Super Talent Sends SATA 6.0 Gbps SSDs to Stores

When SandForce unleashed its collection of SSD controllers for the newest SATA interface, it was obvious that makers of such drives would be quick in using them, so it's not surprising that Super Talent has prepared its own series.

The whole point of buying a solid state drive instead of a hard disk drive is to enjoy massive transfer speeds.

Granted, SSDs have other benefits, like better reliability, lower power draw and no moving parts (no noise and lower risk of wear).

Nevertheless, the fact remains that it is the transfer rate of hundreds of gigabytes per second that allowed them to gain such popularity even in spite of their high prices and lower capacities, compared to HDDs.

That said, SandForce recently launched the SF-2000 series of controllers which can make SSDs take advantage of the SATA 6.0 Gbps interface.

This time, it is Super Talent that put together units capable of communicating via SATA III.

They are dubbed TeraDrive FT3 and CT3, respectively, and, like their competitors, can communicate at up to 500 MB/s.

The TeraDrive CT3 is intended for consumers and uses the SF-2200 processor, plus MLC (multi-level cell) NAND Flash memory chips.

Meanwhile, the TeraDrive FT3 is aimed at enterprise applications, so it can also come in SLC (single-level cell). The SF-2500 controller is employed.

“The double data rate (DDR) ONFi NAND enables drives to go twice as fast as previous generations but we were already hitting the limit of SATAII,” said CH Lee COO of SuperTalent.

“We needed a controller that would support this new flash type and provide the faster SATA3, 6Gbps, bus interface. The SandForce 2200/2500 controllers, enabled us to do both."

Once they start selling in Q2, 2011 (April most likely), they will have to compete against the likes of Patriot's Wildfire, G.Skill's Phoenix II and other products form OCZ, AMP and even Corsair.

Prices, unfortunately, were not given, but what was disclosed were the storage capacities of the 2.5-inch newcomers, those being of up to 400 GB for the FT3 and 480 GB for the CT3.