Are SSDs Causing Notebook Defects?

Up to now, SSD seemed like an unstoppable technology. The drives are super-fast, ultra-light and incredibly durable. But according to a “large computer manufacturer”, return rates on their notebooks equipped with such drives are as high as 20 – 30%. This is staggering when comparing them to the 1 – 2% return rate for notebooks equipped with regular hard drives.

The reason for the defects are unknown, or what the actual problem is, but return rates like that do not bode well for the future of flash. According to one Dell representative, flash-based drives, although fast, can actually prove slower with certain applications – particularly those that exchange data in small packet sizes.

In the end, this manufacturer could have potentially just received a massive batch of bad drives, so it’s far too early to judge what will happen. If stories like these begin popping up often, then it will become a notable problem.

While the returns are bad news for notebook makers right now, the problems also dim the outlook for the flash industry in general. Flash manufacturers are looking for applications that will suck up the large volume of chips coming out of factories right now. The industry went on a building spree in the last few years.

Source: C|Net Crave