Intel launched the Larson Creek and 311 series SSD last year. It was limited to 20GB capacity and only intended to work as cache to complete a mechanical drive. Intel is now planning to replace it at the launch of Ivy Bridge.
Intel’s SSD 311 series was an oddity in many ways. As mentioned above the storage capacity was quite limited. it used SLC NAND cirucits, which have half the capacity of MLC (Multi-level cell), but this is compensated by better durability and performance. When Intel wanted to make a cheap SSD with high performance SLC NAND was the best alternative. Especially since data will be written to a SSD to act as cache for a larger drive.
This means special algorithms saves the files that are most frequently accessed on the SSD automatically. To make this work you need a motherboard with Z68 chipset, or the coming Z77.
Den nya SSD-enheterna vid namn Hawley Creek och SSD 313, ser ut att bli en refresh av Larson Creek utan allt för stor ändringar. Man har krympt SLC NAND-minnena till 25 nanometer, vilket gör dem billigare att tillverka. Gränssnittet består fortfarande av den äldre SATA 3.0 Gbps-standarden, vilket antyder att vi inte ska vänta oss några större prestandaförbättringar.
| Model | SSD 311 Larson Creek | SSD 313 Hawley Creek |
| Capacity | 20 GB | 20 GB / 24 GB |
| Controller | Intel PC29AS21BA0 | ? |
| Memory technology |
SLC NAND (34nm) | SLC NAND (25nm) |
| Interface | SATA 3.0 Gbps | |
| Sequential read speed | 190 MB/s | ? |
| Sequential write speed |
100 MB/s | ? |
| Random read speed |
~35,000 IOPS | ? |
| Random write speed | ~25,000 IOPS | ? |
| Energy consumption – idle/load | 0,07W / 0,085 W | ? |
| MTBF | 1,200,000 timmar | ? |
| Formfactor | 2,5-tum (9 mm high) mSATA |
2.5-tum (7 mm high) mSATA |
| Price | 99€ | ~€99/119€r |
Hawley Creek comes in a regular 2.5″ format, but the dimensions has been reduced to only 7mm in profile. Just like the SSD 311 series it also comes as mSATA, for motherboards that support it, or for manufacturers that wants to use it in noteboooks.
The price of the 20 GB model is expected to be the same as Larson Creek, 99€, while the 24 GB version will cost 119€. Prices are a bit high, but the idea of a cache for a seamless experience without hasles is pretty appealing. Hawley Creek is expected to arrive with the launch of Intel’s first 22 nanometer processors, Ivy Bridge, that launches April 8th.
Source: VR-Zone
