Transcend leverages the leading-edge 5th generation 3D NAND flash technology in industrial storage products to provide more advanced performance at a competitive cost. Unlike the previous generation of technology which stacks memory cells to 96 layers, BiCS5 allows 112 layers of NAND flash to be vertically stacked in a three-bit-per-cell architecture (TLC).
Creating higher storage density
112 layers of 3D NAND flash deliver higher storage density. This lies in more layers of memory cells vertically stacked, from 96 layers to 112 layers, and more cells horizontally placed on a chip. The storage density per wafer increases 50% compared to the previous generation, and the density per die reaches 1Tb, a two times increase compared to the BiCS4’s 512 Gb. Higher storage density means higher capacity and data density, as well as lower cost per bit. Businesses get to enjoy larger capacity at a competitive cost.
| NAND type |
112-Layer
3D TLC |
96-Layer
3D TLC |
64-Layer
3D TLC |
| Bit/cell |
3 |
3 |
3 |
| Die Density |
★★★★ |
★★★ |
★★★ |
| Performance |
★★ |
★ |
★ |
| Endurance (P/E cycles) |
3K |
3K |
1K |
| Reliability (Data retention) |
★★ |
★★ |
★ |
| Power consumption |
Average |
Average |
Average |
| Cost/Gb |
$ |
$$ |
$$$ |
| Feature |
Suitable for high-performance industrial applications |
Suitable for SSDs and most industrial applications |
Most used in consumer products |
*Note: P/E cycles vary by NAND flash type, testing environment, and manufacturing process node.
Achieving better performance
Apart from a larger capacity, BiCS5 technology provides more attractive I/O performance for flash. It delivers 50% higher throughput than its predecessor. Eye-catching performance can be expected when adopting 112-layer flash in PCIe Gen 4x4 SSDs. This makes it ideal to deliver greater speeds and lower latency for 5G, automotive, AIoT, and cloud computing applications.
Adopting value-added technologies
To strengthen its reliability, Transcend adopts other fundamental technologies in 112-layer 3D NAND flash to prolong the product lifespan and optimize performance. This includes wide temperature, SLC caching, RAID engine, LDPC ECC, and more. Through these approaches, data integrity can be ensured and the memory can maintain a longer, sustainable use under data-heavy applications.