FAQs about the Largest mSATA Drive on the Market
Delkin’s focus is on providing rugged storage solutions for industrial users, so while we offer a variety of high-capacity products that are suitable for a vast number of customers, having the largest mSATA drive on the market has not been our area of focus. However, taking a closer look at the most supersized mSATA drive available is interesting and does help demonstrate how mSATA drives of all sizes function. The largest mSATA drive on the market is the 840 EVO mSATA SSD from Samsung. Here are the answers to some common questions about its design and use.
How did Samsung create the 840 EVO mSATA SSD?
Samsung combined several of its own products to create this high-capacity mSATA drive. It uses 64 128GB TLC, or tri-level cell, NAND flash die. These are split into four different components in which the flash die are arranged in stacks of 16. Together, these components translate into 1TB of storage with an mSATA form factor. Despite the enormous capacity of the drive, it still maintains the small size expected of mSATA drives and can easily be incorporated into ultra-thin devices.
How fast is the drive?
This drive provides sequential read and write speeds of 520MB/s. This is thanks to 1GB of LPDDR2 DRAM. mSATA itself is a fast form factor, so this drive allows for fast operations. The characteristics of mSATA mean that it handles shock and vibration well, without loss of speed or function. It also features SMART predictive life analysis, so users have a warning of internal issues that could affect speed if they are not addressed.
Are there any drawbacks?
Any time storage capacity is pushed to the limits, there are some potential downsides. One concern is the TLC NAND flash, which is significantly less reliable than either SLC (single-level cell) or MLC (multi-level cell) flash. It is not suitable for operating in extreme temperature environments, and the reliance on the 1GB DRAM cache leaves it vulnerable to power failure-related data loss. For these reasons, it is generally not recommended for industrial users.
Delkin can help you find the storage capacity you need with the reliability of industrial grade technology. Contact us today for more information about high-capacity mSATA options.