Super Talent Releases More Affordable SSDs

It seems not even two weeks can pass without seeing a new SSD launch from Super Talent, but with each one that hits our inboxes, the prices seem to go lower and the speeds higher. Well in this particular case, the speeds go lower, but so do the prices. Two weeks ago, the company announced two new sets of models, one super-fast, one moderately-fast – this one being modestly-fast.

These new model, MasterDrive LX, is the “low-end” variant of their SSD line-up, although neither the speed or price fit the “low-end” descriptor. The new drives at 100MB/s Read and 40MB/s Write, which actually puts it more on par with some of the highest-end hard drives out there. The VelociRaptor, for example, can sustain over 100MB/s Read, but has a far more exceptional Write than 40MB/s.

So with that in mind, the main benefit of these SSDs isn’t so much for speed as they are for size and sound, although I could be wrong. If they are capable of handling multiple writes and reads at the same time (something that a few recent JMicron-based MLC SSDs have suffered for), it still could be worthy of a look. I’m still waiting to see the prices even lower, though. They’re good now, but it’s obvious that they will continue to plummet, and even three months from now, we should be seeing some stark differences.

The MasterDrive LX has also undergone Super Talent’s rigorous battery of validation tests, ensuring the highest levels of compatibility and reliability. What’s unique about the MasterDrive LX is its incredibly low price point; the 64GB model will retail for about $179, while the 128GB unit is expected to retail for under $300. Both models will begin shipping this week.