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Intel Releases SSD DC S3510
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Intel Releases SSD DC S3510

In February Intel refreshed its enterprise SATA SSD lineup with the DC S3610 and S3710 SSDs, but left the entry-level S35xx series untouched. That changes today with the launch of the DC S3510, which succeeds the popular S3500 that has been around since late 2012.

Similar to its big brothers, the S3510 features Intel’s second generation SATA 6Gbps controller that was first introduced in the high capacity S3500 models late last year. Intel has remained quiet about the specifics of the second generation controller (and the SATA 6Gbps controller as a whole), but we do know that it adds support for larger capacities, which suggests the internal caches and DRAM controller could be larger. 

The most significant change in the S3510 is the NAND. The S3510 switches to IMFT’s latest 16nm 128Gbit MLC NAND node, which is a rather surprising move given that all Intel’s client SSDs are still utilizing 20nm NAND. The reason lies behind the fact that Intel didn’t invest in IMFT’s 16nm node, meaning that Micron produces and owns all 16nm NAND output. Intel and Micron reconsider the partnership and investments for each generation separately and for 16nm Intel decided not to invest — likely because Intel’s focus is in the enterprise nowadays and 16nm is more geared towards the client market given its lower endurance, and Intel also wanted to concentrate more heavily in the companies’ upcoming 3D NAND.

That said, Intel and Micron do have strong supply agreements in place, which gives Intel access to Micron’s 16nm NAND despite not investing in its development and production. I suspect the use of 16nm NAND is why the S3510 wasn’t launched alongside the S3610 and S3710 earlier this year because validating a new NAND node is time consuming and might be that the 16nm node wasn’t even mature enough for the enterprise back then. In any case, the S3510 is the first enterprise SSD to utilize sub-19nm NAND, which is a respectable achievement on its own already. 

Intel SSD DC S3510 Specifications
Capacity 80GB 120GB 240GB 480GB 800GB 1.2TB 1.6TB
Controller Intel 2nd Generation SATA 6Gbps Controller
NAND Micron 16nm 128Gbit Standard Endurance Technology (SET) MLC
Sequential Read 375MB/s 475MB/s 500MB/s 500MB/s 500MB/s 500MB/s 500MB/s
Sequential Write 110MB/s 135MB/s 260MB/s 440MB/s 460MB/s 440MB/s 430MB/s
4KB Random Read 68K IOPS 68K IOPS 68K IOPS 68K IOPS 67K IOPS 67K IOPS 65K IOPS
4KB Random Write 8.4K IOPS 5.3K IOPS 10.2K IOPS 15.1K IOPS 15.3K IOPS 20K IOPS 15.2K IOPS
Avg Read Power 1.93W 2.14W 2.21W 2.32W 2.39W 2.61W 2.69W
Avg Write Power 1.91W 2.14W 3.06W 4.45W 4.74W 5.24W 5.59W
Endurance 45TB 70TB 140TB 275TB 450TB 660TB 880TB

On the performance side, the S3510 provides slightly better random write performance at larger capacities than its predecessor (you can find the S3500 specs here), but other than that the S3510 is a very close match with the S3500. Typical to enterprise SSDs, the S3510 features AES-256 hardware and full power loss protection that protects all data, including in-flight user writes, from sudden power losses. 

Comparison of Intel’s Enterprise SATA SSDs
  S3510 S3610 S3710
Form Factors 2.5″ 2.5″ & 1.8″ 2.5″
Capacity Up to 1.6TB Up to 1.6TB Up to 1.2TB
NAND 16nm MLC 20nm HET MLC 20nm HET MLC
Endurance 0.3 DWPD 3 DWPD 10 DWPD
Random Read Performance Up to 68K IOPS Up to 84K IOPS Up to 85K IOPS
Random Write Performance Up to 20K IOPS Up to 28K IOPS Up to 45K IOPS

The endurance is also equal to the S3500 and comes in at 0.3 drive writes per day for five years, which is a typical rating for entry-level enterprise SSDs that are mostly aimed for read intensive workloads like media streaming. For more write-centric applications, Intel offers the S3610 and S3710 with higher endurance and better write performance (but at a higher cost, of course). I didn’t get the S3510 MSRPs from Intel yet, but I suspect that the S3510 is priced around $0.80 per gigabyte, but I’ll confirm this as soon as I hear back from Intel.

All in all, even though the industry is transitioning more and more towards PCIe and NVMe, there is still a huge market for SATA drives. Many applications don’t necessarily benefit much from higher performance and especially hyperscale customers are looking at cost and compatibility, which is where SATA is still the king of the hill. 

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AnandTech Call for Writers: 2015

The Call for Writers has become something of an annual tradition over here at AnandTech. As anyone who follows the site knows very well, the list of things we have to review/cover usually exceeds our available time. So the call for writers gives us a chance to find new talent and new opportunities to grow, be it into new coverage areas entirely or just covering more of the existing products our readers have come to enjoy over the years.

In the last year of course we were acquired by Purch, which presents us with some additional opportunities we have not had in the past. Purch is making good on their commitment to helping us grow, which means that for 2015 in particular we’re aiming higher than ever before.

