SATA SLC-lite SSDs for smartphones and tablet PCs

According to market research firm IDC, shipments of tablet PCs have overtaken PCs’ for the first time in 2013. Mobile devices are deeply favoured by consumers, among which smartphones and tablet PCs priced under $350 (USD) each account for 68% of shipments of all internet devices. Hence, the next-generation IT products of 2014 featuring lightness, compactness, durability, and merited efficiency will be more popular with low prices. Therefore, how to achieve low-cost production while improving specifications becomes the common concern for departments of product design and purchase.

SSD NAND flash has always been the key character in IT products, while SLC has been reputed for its quality, efficiency and durability. However, considering the cost, only MLC should be acceptable in the industrial computer. The market expects a product with similar quality to SLC but with the price of MLC.

Apacer has developed a complete SLC-lite product line. The products, equipped with a capacity up to 64GB, include mSATA M4 and SAFD 18S4, which meet the standard of JEDEC MO-300 and MO-297. Besides, SATA Disk Module series offer choices of 7/22pin SATA connectors and also support 1U server module SSD, orienting to turn 90, 180 and 270°. Apacer SATA2 SLC-lite is now available on the market, samples of SATA3 SLC-lite are expected to be available for customers to run test in Q4 2041.

"SLC-lite features the efficiency and durability on a par with that of SLC in half price, thanks to adopting the cost-efficient MLC chip and Apacer’s unique technique to break through hardware limit. By successfully simulating SLC’s way of writing with the firmware, it substantially enhances performance to fit the need of industrial customers for large capacity storage solution who also pursue cost-effectiveness and high quality. Apacer possesses strong capacity in technological development, and takes efficiency, durability and cost into account. These factors just contribute to the birth of SLC-lite," comments Jeff Lin, Director, Embedded Application Business Unit, Apacer.