Intel Optane SSDs are available in three families designed for specific market applications. The Intel Optane 905P for workstations and high performance desktops, the Intel Optane 800P for client gaming, and the Intel Optane P4800X for enterprise use such as servers targeting high –performance storage environments, in transactional data applications, data analytics, cloud computing and scientific models. The 905P and P4800X series come in both a 2.5” U.2 as well as AIC (Add in Card) form factor with the 905P also being available in an M2. 22110 configuration while the 800P is only available in M.2 2280.
At the high-end, the 905P differs from the P4800X in that the endurance ratings are 1/3 that of the enterprise drives, and they are missing critical features such as SMBus but both versions are based on Intel’s 3D Xpoint memory. The P800 is an M.2 2280 only form factor and is also based on Intel’s 3D Xpoint memory. In terms of market focus, it is similar to Optane Memory for desktops except the 800P is a storage device and although it could be set up to function as cache it is targeted to be a boot drive.
Intel Optane SSD drives dramatically improve system performance bringing new value to integrators, end clients and consumers. As an example of the performance benefits achieved through the implementation of Intel Optane SSD drives a study was done by the University of Pisa where they were able to reduce the time a patient spent getting an MRI from 40 minutes to 2 minutes.