SSDs (or solid state drives) will represent the next big boom in storage, and for this reason, the main players on the market are already ramping up their production capacities in order to meet future demand. And in order to prove their commitment to this market segment, the Korean giant Samsung has announced that it has started mass-producing 1.8- and 2.5-inch multi-level cell (MLC)-based solid state drives (SSD) with a 128 Gigabyte (GB) storage capacity.

Speed is one of the main points of attraction flash-based storage solutions generally offer, and that's also the case with Samsung's SSD. The unit has a write speed of 70MB/s and a read speed of 90MB/s, these levels of performance being quite close to those provided by single-level-cell (SLC)-based SSDs now in mass production, according to Samsung.

We've talked about the speed, now let's see what's actually inside Samsung's storage unit. Featuring a 3.0 gigabit-per-second interface, the 128GB MLC-based SSD comprises 64 MLC NAND flash memory chips of 16 gigabits each, optimized single-chip controller technology and advanced flash-management firmware technology, which combine to create a very reliable storage solution.

Additionally, the new 128GB SSD is quite tough, both on the inside and on the outside. For starters, it is supposed to provide a higher level of reliability and a longer functioning life, lasting approximately 20 times longer than the generally accepted 4-5 year life span of a notebook PC hard drive. Then, the device (which measures 100mm x 69.8mm and is only 9.5mm thick, which makes it perfect for notebook use) is enclosed in a metallic case, which further protects it against shocks.

"With the 64 GB and 128 GB MLC SSDs, we are satisfying the density requirements of most business users and many PC enthusiasts, who will appreciate not only the performance gains and added reliability, but also the more attractive pricing," said Jim Elliott, vice president, memory marketing, Samsung Semiconductor, Inc., proving, once again, that the SSD segment is extremely important for the Korean company.

Actually, this announcement follows a series of very bold (or even aggressive) moves on the SSD market, which included the release of a 64 GB SSD back in the second half of 2007, as well as a statement revealing the company's intentions of starting mass production on a 256-GB version by this year's end. And it's no wonder that they're so eager to pump low-cost SSDs towards consumers, especially since the sales in this particular segment of the storage solution market are expected to increase by a whopping 800 percent by 2010.