www.tomshardware.com Open in urlscan Pro
199.232.194.114  Public Scan

Form analysis
2 forms found in the DOM

GET https://www.tomshardware.com/search

<form class="search-box" action="https://www.tomshardware.com/search" method="GET" data-component-tracked="19">
  <input tabindex="0" type="search" name="searchTerm" placeholder="Search Tom's Hardware" class="search-input">
  <button type="submit" class="search-submit">
    <span class="icon icon-search">
      <svg class="icon-svg" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 1000 1000">
        <path d="M720 124a422 422 0 1 0-73 654l221 222 132-131-222-222a422 422 0 0 0-58-523zm-92 504a291 291 0 1 1-412-412 291 291 0 0 1 412 411z"></path>
      </svg> </span>
  </button>
</form>

POST https://newsletter-subscribe.futureplc.com/v2/submission/submit

<form class="emailform" method="POST" action="https://newsletter-subscribe.futureplc.com/v2/submission/submit" data-component-tracked="8">
  <div class="input__wrapper">
    <input type="text" class="name__input" name="NAME" value="">
    <input type="email" class="mail__input" name="MAIL" value="" placeholder="Your Email Address" required="">
  </div>
  <div class="emailform__checkbox-rows">
    <div class="emailform__checkbox-row" data-newsletter-consent-type="default-market" id="emailform__consent-news-and-offers">
      <label class="emailform__checkbox-row__label">
        <input type="checkbox" id="emailform__consent-news-and-offers-yes" class="emailform__checkbox-row__checkbox" value="1" name="CONTACT_OTHER_BRANDS"> Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands </label>
    </div>
    <div class="emailform__checkbox-row" data-newsletter-consent-type="default-market" id="emailform__consent-partners-and-sponsors">
      <label class="emailform__checkbox-row__label">
        <input type="checkbox" id="emailform__consent-partners-and-sponsors-yes" class="emailform__checkbox-row__checkbox" value="1" name="CONTACT_PARTNERS"> Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors </label>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="submit__wrapper">
    <input class="submit__button" type="submit" value="Sign me up">
  </div>
  <input type="hidden" class="hidden__newsletter_code" name="NEWSLETTER_CODE" id="NEWSLETTER_CODE" value="XTH-X" data-newsletter-consent-type="default">
  <input type="hidden" class="hidden__lang" name="LANG" id="LANG" value="EN" data-newsletter-consent-type="default">
  <input type="hidden" class="hidden__source" name="SOURCE" id="SOURCE" value="2" data-newsletter-consent-type="default">
</form>

Text Content

WE VALUE YOUR PRIVACY

We and our partners store and/or access information on a device, such as cookies
and process personal data, such as unique identifiers and standard information
sent by a device for personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement,
and audience insights, as well as to develop and improve products.
With your permission we and our partners may use precise geolocation data and
identification through device scanning. You may click to consent to our and our
partners’ processing as described above. Alternatively you may access more
detailed information and change your preferences before consenting or to refuse
consenting.
Please note that some processing of your personal data may not require your
consent, but you have a right to object to such processing. Your preferences
will apply to this website only. You can change your preferences at any time by
returning to this site or visit our privacy policy.
MORE OPTIONSAGREE
Skip to main content
Tom's Hardware Tom's Hardware
Search

RSS
(opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)
(opens in new tab)
US Edition



UK


US


Australia


Canada

 * 
 * Reviews
 * Best Picks
 * Raspberry Pi
 * CPUs
 * GPUs
 * Coupons
 * More
   * Laptops
   * SSDs
   * Motherboards
   * Cooling
   * Desktops
   * PC Builds
   * Monitors
   * RAM
   * PC Cases
   * Keyboards
   * Headsets
   * Mice
   * Power Supplies
   * 3D Printers
   * VR Headsets
   * About Tom's Hardware

Forums (opens in new tab)

Trending
 * AMD vs Intel
 * GPU Benchmark Hierarchy
 * Best College Laptops
 * CPU Rankings



Tom's Hardware is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on
our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s why you can trust us.


 1. Home
 2. News


INTEL KILLS OPTANE MEMORY BUSINESS, PAYS $559 MILLION INVENTORY WRITE-OFF

By Paul Alcorn published 7 days ago

3D XPoint at the last crossroad.

 * (opens in new tab)
 * (opens in new tab)
 * 
 * (opens in new tab)
 * (opens in new tab)
 * (opens in new tab)
 * 

Comments (30)

(Image credit: Lenovo)


Update 08/02/2022 12:30am PT: Intel reached out to clarify that it would bring
the next-gen Crow Pass Optane memory DIMMs to market and will use its existing
inventory to fulfill orders. This wasn't clear from Intel's previous statement
because this is technically a future product. We have clarified that point in
the below text. 



