321-Layer NAND! SK Hynix Unveils UFS 4.1 Solution

On May 22, SK Hynix officially announced the successful development of a cutting-edge mobile storage solution featuring the world's highest 321-layer 1Tb (terabit) Triple-Level Cell (TLC) 4D NAND flash. This next-generation product is based on the Universal Flash Storage (UFS) 4.1 standard and is engineered to meet the demands of on-device artificial intelligence (AI) in mobile platforms.

According to SK hynix, the new solution was engineered to meet the growing demand for on-device AI processing in mobile devices, which requires both high performance and low power consumption. Designed with AI workloads in mind, the new UFS 4.1 product aims to solidify SK hynix's leadership in memory technology within the flagship smartphone segment.

As on-device AI continues to gain traction, achieving an optimal balance between computing power and battery efficiency is becoming essential. Ultra-thin designs and energy-efficient performance have emerged as key standards in the mobile technology landscape.

This new solution delivers a 7% improvement in energy efficiency compared to the previous generation based on 238-layer NAND. Additionally, the product thickness has been reduced from 1.0 mm to 0.85 mm, making it ideal for integration into ultra-slim smartphones.

The product also supports the peak sequential read** speeds of fourth-generation UFS technology, reaching data transfer rates of up to 4300 MB/s. Moreover, random read and write speeds**—critical for multitasking capabilities—have improved by 15% and 40%, respectively, achieving top-tier performance among all current UFS 4.1 products.

**Sequential Read/Write: speed to read and write data of a file sequentially

**Random Read/Write: speed to read and write data of dispersed files

These performance gains enable real-time data delivery for AI processing on mobile devices, significantly enhancing app responsiveness and user experience.

The new UFS 4.1 storage solution will be available in 512GB and 1TB capacities. SK hynix plans to begin sample verification with customers later this year, with mass production scheduled for the first quarter of next year.

Ahn Hyun, President and Chief Development Officer, said that SK hynix plans to complete development of the 321-high 4D NAND-based SSD for both consumers and data centers within the year. “We are on track to expand our position as a full-stack AI memory provider in the NAND space by building a product portfolio with AI technological edge.”