SK hynix Begins Mass Production of 321-Layer QLC NAND Flash

Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst

Source: PRnewswire

Updated: Aug 24 2025

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Source: PRnewswire

Product Development: SK hynix has completed the development of its 321-layer 2Tb QLC NAND flash product, marking a significant milestone as the world's first implementation of over 300 layers using QLC technology.
Performance Enhancements: The new NAND product features increased capacity and performance, with data transfer speeds doubled, write performance improved by up to 56%, and read performance enhanced by 18%.
Market Strategy: The company plans to initially apply the 321-layer NAND in PC SSDs before expanding to enterprise SSDs for data centers and UFS for smartphones, aiming to meet the growing demand for high-capacity solutions in AI applications.
Cost Competitiveness: By increasing the number of independent operation units (planes) from 4 to 6, SK hynix enhances parallel processing capabilities, improving overall efficiency and positioning itself as a strong competitor in the AI memory market.

About the author

Emily J. Thompson

Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.