Revolutionary 2Tb 3D QLC NAND flash reminiscence die teased by Western Digital

Why it issues: Western Digital dropped a bombshell throughout a current investor presentation. The storage big has teased the world’s first 2Tb 3D quad-level cell NAND flash reminiscence die. The chip dwarfs the competitors when it comes to density. Whereas initially restricted to the info middle market, there is a good probability it’s going to trickle right down to client PCs.

This minuscule chip packs 256GB of storage right into a single die utilizing WD’s cutting-edge Eighth-generation BiCS 3D NAND tech developed collectively with companion Kioxia. The manufacturing expertise permits WD to suit 218 layers in a single die, virtually twice the 112 layers most NAND flash reminiscence right this moment comes with. By comparability, mainstream 2TB SSDs usually have 16 x 128GB (1Tb) dies per bundle. With WD’s new chips, you get twice the capability – 2Tb (256GB) in the identical single-chip bundle.

Western Digital additionally claims its new QLC NAND provides spectacular efficiency beneficial properties. In line with its stats, the I/O throughput is 50 p.c quicker than rival NAND, utilizing 13 p.c much less energy per GB written. On the density entrance, WD’s QLC die is 15-19 p.c denser than competing manufacturers.

The approach WD is utilizing to attain that is intelligent. As an alternative of etching the entire chip in a single go, they fabricate the CMOS controller circuitry as one die, flip it, and join the stacked QLC NAND reminiscence layers utilizing hybrid bonding.

Within the quick time period, WD goals to promote its high-density QLC packages within the knowledge middle and AI coaching markets, which have an insatiable want for high-capacity storage. Nonetheless, the tech will inevitably trickle right down to desktop SSDs earlier than lengthy.

After all, QLC NAND does have some drawbacks in comparison with higher-grade TLC and MLC NAND. Write endurance is decrease, and efficiency could be inconsistent, particularly beneath heavy workloads. Nonetheless, WD claims to have improved QLC endurance by 60 p.c in comparison with prior generations whereas additionally boosting latency and throughput consistency.

Western Digital has but to expose full architectural particulars concerning the 2Tb die, resembling interface speeds, variety of planes, latency figures, and many others. Nonetheless, given the concentrate on AI/knowledge middle use instances that demand excessive throughputs, we will anticipate respectable random I/O efficiency.

The storage big isn’t any stranger to innovation. In April, WD unveiled a 30-pound bundle providing 368TB of NVMe flash storage. It was distinctive as a result of it got here with a carrying case to supply dependable storage in difficult environments.