[NewsPoster]

Intel Corporation and Micron Technology, Inc. today unveiled 3D XPoint technology, a non-volatile memory that has the potential to enhance any device, application or service that benefits from fast access to large sets of data. While superficially similar to HP's Memristor technology, 3D XPoint technology is a new and major breakthrough in memory process technology.

Intel claims that the new technology "combines the performance, density, power, non-volatility and cost advantages of all available memory technologies on the market today." Speed and endurance of the cell is claimed to be up to 1,000 times greater than existing storage, with a density up to 10 times greater.

For comparison's sake, hard drive latency is measured in milliseconds. Traditional NAND latency is measured in microseconds. Xpoint's latency is nanoseconds.

Pricing is not yet available, nor are power consumption metrics -- with a greater density, power demands should be theoretically far lower. The memory is in production now, and should be sampled to chip and device manufacturers shortly.

[aroxnicadi]

"greater density, power demands should be theoretically far lower" = Higher Prices

[Mike Wuerthele]

That and new technology = higher prices too.

[Charles Martin]

To use an obvious example, SSDs are far more expensive than spinning-platter HDs (still, though not as much as they were) -- but that hasn't stopped them becoming massively popular. It's a question of the perceived benefit versus cost, not just cost (at least for value-conscious versus price-conscious buyers).