Costs for 256Gbit NAND Chips

Costs for 256Gbit NAND Chips

Samsung recently announced that it has 96L NAND chips in mass production. Interestingly, the chip is a 256Gb device which is at the sweet spot of NAND demand but is too small in density to be optimal for 96L. This will make it so that Samsung’s 256Gbit chip doesn’t quite take advantage of the increased efficiency that 96L brings.

So the questions are:

• How much cheaper is this chip than the 64L Samsung chip to make?
• How do costs compare among the leading competitors
• The graph below gives some interesting data of costs for each company. More to come.

  

Notes:

• I have all the numeric details and the individual companies called out and similar reports for QLC, 96L, 128L etc and all the densities from 256-1Tbit
•  For the first time ever, I am breaking out Intel and Micron costs! They use the same design at 64L 256Gbit but the Fabs are quite different today so the costs are different (Singapore vs Dalian). Toshiba and WDC cost are not broken out (same fabs)
• All products are 64 or 72L 256GBit devices except the Samsung one called out as 96L
• Die Size, Yield, process efficiency, Fab ramp, string stack all weigh in on cost
• Costs are estimated for July 2018 and July 2019

Summary: 

• 256Gbit is sweet spot for NAND density
• Samsung 96L is just about equal in cost to 64L today. It will be cheaper in the future as it matures. 
• 256Gbit is too small a die to take complete advantage of 96L density.
• Samsung is not the leader in cost at 256Gbit in 2018
• Intel and Micron costs are different for 256Gbit.

·         Tell me what you think. We will have more of the details at Flash Memory Summit next month.

#Flashmem, FMS 2018, Flash Memory Summit

Mark Webb, MKW Ventures Consulting, LLC.

www.mkwventures.com