Intel’s new PCIe SSD based on QLC flash memory

According to Anandtech, Intel has begun production of the first PCIe SSD using QLC 3D flash memory, which belongs to the D5 series and targets the data center platform.

However, the further naming and details of the product are still unclear. Intel Vice President Rob Crooke will give a keynote speech on August 8 at Flash Memory Summit which goes on from August 7-9. It is expected to announce more details.

Earlier this year, Intel announced that it will begin production of QLC flash SSDs in the second quarter. At that time, partners revealed that Intel plans to have a 2.5-inch, U.2 NVMe interface SSD with a capacity of 20TB, however, it is not confirmed, that this configuration is going under the mass production.

 

It is worth mentioning that in May, Intel and Micron released the enterprise-class SATA SSD 5210ION based on QLC flash, with a capacity of 2TB/4TB/8TB, and the main control comes from Marvell 88SS1074.

QLC flash memory will increase storage capacity by 33% compared to TLC, but the P/E frequency (program-erase cycle) has shrunk by 2/3 to 1000, which is an important basis for the continued decline in SSD price per GB. It is expected that before the end of the year, enterprise-level and consumer-grade QLC SSDs from Samsung and Toshiba will also appear.