On Fri, 25 Jul 2008, Jeremy wrote: > Shopping Cart to Mailbox: > 4200rpm: $49.99 > SSD: $999.99 No doubt that price will be divebombing fast (I think they are already mostly in the $700-$800 range at 64GB). Someone on another list answered this for me: >> On NewEgg.com, most of the 64GB SSD drives are in the $700-$800 range, >> but there's this one at $285: >> >> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820208432 >> >> So what's wrong with that one?! ;-) >> >> Mike > > It's using slower and shorter-lived multi-level cell (MLC) Flash rather > than the much more expensive, faster, and longer-lived single-level cell > (SLC) Flash. The "-M" at the end of the product name gives it away: > > http://www.transcendusa.com/Products/ModDetail.asp?ModNo=177 > > Transcend's own data lists the MLC version as 116 MB/sec read, 43 MB/sec > write vs. 119 MB/sec read, 64 MB/sec writes for the SLC Flash. They do > not list the estimated life span in I/O operations for the two types but > they do note that the SLC version is recommended for OS installation: > > http://www.transcendusa.com/Products/ModDetail.asp?ModNo=177&SpNo=3&LangNo=0 Can't wait for those 64GB SLC SSD drives to drop to about $100. That will be nice. My guess is that it will take 2 years. Mike