Micron Technology has taped out its 4th generation 3D NAND flash memory with 128 layers. This paves the way for mass production and product implementations in 2020. The 4th gen 3D NAND by Micron continues to use a CMOS-under-array design, but with Replacement Gate (RG) Technology instead of Floating Gate, which Micron and the erstwhile IMFlash Technology had been using for years. Micron is currently mass-producing 96-layer 3D NAND flash, and TLC remains the prominent data-storage physical layer despite the advent of QLC (4 bits per cell).

Micron comments that this 4th gen 128-layer 3D NAND will be a stopgap restricted to a select few applications, and may not see the kind of adoption as its current 96-layer chips. The company appears to be more focused on its evolution, possibly the 5th generation 3D NAND, which are expected to bring tangible cost-per-bit gains for the company, as it transitions to a newer silicon fabrication node, and implements even newer technologies besides RG. "We achieved our first yielding dies using replacement gate or "RG" for short. This milestone further reduces the risk for our RG transition. As a reminder, our first RG node will be 128 layers and will be used for a select set of products. We don't expect RG to deliver meaningful cost reductions until FY2021 when our second-generation RG node is broadly deployed. Consequently, we are expecting minimal cost reductions in NAND in FY2020. Our RG production deployment approach will optimize the ROI of our NAND capital investments," said Sanjay Mehrotra, CEO and president of Micron.

ADATA Technology, a leading manufacturer of high-performance DRAM modules, NAND Flash products, and mobile accessories today announces the launch of the XPG SX8100 PCIe Gen3x4 M.2 2280 Solid State Drive (SSD). Utilizing PCIe Gen3x4, 3D NAND Flash, and featuring 3500/3000MB/s read and write, the SX8100 M.2 2280 SSD gives DIY enthusiasts, overclockers and graphics professionals the performance they seek.

Supporting PCIe Gen3x4 and the NVMe 1.3 standard the SX8100 delivers read and write speeds of up to 3500/3000MB per second and random read and write of 300K/240K IOPS. Along with 3D NAND Flash, it offers high capacities, efficiency, and durability, while the M.2 2280 form factor supports the latest Intel and AMD platforms. With SLC caching and a DRAM cache buffer the SX8100 accelerates PC performance for quick access to files and game loading.

Engineers at Innodisk, using the latest 3D NAND vertical architecture technology, have delivered stellar performance and blistering speeds in the latest iteration of the company's new 3D NAND TLC SSD range. The Innodisk 3TS5-P SSD series complies with JESD219 standards complementing endurance workloads at enterprise level in situations where data compression or reduction is carried out for encryption purposes but doesn't distort the normal internal workings of the SSD.

The new 3D NAND TLC SSD series handles increased data storage demands in varied form-factors while maintaining read/write speeds for endurance and is designed for heavy workload applications. As data becomes the core of the IoT era and faster data speeds are required to necessitate reliability, the Innodisk 3D NAND TLC offers 2 drive writes per day (DWPD=2). This offers the potential of higher capacity within a smaller physical space thus lowering the mechanical interference and improving the airflow inside the system chassis, while also improving electrical use to reduce power consumption, boosting power consumption, and providing higher data write performance, as well as built-in hardware-based AES for data security.

Yangtze Memory Technologies (YMTC), a Chinese state-backed semiconductor company founded in 2016 as part of the Chinese Government's tech-independence push, has commenced mass-production of 64-layer 3D NAND flash memory chips, at a rate of 100,000 to 150,000 wafers per month leading into 2020. The 64-layer 3D NAND chips are based on YMTC's "in-house" Xtracking architecture. The company is already developing a 128-layer 3D NAND flash chip, and is skipping 96-layer along the way.

YMTC's capacity will be augmented by a new fab being built by its parent company, Tsinghua Unigroup. Tsinghua is a state-owned company which holds a controlling 51 percent stake in YMTC, and is a beneficiary of China's National Semiconductor Industry Investment Fund. When it goes online in 2021-22, the new Tsinghua fab, located in Chengdu, will augment YMTC's capacity by an additional 100,000 12-inch wafers per month. Its existing fab in Nanjing will also receive a capacity expansion.

