Intel Readies New 313 Series Caching SSDs for Ivy Bridge
With Ivy Bridge around the corner, Intel is set to release its new 313 SSD caching series based on 25 nm SLC NAND flash memory.
Intel is set to replace its Larson Creek series (311 series) just in time for the Ivy Bridge processors with the Hawley Creek series (313 Series). The 313 series will use 25 nm SLC NAND flash memory and be designed for Ivy Bridge's new 7-series chipset, while maintaining backwards compatibility with current 6-series chipsets.

In addition to moving to 25 nm NAND flash from 34 nm NAND flash, Intel will now be offering two capacities of 20 GB and 24 GB with the 313 series (only 20 GB with the 311 series). We aren't exactly sure what the extra 4 GB will give you in a cache drive outside of the extra capacity, but Intel has added it for a reason, so we'll have to play the waiting game on its benefits. As with the 311 series, the drives will still utilize a SATA 3.0 Gb/s interface and will be based on either a 2.5-inch or mSATA form factors. The 2.5-inch drives will be 7 mm tall versus the 9 mm of the 311 series. This move continues the trend by most SSD manufactures to decrease the size of SSDs to allow the drives to be utilized in Ultrabooks.
As for pricing, it looks like Intel's MSRP for the 20 GB model is around $99 dollars and the 24 GB around $119 dollars. These new drives should be available for purchase around the time-frame of the Ivy Bridge and 7-series chipsets launch.
(go ahead thumb me down)
But to me, a better or at least decent boot drive has to be at minimum 120GB.
I would prefer mSata 120GB IF they would use their OWN controller without having to disable one SATA
controller.
mSATA disables one SATA controller which makes it a BAD choice.
(I want the flexibility to ADD more TB drives, so loosing ONE SATA controller does not make me happy at all)
I'm using two X25-E 32GB for my squid proxy machine as cache storage, and these need faster replacement, since number of users went up from 20 to 80. When you compare the X25-E and 313, these are practically as for free. I'm in! Simple H67 mobo will suffice for four of them. After that upgrade old X25-Es will end up in raid 1 as boot drives.
SLC
Maybe so. Still, only good for performance hungry i.e. server applications etc. As for caching better use one SSD as boot and whatever else for storage. Only a gimmick IMO for home use. I have Intel Sata3 SSD as main drive and PC boots in ~30sec. 40 if have all my office software starting. And that's on cheapo Z68 board + i3 2100.
2) This is SLC which means it will last longer... but load balancing on a larger MLC would likely last just as long if not longer for the same price or less.
3) SATA2? Seriously? Even cheap SATA3 drives will run circles around this thing when it comes to throughput... and at a much cheaper price point.
lol, I think I meant "does not need to be large to be effective"... I am sure it needs to be effective in the general sense
I also would go against SRT - it's better to go for a full blown - ssd than having an SSD as a cache for your HDD. This way your SSD is working 100% of time time rather than when your OS/Programs get loaded after a few sessions in an SRT setup.
you wouldnt as your SSD drives are likely faster than this is. this would be to cache a standard HDD