Original Article:

Intel's Q2 2022 earnings report today was uncharacteristically disappointing,
but it also hid a new announcement: Intel is winding down its Optane business
entirely. During the earnings call, Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger clarified the
vaguely worded announcement in the earnings documents, confirming that Intel
will wind down its Optane business. The move incurs a $559 million inventory
impairment/write-off. We reached out to Intel for comment on the matter: 

"We continue to rationalize our portfolio in support of our IDM 2.0 strategy.
This includes evaluating divesting businesses that are either not sufficiently
profitable or not core to our strategic objectives. After careful consideration,
Intel plans to cease future product development within its Optane business. We
are committed to supporting Optane customers through the transition."— Intel's
spokesperson to Tom's Hardware. [See additional commentary below for more
clarity]

Gelsinger said this marks the sixth non-core business Intel has sold since his
arrival, including the recent sale of its drone business to Elon Musk's brother
along with the sale of the SSD storage unit to SK hynix, generating $1.5 billion
for investment in areas that are core to Intel's business. 






(Image credit: Intel)

Intel used Optane memory to create both storage and memory products, and it has
long been rumored to be on the chopping block. At its debut in 2015, Intel and
partner Micron touted the underlying tech, 3D XPoint, as delivering 1000x the
performance and 1000x the endurance of NAND storage, and 10x the density of
DRAM.

Intel had already stopped producing its Optane storage products for client PCs,
which makes sense as it is at the beginning of a multi-year journey to sell its
NAND business to SK hynix. However, Intel originally retained its memory
business for the data center, including its persistent memory DIMMs that can
function as an adjunct to main memory — a capability only Intel offered. Now
those products will also not see any future generations after the next-gen Crow
Pass modules that will arrive with the Sapphire Rapids processors. 

RECOMMENDED VIDEOS FOR YOU... Tom's Hardware




Gelsinger cited an industry shift to CXL-based architectures as a reason for
winding down the Optane business, mirroring Intel's ex-partner Micron's
sentiments when it exited the business last year. Micron was the sole
high-volume fabricator of 3D XPoint, the memory Intel uses to make Optane, and
the company later sold its 3D XPoint fab to Texas Instruments, leaving Intel
with no production facilities of its own.

Industry watchers reported that Intel was serving existing Optane customers from
its inventory that it amassed from Micron before the fab was closed, but that it
wasn't actively fabricating the memory. Intel reportedly had several years of
inventory on hand, perhaps helping explain the magnitude of the $559 million
write-off.

Interestingly, we saw the initial tests of Intel's next-gen DDR5 Optane memory
modules, codenamed Crow's Pass, emerge just last week. These DDR5 modules are
planned to debut with Intel's oft-delayed Sapphire Rapids chips later this
year. 



Intel's David Tuhy, Vice President and General Manager of the Intel Optane
Group, reached out to clarify that the company will still bring the Crow Pass
modules to market and that the company will use its existing inventory to
fulfill orders. Intel will also continue to sell its other existing Optane data
center products and predicts that, based on its current forecasts, it has
several years' worth of inventory. However, the company will not develop any
further generations, instead now taking a $559 inventory write-off. 




Paul Alcorn
 * (opens in new tab)
 * 

Deputy Managing Editor

Paul Alcorn is the Deputy Managing Editor for Tom's Hardware US. He writes news
and reviews on CPUs, storage and enterprise hardware.




More about...
How to Factory Reset a Windows 10 or 11 PC
Innosilicon's Fenghua II Low-Power GPU Launched: 4W – 15W TGP

Latest
Computer With 512 GPUs Tests Google's 'Quantum Supremacy' Claim
See more latest

Topics
CPUs
See all comments (30)


30 Comments Comment from the forums
 * USAFRet
   Good.
   Reply
 * cirdecus
   This is a shame. Optane runs client apps and games far better than anything
   today and at extreme reliability. I'm using the 1.5TB drive for steam games
   and windows apps and i love it. That being said, I know they're looking to
   focus on their chip business and as NAND improves, the cost for the
   technology just can't keep...
   Read More Reply
 * maestro0428
   Damn right its a shame. Optane drives are the fastest on the planet and will
   be for some time. They also last for ever (tons of writes) and noone can
   match it. I have four in my workstation and love em. Mine (900p) arent the
   fastest at sequential reads and writes but still dominate benches in
   everyplace that actually...
   Read More Reply
 * jeremyj_83
   > maestro0428 said:
   > Damn right its a shame. Optane drives are the fastest on the planet and
   > will be for some time. They also last for ever (tons of writes) and noone
   > can match it. I have four in my workstation and love em. Mine (900p) arent
   > the fastest at sequential reads and writes but still dominate benches in
   > everyplace...
   