TEAMGROUP releases new T-FORCE gaming products gamers around the world have long been waiting for, which included the industry's first T-FORCE DELTA MAX RGB Solid State Drive and T-FORCE's latest gaming memory DARK Z. T-FORCE DELTA MAX RGB Solid State Drive uses its magnificent RGB mirror design to offer the largest visual proportion of the lighting effects. The magnificent mirror surface displays a transparent effect like a magic mirror, which is the first in the industry. The all-new T-FORCE DARK Z DDR4 Gaming Memory is designed with armor for complete protection and enhanced heat dissipation. Using only selected IC chips, these two new products can offer high performance, low power consumption, easy upgrade and completely satisfy the needs of the gaming market.

The latest generation of T-FORCE DELTA MAX RGB Solid State Drive has an innovative full mirror design which is a design breakthrough of the traditional solid state drive. It offers the largest proportion of luminous area in the industry and the largest area of color lighting effects. The densely arranged ARGB LED lighting effect design can offer a colorful light feast. The minimalist design mirror can present a magic mirror like reflection effect when the lighting is off. The advanced 3D NAND delivers up to 560 MB/s in read speed and 510 MB/s in write speed. It also supports motherboards with 5 V 3-pin ARGB Addressable LED header. T-FORCE DELTA MAX RGB Solid State Drive's lighting modes and effects can be customized via software of each brand's motherboard to light up consumers' storage devices. Maximum 2 TB of capacity is the most magnificent storage expansion you can get and the mirror design is creating a trend in the tech world. Currently applying for exclusive patents in three regions, including Taiwan/China/USA.

Colorful Technology Company Limited, professional manufacturer of graphics cards, motherboards and high-performance storage solutions is excited to announce the return of its limited edition lineup of SSDs with another special release for summer. The COLORFUL SL500 960 GB BLUE L.E. Summer Edition is clad in a glacier blue custom color case that brings the cool, chill vibes we want during the summer heat. The COLORFUL SL500 960 GB BLUE L.E. features 4 pieces 256 GB 3D NAND QLC chip to achieve its large capacity and the Maxiotech MAS0902 controller allows improved performance from previous generations with cache assistance.

The SL500 960 GB SSD which will join the fast-growing line-up of COLORFUL high-performance, high-speed storage solutions. With the introduction of the SL500 960 GB, gamers, power users and professionals seeking high-speed storage with plenty of capacity for various workloads including modern games, large multimedia files and expansive data can be served rapidly. The 960 GB capacity of the SL500 makes it an ideal choice for those individuals that don't want to compromise performance and capacity.

SK hynix Inc. announced today the launch of its "Gold S31" solid-state drive (SSD). Gold S31 (SATA III - first generation) is the first of the Company's new SuperCore series of consumer SSDs, an internal drive lineup based on SK hynix's core technology. With its speed and reliability, SK hynix's Gold S31 will be a perfect choice for all PC users, particularly for gamers, designers, and content creators. Gold S31 pushes the limits on high-performance SSDs, providing users the next level of speed with sequential read speeds up to 560 MB/s, as well as superior quality, reliability, and five-year warranty.

The 2.5-inch drive supports the SATA III interface based on 3D NAND Flash technology, and is now available in 1 TB, 500 GB and 250 GB capacities on Amazon US. All key components in Gold S31, from NAND Flash and built-in controller to DRAM and firmware, were designed and produced by SK hynix. The in-house components are built for robust performance and reliability.

SMART Modular Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of SMART Global Holdings, Inc., and a leader in specialty memory, storage and hybrid solutions including memory modules, Flash memory cards and other solid state storage products, today announced the introduction of three new families of SSD products on display this week at the 2019 Flash Memory Summit in Santa Clara, CA.

The three new Enterprise Grade SSD product families - the S1800, the Q400 and the R800 - offer the quality, performance and reliability expected in business critical applications in storage, networking, data communication and industrial embedded market segments. These SSD products are designed for performance consistency in continuous workload conditions.

