14 DAY TRIAL // Though solid state storage technology can be seen as a relatively recent invention, compared with hard disk drives, SSDs have already reached a stage where companies are doing their best to reduce prices and make them affordable for consumers. This is best seen when looking at the many models launched by Micron, Intel, OCZ and Corsair, among various others. Seeking to address this market even more closely, Patriot Memory seems to have decided upon a series of storage devices that aim to ”provide the best performance and price options.”
The new lineup is known as Zephyr and is composed of members designed with the JMF612 SSD controller, developed by JMircron. Compatible with the SATA 3.0Gbps interface, the drives have a cache memory of 64MB, comes in multiple storage capacities (with varying read/write speeds) and boast aluminum casings.
The 256GB SSD is the fastest of the lost, with a read speed of 240MB/s and a writing speed of 180MB/s. Rates go down along with capacity, giving the 128GB model read/write speeds of 240/145MB/s and the 64GB version speeds of 240MB/80MB/s.
"As solid-state drive technology advances, it is becoming more affordable, allowing SSD solutions to reach an increasing segment of end users. Patriot's objective is to offer the latest technology in our solutions which provide the best performance and price options," Les Henry, vice president of engineering at Patriot, states.
"Our Zephyr family of SSDs offer great performance, aggressive pricing and the inherent benefit of SSD technology over antiquated hard disk drives: quicker boot times and shorter application loading times. Including a Zephyr SSD in your desktop or notebook upgrade plans provides one of the best bang-for-the buck improvements you can make to your system."
Unfortunately, it is unclear just how affordable these storage units are, considering that Patriot Memory did not mention the actual prices and release date. Until this information becomes available, consumers can find any other details on the company's website.