A new lineup of Blade X-gale solid state drives (SSD) was announced by Toshiba America Electronic Components on Monday. With barely 2.2 mm thickness, the new series of SSDs feature a form factor which is 42 percent smaller than the currently-available mini-SATA or mSATA SSD modules.

According to Toshiba, the new, super-thin Blade X-gale SSDs series will be available in 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB storage capacities; and have been chiefly designed for devices like laptops, netbooks and tablet PCs, wherein space is a premium.

The SSDs in the new Blade X-gale series are palm-sized; and they measure a little less than one inch in width and 4 inches in length. As per Toshiba, the super-slim 64GB and 128GB drives weigh barely 0.3 ounces; while the slightly heavier 256GB drives weigh half an ounce.

Toshiba also added that the Blade X-gale series makes use of multilevel cell (MLC) NAND flash chips, storing two bits per cell. The increased capacity of the modules results from mounting the flash chips on both sides, thanks to a new board design that minimizes warping.

Noting that the Blade X-gale line of SSDs are also the thinnest SSD drives that Toshiba presently has in its product portfolio, Scott Nelson, VP of the memory business division of Toshiba America Electronic Components, said: "Delivering a product that enables superior user experience in a smaller footprint is the ultimate goal."