Greenliant has started sampling its NVMe M.2 ArmourDrive solid state drive (SSD) modules to customers requiring high-performance, high-capacity removable data storage that can withstand extreme environments. The new industrial temperature (-40°C to +85°C) 88 PX Series NVMe M.2 ArmourDrive SSDs use 3-bits-per-cell (TLC) 3D NAND flash memory and are built in the widely used 2242 and 2280 form factors.

88 PX Series NVMe ArmourDrive SSDs provide high performance and low latency for high transactional and business critical applications. NVMe is a highly scalable protocol optimized for efficient data transport over PCIe for storage on NAND flash. Small form factor, power efficient M.2 2242 products support the PCIe Gen3x2 interface and can reach up to 1,550/950 MB/s sequential read/write performance. Offered with hardware encryption and DRAM, M.2 2280 products support the PCIe Gen3x4 interface and can reach up to 3,470/3,000 MB/s sequential read/write performance. These versatile NVMe M.2 ArmourDrive form factors are ideal for space-constrained, embedded and enterprise systems in cloud computing, broadcasting, industrial gaming, factory automation, networking and security.

Triple level cell (TLC) flash, long considered for consumer applications only, is now making inroads into rigid industrial segments where reliable performance and extended endurance are essential. 3D TLC-based flash solutions are among the next-generation products that ATP Electronics will showcase during the 2019 Flash Memory Summit at the Santa Clara Convention Center in California, USA from August 6 to 8 in meeting room #205. ATP is the leading manufacturer of "Industrial Only" memory and storage solutions committed to delivering the best total cost of ownership (TCO) value through longevity support, extensive testing and screening, and uncompromising quality.

"As an industrial only manufacturer, ATP is dedicated to making sure that our customers get the most out of their TCO. We take pride in having full in-house ownership of the manufacturing process, which allows us greater flexibility to meet customer needs and guarantee superior quality. With ATP NAND packaging and stringent testing capabilities, we guarantee the NAND quality control of our own-built modules to deliver extended lifespan and longevity support even after other manufacturers have stopped making products for legacy systems," said Marco Mezger, ATP Vice President of Global Marketing.

SK hynix Inc. announced today that it launched a new low-power Non-Volatile Memory express (NVMe) Enterprise SSD (eSSD) with the 72-layer TLC 3D NAND flash that offers best-in-class performance for power as well as Quality of Service. The product features an in-house NVMe controller on top of the 72-layer 3D NAND technology currently in mass production. With the launch, SK hynix has established itself as a memory producer that designs, develops, and mass-produces all key components, from NAND and DRAM to controllers, in-house, for not only Client but also Enterprise applications.

Meanwhile, power consumption of datacenters is an increasingly important concern in terms of energy and environmental preservation, as their footprint grows amid rising enterprise demand for cloud, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Machine Learning (ML). As datacenters are expected to account for one-fifth of the world's energy consumption in 2025, low-power components that enable datacenter energy efficiency are expected to only grow in importance.

Experience the sensation of evolution in bloodbath battle! The latest masterpiece in Apacer Gaming series, Apacer AS2280P2 PRO M.2 PCIe "PANTHER" SSD; equipped with "battle armor". When the battle is fierce, the "battle armor" will evolve from orange to a dazzling golden color when temperature rises, cheering on gamers even more! The sequential read/write speed of Apacer AS2280P2 PRO can reach up to 1,580/950 MB/s, and the random write performance can even reach up to 92,160 IOPs, bringing the best gaming experiences for gamers with their best performances.

Gamers may have had the experience of almost being defeated during a battle, but then their characters suddenly leveled up and their HP/MP were instantly filled, the battle situation was reversed all of sudden! Apacer is dedicated to creating unique gaming experiences for gamers, AS2280P2 PRO SSD is equipped with a creative "battle armor" that changes color with temperature, reproducing the exciting sensation when leveling up during death battles. The "battle armor" displays a passionate orange color under room temperature, but when it heats up during battles, it will evolve into a dazzling golden armor, accompanying players to enjoy killing enemies on the battlefield.

