Samsung SZ985 mining 64 layer stack 3D SLC, grab the business opportunity of intel Optane

Semiconductor maker Intel introduced the 3D XPoint flash memory in collaboration with the memory maker Micron in early 2017 and used it in Intel's Optane lineup to help reduce the boot up time by using PCs that used to boot on traditional hard drives. Especially in the case of very low latency, 3D XPoint flash memory has outstanding random performance, speed and even the current SSD several times in the face of the market more and more optimistic about the 3D XPoint flash memory, the global memory leader Samsung also introduced A similar product, Z-SSD for Z-NAND flash memory.

Compared to Intel's Optane DC P4800X at 3D XPoint, which has both capacities of 350GB and 750GB, Samsung's first SSD using Z-NAND is the SZ985, which has a capacity of only 800GB. With HHHL half-height and half-length PCI-E card specifications, Using PCI-E 3.0 × 4 interface, continuous read and write speeds are 3.2GB / s, the maximum random read and write IOPS to 750K / 170K, read delay of 12-20us, write latency is 16us.

Z-NAND SSD specifications, compared with the 3D XPoint Optane DC P4800X, 3D XPoint continuous read and write speeds of 2.4 / 2GB / s, the maximum random read and write IOPS of 550K / 500K, read and write latency is 10u. Samsung Z-NAND performance is not bad, but the low latency advantage of the 3D XPoint is still considerable, with 3D XPoint still having the technical advantage of a 30 DWPD endurance for both.

In addition, Samsung Z-NAND compared to Intel and Micron 3D XPoint, revolutionary and innovative on the smaller, because Z-NAND is actually a 64-layer stacked SLC flash memory, and should run in SLC mode MLC Flash memory. Enhanced performance and durability with SLC mode Samsung also mentioned the use of a unique circuit design that uses shorter bit lines in a flash memory package to improve performance.

Finally, Samsung also revealed that the future will introduce MLC flash memory variants of the product performance will be slightly lower, but more capacity.Market expectations, the Samsung SZ985 future should be a strong competitor Intel Optane.For the current market conditions, 3D XPoint performance is good, but the price is high, capacity is also limited.Samsung SZ985 should not have to worry about capacity issues.At present, wait for Samsung announced the price, and then see if it is acceptable to consumers.