Samsung stops TLC Nand memory that consists of more than 100 layers in 250GB SSD

Samsung has launched a 250GB SSD that uses TLC NAND memory that consists of more than 100 layers. It concerns 256Gbit chips from Samsung’s sixth generation v-nand. The new memory is slightly faster and more economical.

Samsung does not specify exactly which SSD it is, but does show an image of a SATA SSD that has the same appearance as the 860 EVO. According to the manufacturer, it is an SSD that is supplied to OEMs. Samsung may also use the sixth-generation v-nand in the 250GB version of the 860 EVO. According to Samsung, the 250GB SSD with the new v-nand is up to ten percent faster and up to fifteen percent more efficient than with the memory of the fifth generation.

Samsung does not specify the exact number of layers of the nand memory. The manufacturer speaks of more than 100 layers and indicates this with 1xx. The previous generation v-nand consisted of 9x layers, or more than 90 layers. Samsung clarifies that the sixth generation contains about 40 percent more cells and that this is due to the use of 136 layers.

Increasing the number of layers makes memory chips more prone to errors and more latency. Samsung says it will compensate for this with improved electronic circuits that enable faster data transfer. Writes are executed in less than 450μs and for reads less than 45μs. According to Samsung, it is possible to stack three of the stacks, yielding memory chips that consist of more than 300 layers.

Thanks to the increased number of layers, the new 256Gbit chips are smaller than their predecessors and therefore fewer channel holes are needed. That makes production cheaper. In the second half of this year, Samsung also wants to make 512Gbit chips in the same way. Embedded ufs memory chips made with the new v-nand must also be released. Such chips are used, for example, in smartphones.