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Crucial intros MX300 SSD - 3D NAND and TLC memory combined

by Tarinder Sandhu on 14 June 2016, 14:56

Tags: Crucial Technology (NASDAQ:MU)

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With the launch of the MX300, Crucial releases its first-ever solid-state drive (SSD) equipped with 3D NAND arranged in a triple-level cell (TLC) configuration.

The drive, available as a limited-edition model with 750GB of capacity, is to be joined by other models with 275GB, 525GB and 1,050GB of storage at a later date, continuing a recent theme of launching one SKU first then populating the stack later.

Parent company Micron has been able to shoehorn in a remarkable amount of capacity per die - 256Gbit for MLC and 384Gbit for TLC - and each chip on the MX300 is home to two dies, or 96GB each. The 750GB model, therefore, uses eight chips for a nominal capacity of 768GB, with a little left over for provisioning. Crucial includes its dynamic write acceleration technology that turns a portion of the TLC memory into functioning as faster SLC.

It is usual for TLC to have lower endurance than MLC-based counterparts, though Crucial backs the 750GB model with a total bytes written figure of 220TB over the three-year warranty period, or about 200GB a day - more than plenty for most consumers.

Arbitrating the workload amongst the TLC NAND is a new controller from Marvell, the 88SS1074, which has been used on a couple of rival drives from SanDisk and Plextor. There's the usual protection, represented by AES 256-bit, eDrive, and TCG Opal 2.0.

Initially only available in a 2.5in, 7mm form factor with a SATA interface, speeds are quoted as 530MB/s sequential read and 510MB/s sequential write, along with 92K random read IOPS. The specs are consistent with any recent quality SSD.

The use of TLC memory on a 3D NAND base, together with class-leading density, means that value is very much to the fore. The 750GB model ships with a recommended retail price of $199.99 (£164.39 on the UK site), giving it an attractive GB-to-£ ratio.



HEXUS Forums :: 5 Comments

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Not that impressed with cost of the 750GB model. In my view the 1050GB needs to be around £150-160 mark to compete with Sandisk and Samsung.
^^ This. SSDs made great leaps in affordability a while back but seem to have stalled despite much greater uptake. I'd love to move from a 250GB to 500 or even 750 but 500GB Samsung 850 Evo is still about a hundred quid, and paying £160 for 750 instead of the 1TB Samsung doesn't compute, especially when the read and write speeds are nothing to get excited about.
Performance appears to be there but like above, it's too much money for a 750gb. I got my Sandisk Ultra II 960gb from Ebuyer with free delivery for just under £160 a few months ago. I really thought SSD prices would have come down further by now.
The 275GB drive could be interesting depending on price. 35GB extra over the 240GB models would be welcome.
I didn't have a very good time with a Crucial SSD the other year. I think I'll continue to stay away. The Samsung SSD's are amazing though.