Intel announced Tuesday that its 34nm "Postville"solid state drives (SSD)--the X25-M/V series--are now available at 800 Best Buy locations across the United States, and at BestBuy.com. There's really nothing new here--the SSDs originally became available back in August 2009. However consumers can now jump in the car and head up the street to purchase one of these NAND-based drives.
“We think solid-state drives will become increasingly popular as people realize how much faster they can boot up and run their favorite software or work-intensive applications,” said Jason Bonfig, vice president of Computing at Best Buy. “Our customers are looking for the latest and greatest in technology and entertainment experiences. Now they can purchase an Intel SSD and add it to a new or existing computer for a makeover that will improve their computing or gaming experience."
Prices range from $129.99 to $449.99, depending on the model. However as of this writing, the Intel X25-M Mainstream 80 GB SSD was already sold out online, originally priced at $229.99. For $449.99, the Intel X25-M Mainstream SSD offers a 160 GB storage capacity, 250 Mbps write and 70 Mbps read speeds--consumers can purchase an OEM version for ten bucks less. The Intel X25-M Mainstream 80 GB version offers the same speeds but costs significantly less: $229.99 for both the regular and OEM versions (which doesn't make sense).
Consumers wanting to take the "value" route can purchase the Intel X25-V Value 40 GB SSD for a meager $129.99. Those looking to purchase the OEM versions will need to order them online, as they're (obviously) not available on store shelves. As reported last month, Intel recently announced that 25nm SSDs are in the works, however those drives aren't expected to ship until later this year. Expect Best Buy to pick up the new line eight months later too.
