Western Digital (WD) has recently introduced a groundbreaking technology that is set to revolutionize the capacity of solid-state drives (SSDs). This innovation showcased at an investor’s conference involves a high-capacity memory die that is incredibly small, fitting on the end of a human fingertip.
While initially aimed at AI and data center applications, this advancement indicates that high-capacity flash memory chips are in the works, suggesting that larger-capacity SSDs for desktop PCs may be on the horizon.
The senior vice president of technology and strategy for memory technology at WD, Alper Ilkbahar, revealed the industry’s first 2Tb 3D QLC NAND device at the “New era of NAND” event. This memory die, despite being terabits rather than terabytes, equates to 256GB of storage capacity.
Current SSDs utilize multiple dies in one package to achieve their capacities. By increasing the die capacity to 2Tb, a single chip could potentially hold 4TB of data. Additionally, stacking multiple chip packages on an M.2 PCB could lead to even higher capacities, as demonstrated by existing SSD models on the market.
This increase in capacity is made possible by WD and Koxia’s 8th-generation BiCS 3D NAND technology, which allows for up to 218 layers in a single die. The use of quad-level cell (QLC) flash memory in the 2Tb NAND die offers higher data density but traditionally comes with slower performance and lower endurance. However, WD claims that their latest technology improves endurance by 60% compared to previous QLC memory, while also enhancing latency and performance.
As WD prepares to release more details about this groundbreaking technology, consumers eagerly anticipate the potential for higher-capacity SSDs in the near future. In the meantime, for those in the market for a gaming SSD, the WD Black SN850X is a recommended option.
The future of data storage technology is rapidly evolving, and WD’s latest innovation is a clear indicator of the direction in which SSD capacities are heading. With the promise of larger capacities, improved performance, and enhanced endurance, this development is poised to reshape the landscape of data storage solutions across various industries. Stay tuned for more updates as WD continues to push the boundaries of what is possible in the realm of SSD technology.
