From that roadmap, i can see the current optane M2.80mm drives at ~64/128GB, and the new ones to replace them, also at M2.80mm, which are 32/64Gb. Nothing higher.... I also don't see any other M2 drives, apart from what they are calling "Optane memory" which is also M2 size, but in even smaller capacities. Is the idea finally dropping that we didn't need Optane at all ? It was a good idea to accelerate your HDD's, but SSD's just took off like rockets, and there was never any need for optane (in the consumer space). I hope the next gen of M2 drives goes the way of DRAM, and has a side connector instead of an "end" connector, so they can take up a lot less space on the motherboard (like RAM) and be better cooled...

Evildead666:

From that roadmap, i can see the current optane M2.80mm drives at ~64/128GB, and the new ones to replace them, also at M2.80mm, which are 32/64Gb. Nothing higher.... I also don't see any other M2 drives, apart from what they are calling "Optane memory" which is also M2 size, but in even smaller capacities. Is the idea finally dropping that we didn't need Optane at all ? It was a good idea to accelerate your HDD's, but SSD's just took off like rockets, and there was never any need for optane (in the consumer space). I hope the next gen of M2 drives goes the way of DRAM, and has a side connector instead of an "end" connector, so they can take up a lot less space on the motherboard (like RAM) and be better cooled...

When Intel talks about 'Optane memory' in this context they are talking about the drives intended for their cache software but in reality that is just a verbal delineation. You can use absolutely any Optane drive with their cache software. Optane in the DIMM form factor is coming and it will be interesting to see if consumer boards get support (even unofficial). The 905P M.2 Optane drives are coming next month but of course in the annoying 22110 form factor so you wont be sticking these in anything other than ultra high end laptops, most desktops will support these longer sticks just fine though.