Hamburg - Solid state drives (SSD) - computer data storage units with no moving parts - are becoming the new standard in computer data storage.

Indeed, a recent report from iSuppli, a US marketing company, showed that more than half of all mobile computers are expected to come with SSDs in 2010, as the new drive slowly edges out traditional hard drives.

But beware. Experts say SSDs aren't quite ready for prime time. Although they might perform well, it might not yet be time to purchase.

SSDs rely on flash memory to save data. "These are small memory chips upon which data is written," explains Ingolf Leschke of Computer Bild Spiele, a German computer magazine.

That compares with standard drives, where data is stored on magnetised, spinning discs. Dropping one of these drives usually renders them inoperable, since the impact will render the discs unusable.

"An SSD would survive that," says Leschke. The flash memory is more robust and less susceptible to bumps than the old-fashioned drive.

Another plus is the faster speed of SSDs. Leschke says the top-of-the-line models can read 250 megabytes (MB) per second and write at 150 MB per second. Such times allow data searches in half the time standard drives need. Indeed, there are many cases where the performance quality more than doubles over magnetic drives.

SSDs also have an advantage in accessing data. With a magnetic drive, the computer system has to hunt down the location of the desired data. But an SSD has direct access to every memory cell, significantly speeding up its index searches.

Markedly reduced power consumption is another bonus. "It takes a lot of pressure off the battery," says Thomas Littschwager of Chip, a German computer magazine. That attribute makes SSDs attractive for netbooks and notebooks. Manufacturers have gone a step further, advertising longer lifespans for a computer. "But that hasn't been tested yet," says Littschwager.

Yet another bonus: the new drive weighs about half of its magnetic counterpart. It's also quieter while it does its work.

But the price, much higher than for standard drives, can be a turnoff. A maximum-capacity SSD, which can hold 256 gigabytes (GB) of data, costs between 500 and 700 euros (735 to 1,030 dollars). A 250 GB version, the Apex from OCZ, costs 666 euros. The 120 GB Core 2 costs about 300 euros and the 256 GB P256 from Corsair 570 euros.

In comparison, a 3.5-inch magnetic drive costs less than 40 euros, while the smaller 2.5-inch model costs between 40 and 60 euros.

Thus, while the SSD might be a storage breakthrough, "the purchase isn't worth it for normal users," says Littschwager. He says the boost in performance can't make up for the fact that SSDs mean less memory space for more money.

There are differences of opinion about what will happen to prices. Littschwager does not see the price dropping noticeably in the near future, but can see a drop five years down the road. Leschke sees the price regulating itself over the course of time. "In 12 months, SSDs will only cost half of what they cost now," he says. (dpa)