 3D XPoint memory was supposed to have vastly higher write endurance than flash and neither of the Optane products announced so far is specified for game-changing endurance. Power consumption is rated at 3.5W during active use, so heat shouldn't be a problem, but the idle power of 0.9-1.2W is a bit high for laptop use, especially given that there will also be a hard drive drawing power.
Intel's vision is for Optane Memory-equipped systems to offer a compelling performance advantage over hard drive-only systems for a price well below an all-flash configuration of equal capacity. The 16GB Optane Memory drive will retail for $44 while the 32GB version will be $77. As flash memory has declined in price over the years, it has gotten much easier to purchase SSDs that are large enough for ordinary use: 256GB-class SSDs start at around the same price as the 32GB Optane Memory drive, and 512GB-class drives are about the same as the combination of a 2TB hard drive and the 32GB Optane Memory. The Optane Memory products are squeezing into a relatively small niche for limited budgets that require a lot of storage and want the benefit of solid state performance without paying the full price of a boot SSD. Intel notes that Optane Memory caching can be used in front of hybrid drives and SATA SSDs, but the performance benefit will be smaller and these configurations are not expected to be common or cost effective.
The Optane Memory SSDs are now available for pre-order and are scheduled to ship on April 24. Pre-built systems equipped with Optane Memory should be available around the same time. Enthusiasts with large budgets will want to wait until later this year for Optane SSDs with sufficient capacity to use as primary storage. True DIMM-based 3D XPoint memory products are on the roadmap for next year.
Source: Intel
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FXi - Monday, March 27, 2017 - link
Where is the replacement for the Intel 750 series? Those were supposed to be updated for 3D by this time (though I know everything has been delayed).Billy Tallis - Monday, March 27, 2017 - link
I don't think there's much point in Intel updating the 750 with 3D NAND. The controller is at least as big a limitation, and can't compete in the consumer space.jabber - Monday, March 27, 2017 - link
If this was really 'needed' Seagate and Toshiba would have 16/32GB Hybrid HDDs out already.watzupken - Monday, March 27, 2017 - link
Depending on the price, I feel the cost will far exceed the benefit for this product. On the other hand, it is actually good to see that there is a new solid state drive with focus on lower latency, instead of transfer rate.aryonoco - Monday, March 27, 2017 - link
This is a product searching for a market.And outside of very niche use cases, I don't see a market for it, for the same reason that small SSDs used as HDD cache did not fly off the shelves 6 years ago.
Jad77 - Monday, March 27, 2017 - link
So I bought a Z270 for this? Yippee!Lolimaster - Monday, March 27, 2017 - link
You already failed buying a Z270 that stops at a simple quadcore vs getting a cheaper X370 and a full fledged 8 core Ryzen 1700 that will let you do many things while gaming or be a productivity monster at just 65w.Mine draws near 45w with a 0.9v undervolt.
Gothmoth - Tuesday, March 28, 2017 - link
LOL.who want´s blue screen and BIOS issues en mass?
ryzen is a beta product.... plagued by issues.
i build two systems for friends. no way i would build one for myself in the current state of things.
Lolimaster - Monday, March 27, 2017 - link
The cache thing utterly fails when you can get things like MX300 275GB for less than $100. Meanwhile 16-32 is just not enough.Any cheapo 120GB SSD will offer to the end user eyes the same kind of response.
dullard - Tuesday, March 28, 2017 - link
Or get both and be faster.