The first 4-bit QLC UFS 4.0 offers faster speeds, more storage, and better security for mobile devices, PCs, AR/VR, and AI applications.
Kioxia Corporation has announced the start of mass production of the world’s first Universal Flash Storage (UFS) 2.0 Ver. 4.0 embedded flash memory devices using 4-bit-per-cell, quadruple-level cell (QLC) technology.
QLC UFS offers higher bit density than traditional TLC UFS, making it suitable for mobile applications needing higher storage capacities. Advancements in controller technology and error correction enable QLC technology to achieve this without compromising performance. Kioxia’s new 512GB QLC UFS provides sequential read speeds of up to 4,200 MB/s and sequential write speeds of up to 3,200 MB/s, utilizing the full speed of the UFS 4.0 interface.
The company claims it is suitable for smartphones, tablets, and other applications requiring higher storage and performance, such as PCs, networking devices, augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), and AI.
As the first company to introduce UFS technology, Kioxia continues to innovate. The new QLC UFS Ver. 4.0 integrates Kioxia’s BiCS FLASH 3D flash memory and a controller in a JEDEC-standard package. UFS 4.0 incorporates MIPI M-PHY 5.0 and UniPro 2.0, supporting interface speeds of up to 23.2 Gbps per lane, or 46.4 Gbps per device, and is backwards compatible with UFS 3.1.
The High-Speed Link Startup Sequence (HS-LSS) speeds up the startup process. Unlike traditional UFS, which starts slower (3-9 Mbps), HS-LSS starts much faster at 1,248 Mbps. This reduces the time it takes to establish a connection by about 70%.
The device also offers enhanced security. It uses Advanced RPMB (Replay Protected Memory Block) to better manage access to security data, like user credentials. Additionally, RPMB Purge ensures that any discarded security data is quickly and securely erased.
Another feature is the Extended Initiator ID (Ext-IID), which works with Multi Circular Queue (MCQ) in the UFS 4.0 host controller. This improves the performance of random operations.
For more information, click here.
