The Korean firm, SK hynix Inc. has started mass production of its 321-layer quad-level cell (QLC) NAND flash, the world’s first memory chip to surpass 300 layers using QLC technology. The milestone sets a new benchmark in NAND density and positions the chipmaker to strengthen its role in the global AI-driven memory market.
The 2-terabit device offers double the storage capacity of existing NAND products. To counter performance slowdowns common in high-capacity chips, SK hynix raised the number of planes — independent processing units within a chip — from four to six, allowing faster parallel operations. The result is a 56% boost in write performance, an 18% improvement in read speed, and more than 23% higher power efficiency. Data transfer rates have also doubled, key to energy-hungry AI data centers.
Initially, the 321-layer NAND will be deployed in PC solid-state drives, with later expansion into enterprise SSDs and smartphone storage. The company’s 32DP packaging technology, which stacks 32 NAND dies in a single package, will further extend its reach into ultra-high-capacity enterprise SSDs for AI servers.
“With mass production, we have reinforced our high-capacity product portfolio and cost competitiveness,” said Jeong Woopyo, Head of NAND Development at SK hynix. “This launch will accelerate our transition into a full-stack AI memory provider as data center and AI workloads surge.”
The move comes as semiconductor makers race to meet soaring demand for memory optimized for AI training and inference. Power efficiency has emerged as a critical differentiator as hyperscale data centers seek to reduce costs while processing vast volumes of data.
Headquartered in Icheon, South Korea, SK hynix is the world’s second-largest memory chipmaker after Samsung Electronics. The company has been stepping up investments in advanced NAND and DRAM products as AI adoption transforms global computing infrastructure.
