Kioxia and SanDisk have begun sampling the 10th Generation BiCS 3D TLC NAND (BiCS10) with 332 active layers, delivering greater than 29 Gb/mm² areal density and 4,800 MT/s data transfer rate—designed explicitly for data-center-grade storage where density and performance trump cost. The new memory surpasses Samsung's latest V10-class NAND in raw storage density, a major milestone in the race for hyperscale storage.
BiCS10 achieves a 59% boost in bit density compared to the prior BiCS9 generation (218 layers, 22.9 Gb/mm²) while cutting read latency by ~4 microseconds (~10%) and reducing read energy consumption by 25%—from roughly 100 mJ/GB to ~75 mJ/GB. These gains stem from a redesigned read scheme: during consecutive reads, word lines are held at an intermediate voltage rather than fully discharged to ground, dramatically reducing recharge time and current draw on the tall 332-layer stacks where word-line length amplifies losses.
Manufacturing is split strategically: Kioxia's newest Fab 2 in Kitakami, Iwate, will produce BiCS10, while the mature Yokkaichi complex manufactures BiCS9 for client applications. Fab 2 houses Kioxia's most advanced tools and is suited to leading-edge NAND, while the largely depreciated Yokkaichi fabs enable lower-cost mainstream production. This strategy reserves cutting-edge capacity for the highest-density products.
For architects: BiCS10's 332-layer density and 4,800 MT/s throughput directly address hyperscaler demand for denser, faster PCIe 5.0/6.0 SSDs at scale. The performance gains (lower latency, reduced energy) are critical for read-heavy cloud workloads. Kioxia's manufacturing discipline—segregating advanced and mature nodes—signals confidence in sustained BiCS10 demand and cost reduction roadmap.