Gigabyte Sticks 20GB SLC SSD On Z68 Mobo
It's not often that the ubiquitous motherboard gets considerable attention.
There are lots of models, all ranging in sizes, commodity features, and brands, producing "me-too" products. Rarely do we see features that really command excitement. Enter Gigabyte's GA-Z68XP-UD3 series. There are two types, a GA-Z68XP-UD3 and a GA-Z68XP-UD3-iSSD.
Both models come with an integrated mSATA interface (essentially mini PCIe), allowing users to actually install mobile-SSD modules directly onto the motherboard. The difference is, with the GA-Z68XP-UD3-iSSD, Gigabyte is bundling a 20GB Intel SLC SSD module. Gigabyte told us that they skipped over MLC based modules to ensure higher levels of reliability and speed. While this is true, SLC modules cost significantly higher than MLC modules, and so we expect the iSSD bundle to command a steeper price.
Gigabyte told us that it was able to purchase modules at roughly $70 a unit in a batch of 10,000. Expect this to be roughly between $40 and $50 of savings if you were to buy the modules online.
If used, the module can be configured as a drive for your OS, or as a cache drive to be used in conjunction with Intel's Smart Response.
Gigabyte also mentioned that because a module is bundled with the iSSD board, Gigabyte will handle the RMA duties for the module should it ever fail within the motherboard's warranty period -- no need to go to Intel for coverage.
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the ssd is too small, if i dont include all my games my c drive is still 200gb
its for caching from a bigger hdd
A 60GB SSD would be perfect as a boot drive, and then you can use your existing HDD for storing music/games/documents and non-essential programs. (Like your games etc.) 20GB is a little small for that, but Gigabyte is probably just testing the waters and trying to keep the cost down a bit.
I think Gigabyte actually has something here. If they an stick in a decent size SSD and make the board cheaper than buying the two components separately, it might make for a better way of running/building a PC. Hell...they could even preinstall Windows to make your life easier.
I can definitely see the attraction of a product like this.
None the less, a step in the right direction. I wonder though if it's a native (true) PCIe interface, but I hope we'll see a growing market of (preferably native) PCIe SSD modules competing against standard form factor SATA based units.
And by the way: I would swap the 20 GB SLC for a decent ~120 GB MLC module in a heartbeat.