Toshiba first with 128GB SSD drive notebook

Toshiba’s Japan-only new Dynabook SS RX1 is the first ever notebook to offer a 128GB solid-state drive (SSD), matching the storage capacity of conventional hard-disk drives with the speeds associated with flash drives. The model will be available about nine months after Toshiba also unveiled the first laptop with a 64GB SSD drive. In North America, the RX1’s equivalent is the Portégé R500, already a holder of many “world’s first” accolades.

The newest RX1 sports Intel’s Core 2 Duo 1.20GHz CPU and 2GB of RAM, Intel’s 945GMS Express chipset with integrated video as well as a DVD optical drive. The operating system is Windows Vista Business Edition. It also features KDDI's CDMA 1X WIN high-speed 3G service capable of up to 2.4Mbps that carries a monthly subscription rate of about $60. The RX1 and R500 have a 12.1-inch WXGA widescreen LCD. Bluetooth 2.0 support is built-in.

The RX1 with the 128GB SSD drive should be available in Japan in mid-April, with other models launching later this month. No official pricing has been announced, but the 128GB SSD-equipped version is expected to cost 400,000 yen, or close to $4,000. A version with an 80GB HDD is 290,000 yen or $2,900. In the U.S., the R500 with the 64GB SSD starts at $2,700. SSDs fetch a premium as they are more shock-resistant, energy-efficient and quieter than traditional HDDs. Toshiba has not yet announced a similar option for its North American R500. [via Impress]

Filed under: computers, industry
Other story tags: Toshiba, notebooks, SSD, Portege, r500