Micron Develops 176-Layer QLC NAND SSD

BOISE, Idaho — Micron Technology is shipping a new 2 TB solid-state device (SSD) targeted at the PC market.  

Micron developed a 176-layer PCIe QLC NAND SSD, its 2400 SSD, according to the company last month. 

The 22 x 33 mm M.2 SSD is intended to deliver storage density and optimized performance for a range of data-rich applications, from client to data center use cases.

The SSD will also be incorporated into select Micron Crucial consumer SSDs and available as a component for system designers, including small laptops.

The client PC market is expected to triple QLC adoption by 2023, exceeding 35%, according to Forward Insights. 

The SSD enables 33% higher I/O speed and 24% lower read latency than Micron’s prior generation SSD. Its replacement-gate architecture combines charge trap with a CMOS-under-array design. 

With 176-layer NAND and PCIe Gen4 technologies combined, the 2400 SSD doubles the performance of Micron’s previous generation client SSD and delivers 23% faster read time for accelerated boot and load times.

The SSD features low-power consumption for all-day, untethered computing, with active idle power being reduced by 50% from Micron’s previous generation solution. 

The form factor shrinks the physical space required by 63% when compared with a 22 x 80 mm M.2 form factor. It is also available in 22 x 42 mm and 22 x 80 mm M.2 form factors, each with common firmware. 

Micron’s Host Memory Buffer technology in 2400 SSD allows the host to flexibly optimize performance.  

The 2400 SSD builds on Micron’s market leadership to “drive the transition to QLC-based storage for the client market,” said Jeremy Werner, corporate VP and GM of the storage business unit, Micron.

Werner said Micron expects the SSD will “significantly accelerate the adoption of QLC in client devices, as it enables broader design options and more affordable capacity.”