News Intel Kills Optane Memory Business for Good

[Chung Leong]

I've always thought not bringing Optane P-RAM to the consumer market was a mistake. It would have worked better an enthusiast tech than an enterprise tech. People in the corporate world just want to do what everyone else is doing. Not the kind of folks you can count on when launching a revolutionary product.

 

[Alex/AT]

Just like Intel contributing ThunderBolt Interface to USB IF.

I think propagating ThunderBolt interface to USB standards is an ultimately grave mistake, and many tears will be shed over it when it reaches similar fate.

 

[abufrejoval]

Compared to what Martin Fink had announced for HP's The Machine and their memristor based memory in 2014, Optane always seemed lame, not nearly as dense and Intel proprietary.

Well, the memristor NVRAM never came to pass and Optane never got cheap or fast enough with its phase change base. I am actually a bit glad Intel failed with it, as they were trying to make it an AMD (and p-Series) killer.

But I sure wouldn't mind having a laptop with 16TB of NV-RAM instead dealing with DRAM and NVMe.

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

I think propagating ThunderBolt interface to USB standards is an ultimately grave mistake, and many tears will be shed over it when it reaches similar fate.

Why do you say that? Please elaborate.

 

[kwhealton]

First Rambus, now Octane, Intel just can't seem to figure out how to do it! I'm surprised it lasted this long considering how expensive it was. Good riddance. Intel may have great ideas but if they keep them so overpriced that when a competitor comes in with a cheaper alternative then I will go with them everytime. Remember back to the prices that Intel charged for their CPUs before AMD released their RYZEN series and stole the show then Intel was forced to lower their prices and actually give us decent increases in their CPU lineup. Which is why they Lost Apple. Intel needs to put their Greed into perspective.

 

[abufrejoval]

[...]Which is why they Lost Apple. Intel needs to put their Greed into perspective.

While I'd agree that investor greed is hurting Intel, I'm not sure it's the greedier one in that pair ;-)

 

[maplewind]

It's their destiny without the large market in China. Sanction to China is sanction to themself.. stupid era.

 

[Ewitte]

Ryan Smith over at AnandTech has since confirmed with Intel that it is in fact Optane in its entirety that is being discontinued.

https://www.anandtech.com/show/17515/intel-to-wind-down-optane-memory-business

"Update: 6:40pm ET

Following our request, Intel has sent out a short statement on the Optane wind-down. While not offering much in the way of further details on Intel's exit, it does confirm that Intel is indeed exiting the entire Optane business.

Optane is superior to NAND in many ways, but they just priced themselves out of the market for even most enthusiasts. Now that certain drives are like 70% off they are selling really well. I have two 960GB 905p drives and a bunch of the smaller ones.