Anyhow, the ultimate purpose of the Call for Writers is to find new talent. To continue to grow, we need your help. We’re looking for writers with a true passion for the technology we cover, a deep understanding of what’s out there and a thirst for more knowledge.

We’re looking for contributors to help out both with reviews as well as our short to medium form Pipeline coverage. The areas in particular we’re looking for help with are listed below:

  • SSDs
  • Monitors
  • GPUs
  • Mobile (US-only, potential for quick promotion to full-time)
  • Systems/Laptops (US-only)
  • Networking
  • Home Automation
  • Professional Graphics
  • Pipeline

If you find yourself at the intersection of knowledge and passion about any of those areas, and have some time to contribute, you’re exactly what we’re looking for. These are paid, part-time positions that we’re looking to fill, with most positions open on a world-wide basis, and certain positions primed for a quick promotion to full-time. What I need is a writing sample that demonstrates your ability to talk about any one of these topics. Your sample can be in the form of a review, a pipeline post or an analysis piece – it should be something that looks like it would fit in on AnandTech.

Once you’ve produced it, send it on over to [email protected]. Please also include a description of what subject(s) you would be interested in writing about, and some basic information about your background and where you’re located. We’ll read through all samples but can’t guarantee a reply due to the sheer volume of submissions we tend to receive. If we like what you’ve sent and there’s a potential fit on the team, we’ll be in touch.

I’ll conclude this post with a passage from our About page:

In the early days of technology reporting on the web the focus was almost exclusively on depth. We had a new medium for content that didn’t come with the same restrictions as more traditional forms. We could present as much data as we felt was necessary and we could do it quicker.

As the web grew, so did the approach to gaining readership. In many cases, publishers learned from the tips and tricks of more traditional media to growing their audience. The focus shifted away from ultimate understanding of what was being reported, to producing content significantly motivated by increasing traffic, or revenue, or both. Thorough observations were out; sensationalism, link baiting, and the path to shallow 10-o’clock-news reporting were in.

While I believe it’s definitely easier to produce content by going this route, I don’t believe it’s the only way to build a well read website.

If the above resonates with you and you’d like to help by being a part of something different, I’d encourage you to submit a writing sample.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How old do I need to be to work for AnandTech?
A: You need to be old enough to legally work in your country of residence without significant restriction. Otherwise we have no specific requirements so long as you can do the job well. Anand started the site at 14, after all…

Q: Do I need to be located in the United States to work for AnandTech?
A: Some positions do require that you be in the US for logistical reasons, and those specific positions are noted. However unless otherwise noted, most positions are open on a world-wide basis.

Q: Do I need to supply my own products for testing or contacts at companies? (i.e. do I need to be an insider?)
A: No. Assuming for the moment you have a computer to write on, then you already have the most important piece of equipment that you need. Meanwhile you will need some knowledge of the field at hand, but will introduce you to the people you need to know for your position at AnandTech.

Q: Can I really work for AnandTech even though I don’t have a Ph.D in electrical engineering?
A: Yes! We are first and foremost looking for people with a passion to learn, and the knack to make it happen. There’s a certain degree of baseline knowledge needed for any given position, but if you can read existing AnandTech articles then you’re already half-way there.

Q: Is there a submission deadline?
A: We have a tentative end point for the end of May.

T-Mobile USA Launches Never Settle Trial For Verizon Customers
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T-Mobile USA Launches Never Settle Trial For Verizon Customers

T-Mobile has become a very different company under CEO John Legere. Since his appointment in 2012, T-Mobile has gone through several phases of their Uncarrier campaigns which aim to differentiate them from Sprint, AT&T, and Verizon. Both he and their advertising campaigns are not afraid to directly attack other carriers in the United States for policies that have long been dreaded by consumers.

Today they launched a new campaign targeted at Verizon users in the United States. The campaign pokes fun at the “Never Settle” tagline and #NeverSettle hashtag that Verizon has been using in their recent ad campaign to promote their LTE network. T-Mobile’s new Twitter hashtag for their campaign is #NeverSettleforVerizon, and the Never Settle Trial is a free trial of T-Mobile’s service that current Verizon customers can sign up for.

The Never Settle trial will begin on May 13, and it will work as follows. Verizon users will port their number to T-Mobile for the trial period, but hold on to their current Verizon phone. If the user was happy with their service on T-Mobile then T-Mobile will cover their Verizon Early Termination Fee (ETF) and remaining device subsidy up to a maximum of $650 when they trade in their existing Verizon phone and sign up for one of T-Mobile’s plans. If they were unhappy with the service, they can port back to Verizon and T-Mobile will cover their activation fees by sending them a prepaid Visa card for that amount, and they will also waive cost of their service while on T-Mobile.

I would assume the system is such that you keep your Verizon line during the duration of the trial, and when you port your number to T-Mobile a new number gets assigned to your Verizon account until you either leave or port back. I know on my carrier in Canada a number port request usually goes along with an account closure, so hopefully T-Mobile has planned all this out.

T-Mobile has made eight videos to promote this new campaign, and you can check those out in the source below.