JMicron to Showcase Low Cost JMF612 NAND Flash Controller
"JMicron's new NAND flash controller could cut the cost of SSDs by half."
Published: 28th May 2009 | Source: JMicron |
JMicron to Showcase Low Cost JMF612 NAND Flash Controller
Taiwan based chip manufacturer JMicron is reportedly getting ready to launch a new NAND flash controller designed for SSDs. The new chip is expected to bring down the manufacturing costs and subsequently, retail prices of SSDs.
JMicron’s current NAND flash controller – the JMF602 has been stuttering during random write operations, making SSD performance uncertain. While the manufacturer did put out an updated version in the JM602B, it was without much success. For better performance on their SSDs, many manufacturers had to resort to clubbing two JMF602 chips with an internal RAID chip, which increased their production costs substantially.
With the new JMF612 chip, JMicron is hoping to redeem itself. Armed with an ARM9 core in a 289-ball TFBGA package, the chip is designed around small process geometries. The ARM9 embedded processor features 32KB of ROM and 128KB of RAM. Designed for a new generation of NAND flash chips, the JMF612 is compatible with up to 256MB of DDR or DDR2 DRAM external cache.
The JMF612 also has support for Native Command Queuing (NCQ), which enhances the performance of SATA hard disks by internally optimising the sequence of read and write commands. 128-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) protocol support is also included for high security for data stored on SSDs carrying the JMF612.
The USB 2.0 interface on the chip will make it convenient for manufacturers to design both SATA II and USB based SSDs. The JMF612 will also extend the lifespan of SSDs through its dynamic and static wear levelling technology and updated bad block management software.
Owing to their new design geometries, the new chips are not just smaller, but also cheaper and easier to manufacture. With 32nm NAND flash chips already in the manufacturing phase with several companies, the combination of JMF612 with these higher density flash chips could bring down the prices of SSDs really quickly to about half of the current ones.
According to JMicron, the new JMF612 could lead to the creation of the first terabyte SSD in the market soon. With mass production expected to start in July, we could see the first affordably priced SSDs based on the JMF612 hit the market before the Christmas season.
Discuss in our Forums
Most Recent Comments
Re run it in what way? You can't have DDR3 running at 2000MHz with the CPU at stock speed I'm afraid. It's either 2180 or 1866:(.
Fantastic review mate and a scrummy looking piece of kit. Luff OCZ RAM (8GB myself :p)
Re run it in what way? You can't have DDR3 running at 2000MHz with the CPU at stock speed I'm afraid. It's either 2180 or 1866:(.
Aaah, fair shout, hadn't thought of that. Just thought it skewed the results, I should have put my brain in gear :damn:
lol, no worries m8. Tbh it's a pita reviewing kits that need the CPU overclocking to attain the speed required as you are correct, it does skew the results slightly hence I put the disclaimer in there.
Still, the bandwidth results speak for themselves ;).
Still, the bandwidth results speak for themselves ;).
sweet looking and performing set of sticks :yumyum:
pitty they don't add some kind of 'dominator fan'-like thing
pitty they don't add some kind of 'dominator fan'-like thing
Yeah that is a shame as the Dominator coolers are sweet pieces of kit. I would maybe like to have seen one of OCZ's XTC coolers included with a nice black paint job.
Hate to seem ungrateful (which I am not, since I loved this review), but I would be very interested to know if you could drop the latency at all while retaining the stock MHz, or see how much you would have to drop the MHz to get some lower timings. Just for the sake of completeness.
Shame we can't find out what chips it is running. Anyone happen to know by any chance?
Shame we can't find out what chips it is running. Anyone happen to know by any chance?
IC's used are reportedly Elpida MNH-E Hyper which are the best around at present.
I did try lowering the timings further but not by lowering bandwidth (which defeats the object of high speed ram imo). Sadly they wouldn't run at anything lower than the stock CAS7 @2000MHz.
I did try lowering the timings further but not by lowering bandwidth (which defeats the object of high speed ram imo). Sadly they wouldn't run at anything lower than the stock CAS7 @2000MHz.
http://www.elpida.com/en/index.html
Not as well known as other memory companies.
I can verify that their "el-cheapo" memory rocks [IMG]http://oldforums.overclock3d.net/picture.php?pictureid=153&albumid=17&dl=1225463581&thumb=1[/IMG]
Not as well known as other memory companies.
I can verify that their "el-cheapo" memory rocks [IMG]http://oldforums.overclock3d.net/picture.php?pictureid=153&albumid=17&dl=1225463581&thumb=1[/IMG]
IC's used are reportedly Elpida MNH-E Hyper which are the best around at present.
I did try lowering the timings further but not by lowering bandwidth (which defeats the object of high speed ram imo). Sadly they wouldn't run at anything lower than the stock CAS7 @2000MHz.
Thanks a lot for the info! I can't blame you for not dropping the MHz really. Only reason I mentioned it was for completeness' sake and out of curiosity. Bit gutted them wouldn't go to any lower timings. Oh well, they are already the most phenomenal sticks I have seen, so I am more than impressed!
I am so very tempted to save up and fork out for some near Christmas. I finally plan on watercooling my NB and Mosfets as well as my (current) CPU and 4870X2. I think these sticks would do me wonders in reaching the highest overclocks possible. Only the best will do :P
CSS Valid