Toshiba, Western Digital Bow High-Capacity Solid-State Drives at Computex

Toshiba and Western Digital each are showing next-generation solid-state drive (SSD) technologies at Computex in Taipei this week. Western Digital’s WD Blue SSDs, using 64-layer 3D NAND technology, are targeted to do-it-yourself customers and will be available in 250 GB, 500 GB, 1 TB and 2 TB capacities, said the company. Western Digital’s SanDisk brand SSDs, in the same capacities, are targeted at gamers and “creative enthusiasts" and billed as an upgrade option with improved endurance, instant boot-up, shorter application load times and quicker data transfer speeds. Pricing starts at $99, said the company. Toshiba’s XG5 series of NVM Express SSDs, meanwhile, integrate 64-layer, 3D flash memories with capacities of 256 GB, 512 GB and 1 TB in a single-sided form factor, said the company. The series is said to reduce standby power mode power consumption by more than 50 percent. Limited samples are available, with production quantities due in Q3, said Toshiba.