Add PNY to the growing list of memory module vendors entering the SSD fray

Memory-module vendor PNY has just announced its Optima line of 2.5-inch SSDs with SATA II (3 Gbps) interfaces available in 64- and 128-Gbyte capacities and listing at retail for $199.99 and $349.99 respectively. Sequential read/write speed for the 64-Gbyte Optima drive is spec’ed at 220 (read) and 100 (write) Mbytes/sec. Sequential read/write speed for the 128-Gbyte Optima drive is spec’ed at 235 (read) and 150 (write) Mbytes/sec.

PNY is just the latest memory-module vendor to enter the SSD arena in a search for new markets to dominate, demonstrating once again that SSDs really lower the bar to entry versus the precision mechanical manufacturing requirements of hard-drive manufacturing. Any company with experience in board-level manufacturing (or a good contract-manufacturing house) can purchase off-the-shelf SSD controllers, firmware, and NAND Flash chips--even entire SSD designs--and get into the SSD market pretty darn fast. So if manufacturing and design expertise are rapidly diminishing as differentiators in the SSD market, what’s next?