Explicit Intel 'Beach' pics 'leaked': All eyeballs on Optane SSD roadmap

Intel looks to be producing four Optane product families, with Mansion Beach, Brighton Beach, Stony Beach and Carson Beach code names seen on what looks like a leaked Intel slide.

The Intel Optane SSD roadmap slide from BenchLife Info of Taiwan shows us various Intel SSD product families during 2016 and the first 2017 quarter.

They are positioned against Intel processor families. The Skylake platform runs out to Q2 2016. It is followed by the Kaby Lake platform (Q3 2016 - Q2 2017) and a CNL platform is being planned, presumably to run from Q3 2017 onwards.

CNL is thought to be the Cannonlake processor, fabricated on a 10nm process. Kaby Lake, like Skylake uses a 14nm process.

In the 2D MLC (2bits/cell) SSD area we have:

• Enthusiast workstation - 750 series (PCIe/NVMe Gen 3x4 - u.2, AIC) running from Q4 2015 to Q3 2016
• Mainstream - Pro 2500 and 535 (SATA m.2, 2,5-inch) in Q4 2015 and Q1 2016

See both slides here.

In the 2D TLC (3 bits/cell) area:

• Mainstream - Pro 5400 and 540 (SATA m.s, 2.5-inch) in Q2 2016 to Q1 2017

Turning to 3D TLC we see:

• Enthusiast workstation - Pro 6000p and 600p (PCIe/NVMe Gen 3x4 - m.2) from Q3 2016 to Q1 2017
• Second generation version on CNL platform
• Second generation CNL platform version with SATA m.2 and 2.5-inch formats

Now, coming Optane SSDs:

• System Acceleration - Stony Beach (PCIe/NVMe Gen 3x2 - m.2 - System Acess Gen 1.0) Q4 2016 - Q1 2017 and on
• Technology Enthusiast - Mansion Beach (PCIe/NVMe Gen 3x4)
• Mansion Beach refresh on CNL platform planned
• Technology Enthusiast - Brighton Beach (PCIe/NVMe Gen 3x2) Q1 2017 and on
• Technology Enthusiast - Carson Beach (PCIe/NVMe Gen 3x2 - m.2/BGA) CNL platform
• System Acceleration - Carson Beach (PCIe/NVMe Gen 3x4 - m.2/BGA) CNL platform - System Acess Gen 2.0

Optane SSDs are being planned for the enthusiast workstation and system acceleration markets but not mainstream server use. This slide doesn't mention XPoint NVDIMMs, which are expected in the third/fourth 2016 quarter cross-over time.

Wonder what Micron has planned? ®