Intel's Solid-State Drives (SSDs) are now available in 800
Best Buy stores across the U.S. and on BestBuy.com, Intel
said.
During the past decade, HDD speed has
improved 1.3 times, while Intel's processor speeds have
improved more than 200 times. This has caused a system
bottleneck that SSDs can help solve. HDDs use a mechanical
arm and spinning platter, which can sometimes result in a
hard disk crash. An SSD uses flash memory chips and is 100
percent solid state with no moving parts. This makes an SSD
rugged, reliable and energy efficient. The biggest benefit
is in performance, where an Intel SSD delivers up to 56
percent improvement in system responsiveness for gamers,
multimedia enthusiasts or anyone desiring to get more
performance out of their new or existing notebook or
desktop computer.
The Intel X25-M Mainstream SSD has 80 gigabytes (GB) of
storage space. The Intel X25-M can serve as a replacement
for a hard drive in a notebook or desktop and has a Best
Buy price of $229.99. The 40GB Intel X25-V Value SSD is
priced at $129.99. It is most effectively used as a "boot
drive" in a desktop PC where the current hard disk drive is
used for storing data, while the value SSD gives a boost to
system performance by storing the operating system and
gaming, or other important applications, for much faster
access and boot up.