SK hynix on Monday said it had commenced mass production of its 321-layer, 2Tb 3D QLC NAND memory devices that promise to enable ultra-high-capacity SSDs — up to 244TB and beyond — for data center use as well as relatively inexpensive high-capacity drives for client PCs that will rival some of the best SSDs around.
SK hynix's 321-layer 2Tb (256GB) 3D QLC NAND memory devices belong to the company's V9Q lineup of products, featuring an input/output interface of 3200 MT/s, which is just a tad slower than 3600 MT/s sported by leading-edge 3D TLC NAND ICs, such as the company's own upcoming V9T 321L 3D TLC NAND. In addition, the new 2Tb V9Q ICs feature six planes (up from four, presumably, in previous-generation 3D QLC NAND devices), which enables more parallel work, markedly improving multi-read speed.
The manufacturer claims that its 2Tb V9Q device boasts a 56% higher write performance as well as an 18% higher read performance compared to its outdated V7Q devices from 2023. The performance boost can be attributed to both higher I/O and enhanced internal architecture. Also, the company claims that the new 2Tb V9Q IC is also 23% more efficient in write operations, which likely implies on-process improvements and circuit-level optimizations (perhaps reduced write voltage?) compared to the previous generation.
While 2Tb 3D QLC NAND devices will also start to emerge from various manufacturers, the key thing about SK hynix's V9Q is that it uses the company's latest 321-layer process technology, which is supposed to make it cheaper to produce compared to ICs by competitors. As a result, SK hynix will be able to build cheaper SSDs, a clear competitive advantage.
Initially, the company will apply its 321-layer 2Tb 3D QLC NAND devices to its client SSDs. For example, a 2TB drive will require only eight 2Tb V9Q ICs, which can be packaged in one or two packages, greatly lowering the company's costs.
Eventually, SK hynix's 321-layer 2Tb 3D QLC NAND will be used for enterprise -grade SSDs, including the 244TB product that is currently in development . That drive will use SK hynix's unique 32DP packaging technology that enables the company to bundle 32 2Tb devices into a single package.
"With the start of mass production, we have significantly strengthened our high-capacity product portfolio and secured cost competitiveness," said Jeong Woopyo, Head of NAND Development at SK hynix. "We will make a major leap forward as a full-stack AI memory provider, in line with the explosive growth in AI demand and high-performance requirements in the data center market."
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