Intel just recently unveiled the next leap in data storage technology in the form of its new Intel Optane storage memory chips. The new technology is far superior to even the highest-end solid state drives and generations away from disk-based hard drives. Now, Intel has announced that it will start shipping its first product to sport the new technology, but it may not be for everyone.

Intel's new product is the Intel Optane P4800X, which is actually now available for data centers and pro consumers. The PCIe peripheral utilizes the company's new 3D XPoint memory technology, which blurs the line between traditional solid-state drives and random-access memory (RAM) storage. The new product currently sports 375GB of storage, but Intel has announced that they will be releasing future products with up to 1.5TB of storage.

As previously mentioned, the new Optane drives will be significantly faster than traditional NAND-based flash storage. According to The Verge, the new chip also sports exponentially lower latency and unprecedented durability. While the new Optane drive will be slower than DRAM, its non-volatile storage type will make it far more superior in day-to-day applications. Unlike DRAM, Optane drives are also ten times more dense and far less expensive on a per byte basis.

Intel's 3D XPoint storage technology also translates to a far more durable storage solution as the data that is stored will not degrade. This translates to the number of reads and writes not being an issue to the device's overall health, which is not the case for solid state drives.

According to BGR, Intel's new technology is really the next step in storage. However, most systems aren't quite ready to utilize it just yet. Intel also still has to fine-tune their products as its offering is still out of reach for most consumers. Data Centers and IT companies will be able to take advantage of the new product, but typical users will likely find it to be too impractical for daily use. The Intel Optane P4800X is currently available for a whopping $1,520.