SK hynix Inc. has announced the completion of development and the start of mass production for its 321-layer 2Tb QLC NAND flash product. This is the first time that QLC technology has surpassed 300 layers, setting a new standard in NAND density. The company expects to commercially launch the product in the first half of next year after global customer validation.
The new device offers double the capacity compared to existing solutions by using a 2Tb design. To address performance challenges that can arise with larger-capacity NAND, SK hynix increased the number of independent operation units, known as planes, from four to six within each chip. This adjustment allows for greater parallel processing and improves simultaneous read performance.
According to SK hynix, these changes have resulted in significant improvements over previous QLC products. Data transfer speed has doubled, write performance is up by as much as 56%, and read performance has improved by 18%. Write power efficiency has also increased by more than 23%, which is important for AI data centers focused on reducing power consumption.
The company plans to introduce its 321-layer NAND first in PC SSDs before expanding into enterprise SSDs for data centers and UFS for smartphones. By utilizing its proprietary technology that enables stacking of 32 NAND dies in a single package, SK hynix aims to target ultra-high-capacity eSSD markets for AI servers with twice the integration density.
“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.”
SK hynix Inc., based in Korea, supplies DRAM and NAND flash memory chips globally. Its shares are traded on the Korea Exchange and its Global Depository shares are listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange.
