After Western Digital announced its 2Tb 3D QLC NAND components in mid-June, it was a matter of time before its manufacturing partner Kioxia followed suit and revealed its 2Tb 3D QLC devices, which it did today. Unlike Western Digital, Kioxia shared more details about these 256GB 3D QLC NAND components, which look like they can be used to build high-performance and high-capacity drives.
Kioxia's 2Tb 3D QLC NAND devices rely on the company's 218-layer BiCS8 process technology and boast an interface speed of 3,600 MT/s, making them some of the world's fastest flash memory components. In addition to increased performance, the new devices boast a 70% write power efficiency compared to Kioxia's 3D QLC based on the BiCS5 production node (due to higher density and power efficiency).
While Kioxia's 2Tb 3D QLC NAND looks very fast, the company also has a secret weapon: performance-optimized 1Tb 3D QLC NAND. The performance-focused 1Tb QLC offers a 30% faster sequential write performance and a 15% lower read latency. The NAND maker says that its 1Tb 3D QLC devices will be positioned for client SSDs and mobile applications, offering ultimate performance that is perhaps in line with those based on 3D TLC NAND.
The increased storage capacity of Kioxia's 2Tb 3D QLC NAND devices will enable customers to build high-capacity SSDs in small form factors. For example, a 16-Hi stacked package (measuring 11.5 x 13.5 x 1.5 mm) could create a 4TB M.2-2230 SSD or a 16TB M.2-2280 drive. This will benefit Kioxia's customers who build SSDs.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Micron | Samsung | WD/Kioxia | SK hynix | YMTC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Generation | Gen 6 | V9 | BiCS 8 | Gen 9 | Xtacking 3.0/Gen 4 |
| Number of Layers | 232-Layer | 290-Layer (?) | 218-Layer | 321-Layer | 232-Layer |
| Density per square mm | 14.6 Gb mm^2 | 17 Gb mm^2 | 22.9 Gb mm^2 (?) | 20 mm^2 | 19.8 Gb mm^2 |
| Architecture | TLC | TLC | QLC | TLC | QLC |
| Die Capacity | 1 Tb | 1 Tb | 2 Tb | 1 Tb | 1 Tb |
| Interface Speed | Up to 2400 MT/s | Up to 3200 MT/s | Up to 3600 MT/s | ? | QLC |
| Next-Gen (release date) | 3xx (unknown) | 3xx (unknown) | ? | ? | Xtacking 4.0 (?) |
Like Western Digital, Kioxia positions its BiCS8 2Tb 3D QLC NAND for artificial intelligence and backup storage, which is logical as both applications benefit from high storage density. Interested parties are currently testing these devices.
"We are pleased to be shipping samples of our new 2Tb QLC with the new eighth-generation BiCS flash technology," said Hideshi Miyajima, CTO of Kioxia. "With its industry-leading high bit density, high-speed data transfer, and superior power efficiency, the 2Tb QLC product will offer new value for rapidly emerging AI applications and large storage applications demanding power and space savings."
Pure Storage is expected to be one of Kioxia's first customers to incorporate 2Tb 3D QLC NAND into its products.
"We have a long-standing relationship with KIOXIA and are delighted to incorporate their eighth-generation BiCS Flash 2Tb QLC flash memory products to enhance the performance and efficiency of our all-flash storage solutions," said Charles Giancarlo, CEO of Pure Storage. "Pure's unified all-flash data storage platform is able to meet the demanding needs of artificial intelligence as well as the aggressive costs of backup storage. Backed by Kioxia technology, Pure Storage will continue to offer unmatched performance, power efficiency, and reliability, delivering exceptional value to our customers."
