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Step by flashy step: Toshiba clambers up to next gen SSD

Gen 2 tech flash twins

Toshiba has introduced SSDs using second-generation 19nm NAND tech to double the maximum capacity of one, and have a higher endurance rating on the other.

The HK3R2 is the second generation of the HK3R product technology, using the same basic 19nm MLC NAND but with a newer production process enabling a capacity increase to 960GB. Performance is improved in the random write area where 14,000 IOPS is reached with the 960GB drive.

The previous generation topped out at 12,000 IOPS with the 480GB model. Random writes and sequential read and write numbers are the same as the HK3R.

The endurance stays at one drive write per day (DWPD) for five years, and it is classed as a read-intensive SSD, whereas the other newbie, the HK3E2, is a so-called value endurance product variation. It has an endurance rating of three full drive writes a day for five years. Capacity tops out at 800GB, showing the effect of the over-provisioning needed to enable the greater write capacity and so enabling the 5 DWPD rating.

HK3E2 performance looks like this:

  • Random read IOPS of 75,000 - same as the HK3R2
  • Random write IOPS of 20,000 for the 200GB product and 30,000 for the others
  • Sequential reads at 500MiB/s
  • Sequential writes at 270MiB/s for the 200GB product and 400MiB/s for the other two

The two new drives have a 6Gbit/s SATA interface and a Toshiba controller with ECC. It's good that incremental improvements like this can be made, but interest is getting more focussed on any sub-19nm flash Tosh brings out, with a promise of higher SSD capacities. Micron has already produced its M600 using 16nm geometry.

Toshiba p-BiCS

Toshiba BiCS schematic

A second focus is 3D NAND, with Tosh foundry partner SanDisk talking about BiCS (Bit-Cost Scalable) technology which Toshiba will obviously produce as well. Samsung is setting the pace here with V-NAND and Tosh may need sub-19nm tech to arrive at chip capacities on a par with Samsung V-NAND, or nearer to it. Will this come before Tosh's 19nm gen 3? We estimate there's a 50:50 chance of that.

Customer samples of the HK3E2 and HK3R2 SSDs are available now. ®

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