ADATA Technology (Taiwan Stock Exchange: 3260.TWO), a leading manufacturer of high-performance DRAM modules, NAND Flash products, and mobile accessories announces that it has upgraded the endurance rating of its industrial-grade 3D TLC solid state drives (SSD) to 3K P/E cycles, bringing their endurance, reliability, and stability up to par with 2D MLC SSDs. Combined with their ability to operate in a wide range of temperatures (-40° C to 85° C), they are excellent solutions that provide the durability and consistency required by applications such as Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), Intelligent Transportation Systems, surveillance systems, data centers, network operations, defense systems, and energy exploration.

The continual improvements in NAND Flash design and manufacturing, as well as the ever-changing demands of the market, have driven 3D NAND to become a popular memory solution across many industries. Despite its growing prominence, 3D NAND has had two major deficiencies, namely the ability to operate in extreme temperatures and achieve higher endurance ratings. To fill this gap, ADATA has upgraded its industrial-grade 3D TLC SSDs to an endurance rating of 3K P/E cycles, which makes them comparable to 2D MLC SSDs. At the same, ADATA 3D TLC SSDs are also designed to operate in a wide temperature range (-40° C to 85° C), delivering a memory solution that is long-lasting, robust, and reliable.

A report from DigiTimes pits NAND manufacturers as accelerating their 120/128 layer 3D NAND technologies, aiming for volume production as early as 2020. Even as SK Hynix has begun sampling its 96-layer 4D NAND flash in March, Toshiba and Western Digital already had plans to introduce 128-layer technology, built on a TLC (Triple Level Cell) process technology so as to increase density while avoiding yield issues present with current QLC (Quad Level Cell) implementations.

The decision to accelerate deployment of the next generation of NAND comes from the fact that the market still faces an oversupply of NAND flash, mostly driven by the mature process of 64-layer NAND technology. With new technologies, higher ASPs and lower production scales are sustainable, which should enable supply to reduce enough so as to increase pricing of NAND-based technologies - and allow manufacturers to somewhat reset asking prices for new NAND chips.

With its IMFlash Technology joint-venture with Micron coming to an end, Intel is finding itself with manufacturing challenges for its memory businesses. The company holds IP to both 3D NAND flash and its own invention 3D XPoint memory, which it believes will succeed NAND flash in performance and endurance. The company is now mulling to move manufacturing of 3D XPoint to a foundry in China. Intel currently manufactures this exotic new memory at an IMFlash Technology facility in Utah. Intel's $1.3 billion stake-sale to Micron pushes it out of this facility.

Under the terms of the stake-sale, Micron allows Intel to continue to manufacture 3D XPoint at IMFlash for a year, after which it must manufacture it elsewhere. The transfer of stake is scheduled for October 31st, which means Intel's manufacturing in Utah will continue till October 2020. In the meantime, Intel is planning to move manufacturing to its Fab 68, located in Dalian, China. Intel is now manufacturing 1st and 2nd generation 3D Xpoint, while its 3rd generation is under development, and was earlier slated for initial manufacturing at Intel's Fab 11X in New Mexico, USA. It's not known if Intel has changed these plans. 3rd generation 3D XPoint hits mass-production in 2021.

Western Digital Corp. is addressing the automotive industry's increasing need for storage by equipping vehicle manufacturers and system solution providers with the technology and capacity to support both current and future applications including e-cockpits, Artificial Intelligence (AI) databases, ADAS, advanced infotainment systems, and autonomous computers. As the first 256GB e.MMC using 64-Layer 3D NAND TLC flash technology in the automotive market, the new Western Digital iNAND AT EM132 EFD extends the life of e.MMC beyond 2D NAND to meet evolving application needs and growing capacity requirements.

According to Neil Shah, partner and research director, Counterpoint Research, "Storage is one of the fastest growing semiconductor applications in a connected autonomous car. The advanced in-vehicle infotainment (IVI), AI and sensor-driven autonomous driving systems generate large amounts of data that needs to be processed and stored locally at the edge. The average capacity of storage required per vehicle is expected to balloon beyond 2TB by 2022."

