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?