   Read More Reply
 * LikeClockwork64
   Some poor IT guy is going to get fired because its going to take a day
   instead of an hour to troubleshoot someone's business
   Reply
 * we_are_theBorg
   Shouldn't that subtitle be:
   
   "3D XPoint at the last Xroad."🤔
   
   But seriously, it's a shame. I only ever used it seriously in one system but
   it was incredibly useful when you really needed that memory density, or an
   intermediate caching layer with extremely durable writes. It's failure kinda
   psychologically entrenches NAND just that much deeper and disincentivises...
   Read More Reply
 * escksu
   Oh, been a long time. Optane is not bad but its simply way too expensive. It
   ended up as a product which is neither here nor there.
   
   Unlike Optane, NAND is making leaps and bounds in terms of progress. This is
   mainly due to a very competitive market and massive demand for NAND.
   Reply
 * 2Be_or_Not2Be
   > jeremyj_83 said:
   > This was Optane memory and not Optane SSD.
   
   
   I feel the irony in how Intel wants now to get back more local
   manufacturing/fabrication, but they let a local one of their own creation go
   previously. It's still a shame to me that they left Optane storage first,
   which was its best performer - more so than Optane...
   Read More Reply
 * Kamen Rider Blade
   Intel making bone head moves again.
   
   They should license the Optane technology to ALL the competing memory
   manufacturers and let them innovate on it.
   
   Just like Intel contributing ThunderBolt Interface to USB IF.
   
   Intel trying to make this "Proprietary", kills off very good technology by
   being too expensive to sustain or innovate on.
   
   Damn, such...
   Read More Reply
 * slash3
   > jeremyj_83 said:
   > This was Optane memory and not Optane SSD.
   
   
   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...
   Read More Reply
 * View All 30 Comments

Show more comments

Most Popular

Pick up an Alienware Aurora R13 With a Core I7-12700F and RTX 3060 Ti for
$1,736: Real Deals

By Stewart Bendleabout 2 hours ago


Read more
Raptor Lake Die Size Confirmed to Be Larger Than Alder Lake

By Aaron Klotzabout 3 hours ago


Read more
Intel Close to Sealing $5 Billion Chip Factories Deal in Italy

By Mark Tysonabout 3 hours ago


Read more
Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W Prints Terminal Commands on Receipt Printer

By Ash Hillabout 4 hours ago


Read more
Fedora Linux to Support Raspberry Pi 4 in Next Release

By Ian Evendenabout 4 hours ago


Read more
Intel Arc Board Partner Ceasing Production, Report

By Mark Tysonabout 5 hours ago


Read more
Steam Deck Reservations Now Live for Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea

By Andrew E. Freedmanabout 6 hours ago


Read more
Patent Hoarder Sues Acer, Asus, MSI and Lenovo for Video IP Infringement

By Anton Shilovabout 6 hours ago


Read more
Best Gaming Laptop Deals 2022

By Stewart Bendleabout 7 hours ago


Read more
Best Tech and PC Hardware Deals 2022

By Stewart Bendleabout 9 hours ago


Read more

Be In the Know

Get instant access to breaking news, in-depth reviews and helpful tips.

Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands
Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors


Thank you for signing up to Tom's Hardware. You will receive a verification
email shortly.

There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions (opens in new
tab) and Privacy Policy (opens in new tab) and are aged 16 or over.


MOST POPULARMOST SHARED
 1. 1
    Kioxia Unveils 2nd Gen XL-Flash Storage Class Memory for Ultra-High-End SSDs
 2. 2
    X670E Version of Asus Apex Motherboard PCB Diagram Leaked
 3. 3
    Turn Your Aquarium Up to 11 With the MetalFish PC Case
 4. 4
    Samsung's Memory-Semantic CXL SSD Brings a 20X Performance Uplift
 5. 5
    Intel 13th-Gen Raptor Lake Specs, Rumored Release Date, Benchmarks, and More

 1. 1
    Kioxia Unveils 2nd Gen XL-Flash Storage Class Memory for Ultra-High-End SSDs
 2. 2
    X670E Version of Asus Apex Motherboard PCB Diagram Leaked
 3. 3
    Turn Your Aquarium Up to 11 With the MetalFish PC Case
 4. 4
    Samsung's Memory-Semantic CXL SSD Brings a 20X Performance Uplift
 5. 5
    Intel 13th-Gen Raptor Lake Specs, Rumored Release Date, Benchmarks, and More




Tom's Hardware is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and
leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab).

 * Terms and conditions (opens in new tab)
 * Privacy policy (opens in new tab)
 * Cookies policy (opens in new tab)
 * Accessibility Statement (opens in new tab)
 * Advertise (opens in new tab)
 * About us (opens in new tab)
 * Coupons (opens in new tab)
 * Careers (opens in new tab)

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.