SMART Modular Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of SMART Global Holdings, Inc., (NASDAQ: SGH), and a leader in specialty memory, storage and hybrid solutions including memory modules, Flash memory cards and other solid state storage products, today announced a new addition to its SMART RUGGED product offering, the HRS-T5E 2.5" SATA SSD. Powered by a flexible, custom flash controller, the HRS-T5E SSD provides read/write performance ideal for high throughput applications such as flight data recorders and sensor data capture. It is also well suited for high-reliability telemetry, surveillance, and other mission critical storage applications.

Available in capacities up to 4TB, SMART's new 3D TLC NAND Flash storage solution offers more reliability, superior performance, and requires less power and cooling in applications where traditional hard disk drives (HDDs) are typically used. Recent improvements in 3D NAND, endurance-enhancing data placement and error correction technology, make the T5E perfectly suitable as a cost effective replacement for 2D planar based SSDs for read-intensive applications.

Today Team Group releases three new products from the T-FORCE gaming series: T-FORCE T1 gaming memory, T-FORCE VULCAN Z gaming memory and T-FORCE VULCAN high speed gaming solid state drive. T-FORCE T1 gaming memory's unique look is specially designed for entry gamers. T-FORCE VULCAN Z gaming memory's cooling performance has fully evolved to perfectly protect the memory. T-FORCE VULCAN high speed gaming solid state drive has focused on overall details and offering large capacity and high speed read/write performance at the same time. All three products have inherited the unique and classic design of T-FORCE gaming series, which makes building your own pc cooler than ever.

T-FORCE T1 gaming memory's impressive racing style is specially designed for entry gamers. Created using exclusive patented color printing and special ink, the racing design enhances the overall style of the DIY PC. The selected high-quality IC chips are exceptional in durability, stability and compatibility, allowing gamers to have excellent combat status on the battlefield of eSports. T-FORCE T1 gaming memory supports both Intel & AMD platform. Plug & play allows gamers to be ready for battles at any time.

SK Hynix Inc. today announced financial results for its first quarter 2019 ended on March 31, 2019. The consolidated first quarter revenue was 6.77 trillion won while the operating profit amounted to 1.37 trillion won and the net income 1.1 trillion won. Operating margin for the quarter was 20% and net margin was 16%.

Because of a faster-than-expected price decline and lower shipments due to slowing memory demand, the revenue and the operating profit in the first quarter fell by 32% and 69%, respectively, quarter-over-quarter (QoQ). Due to seasonal slowdown and conservative server purchases, DRAM bit shipments decreased by 8% QoQ. The average selling price dropped by 27%. For NAND Flash, the average selling price decreased by 32% due to high inventory levels and intensifying competition among suppliers. The bit shipments declined by 6% QoQ.

Intel today revealed details about Intel Optane memory H10 with solid-state storage - an innovative device that combines the superior responsiveness of Intel Optane technology with the storage capacity of Intel Quad Level Cell (QLC) 3D NAND technology in a single space-saver M.2 form factor. "Intel Optane memory H10 with solid-state storage features the unique combination of Intel Optane technology and Intel QLC 3D NAND - exemplifying our disruptive approach to memory and storage that unleashes the full power of Intel-connected platforms in a way no else can provide," said Rob Crooke, Intel senior vice president and general manager of the Non-Volatile Memory Solutions Group.

Combining Intel Optane technology with Intel QLC 3D NAND technology on a single M.2 module enables Intel Optane memory expansion into thin and light notebooks and certain space-constrained desktop form factors - such as all-in-one PCs and mini PCs. The new product also offers a higher level of performance not met by traditional Triple Level Cell (TLC) 3D NAND SSDs today and eliminates the need for a secondary storage device.

Western Digital Corp. today unveiled the new Western Digital WD Purple SC QD312 Extreme Endurance microSD card for designers and manufacturers of AI-enabled security cameras, smart video surveillance and advanced edge devices that capture and store video at higher bit rates than mainstream cameras. According to IHS Markit, global shipments of professional video surveillance cameras are expected to grow from 127 million to over 200 million between 2017 and 2022, and those with on-board storage are expected to grow by an average of approximately 19 percent per year.

