Memory maker SK hynix has announced the world’s first 321-layer UFS 4.1 TLC NAND flash for smartphones. It’s faster, more efficient and thinner to boot – perfect for the next generation of phones that will focus on slim builds and AI tools, says the company.
Compared to the previous generation (which used a 238-layer design) from 2022, these new storage chips have 15% higher random read and 40% higher random write speeds. For sequential reads, they max out the interface at 4.3GB/s.
On top of that, the NAND package is 0.85mm thick, down from 1mm. It doesn’t sound like much, but every little bit helps if phones like the Galaxy S25 Edge become popular.
Recent trends aside, the new 321-layer UFS 4.1 design is 7% more power efficient than the previous generation – less heat and more performance are always on trend.
SK hynix says that the sequential read speed will improve on-device AI performance (since it will speed up loading the model to RAM), while the improved random performance will boost multitasking.
The company will produce storage in two capacities – 512GB and 1TB. That’s right, there isn’t going to be a 256GB variant, so this will be something to look out for when choosing your next phone (like how 128GB models use UFS 3.1 now).
That is a problem for next year, though – SK hynix says that it expects to win orders from smartphone makers this year and to start shipping in volume in the first three months of next year.
It’s not just smartphones, though, the company is also working on 321-layer designs for SSDs for consumers and data centers.