With the migration to 4K and higher video resolutions, and the introduction of more smart cameras with built-in AI and improved local processing capabilities, surveillance cameras need to be able to store both video and raw data to facilitate these AI capabilities. As a result, storage with higher capacity, more intelligence and greater durability is increasingly required.

If you aim for the top, don't skimp on your SSD drives! Check out Apacer's brand-new AS2880P4 M.2 PCIe Gen3 x4 SSD, which boasts stronger-than-ever performance at reasonable price. This SSD now brings reading/writing speeds of 3,200/2,000MB/sec and 360,000 operations per second (IOPS) within easy reach of eSports players! NVMe1.3-compliant, the AS2880P4 uses the latest 3D NAND TLC technology to make it an ultra-compact, high-capacity that frees up space for you to further modify and expand your gaming devices. Its max capacity of 480GB makes it perfect for hardcore eSports players, post-production CAD 3D modeling designers, and users demanding high speed and high capacity.

The M.2 PCIe Gen3 x4 is definitely the top choice for high performance demands in ultra-thin notebooks, high-power computers, e-sports consoles, mini-PCs, and embedded devices. As a trend-defining SSD brand, Apacer has led the global market with its groundbreaking PCIe Gen3 x4 NVMe 1.3 SSD and is now writing history again with its successor, the brand-new AS2280P4.

Intel Tuesday unveiled a new portfolio of data-centric solutions consisting of 2nd-Generation Intel Xeon Scalable processors, Intel Optane DC memory and storage solutions, and software and platform technologies optimized to help its customers extract more value from their data. Intel's latest data center solutions target a wide range of use cases within cloud computing, network infrastructure and intelligent edge applications, and support high-growth workloads, including AI and 5G.

Building on more than 20 years of world-class data center platforms and deep customer collaboration, Intel's data center solutions target server, network, storage, internet of things (IoT) applications and workstations. The portfolio of products advances Intel's data-centric strategy to pursue a massive $300 billion data-driven market opportunity.

ADATA Technology, a leading manufacturer of high-performance DRAM modules, NAND Flash products, and mobile accessories today announces the SD600Q external solid state drive (SSD). The SD600Q offer excellent read/write speeds of up to 440 MB per second, four times the speed of external hard drives. It does this with 3D NAND Flash, offering excellent performance, reliability, and shorter loading times. What's more, the SD600Q features a shock-resistance construction, heat dissipation capabilities, silent operation, and is power efficient.

Users will fall in love with the SD600Q at first use. Delivering read/write of up to 440 MB per second, the SD600Q will allow users to transfer a 5 GB Full HD movie in a mere 26 seconds. Packing 3D NAND Flash, or stacked memory, the SD600Q offers greater reliability, durability, and ample storage capacities of up to 960 GB.

Western Digital Corp., a global data infrastructure leader, is accelerating the NVMe transition of value-PC storage by adding an NVMe model to its award-winning WD Blue solid state drive (SSD) portfolio, the WD Blue SN500 NVMe SSD. The new SSD delivers three times the performance of its SATA counterpart while maintaining the reliability the WD Blue product line is known for. For content creators and PC enthusiasts, the WD Blue SN500 NVMe SSD is optimized for multitasking and resource-heavy applications, providing near-instant access to files and programs.

Leveraging the scalable in-house SSD architecture of the highly acclaimed WD Black SN750 NVMe SSD, the new WD Blue SN500 NVMe SSD is also built on Western Digital's own 3D NAND technology, firmware and controller, and delivers sequential read and write speeds up to 1,700 MB/s and 1,450 MB/s respectively (for 500 GB model) with efficient power consumption as low as 2.7W. Demands on storage are continuing to grow and client workloads are evolving, the WD Blue SN500 NVMe SSD features high sustained write performance over SATA as well as other emerging technologies on the market today to give that performance edge.