Knowledge about memory chips you might want to know

flash memory can store data on fast-rotating platters, it is very reliable and can withstand shock, pressure and high temperature.

Although you may know the function of flash, do you know that there are different types of flash drives available? Here we will talk about TLC, MLC and SLC flash memory.

Different types of flash memory

Flash memory stores information in several memory cells made of floating-gate transistors. Although single-level cell devices are the first flash devices to exist (each cell stores only one bit of information), consumers now have access to newer flash devices, called multi-level and three-level cell devices. Both TLC and MLC flash devices can store multiple bits for each battery by selecting multiple charge levels applied to the battery's floating gate.

TLC

A TLC or three-level cell is a NAND flash memory that is sold. It works by storing 3 bits of data in each unit of flash media. The three bits of data in the TLC flash memory cell are programmed to 0 or 1, respectively. This means that cells can have eight different states: 000, 001, 010, 011, 100, 101, 110, and 111.

Three-level cell flash drives are much cheaper than MLC and SLC flash drives, making them ideal for low-end consumer products. Of course, because they are cheaper, they have limited performance, reliability, and lifetime. TLC flash drives perform worse than MLC and SLC flash because each time a cell is read, its voltage level or status must be checked. Since TLC flash batteries can have eight different voltage levels, each level takes longer to check.

TLC flash drives also have lower write endurance than MLC and SLC flash drives. Generally, the more data bits a unit has, the fewer write cycles it supports. A TLC memory cell should be able to sustain approximately 1000 write cycles before failing, which is why it is limited to consumer applications.

MLC

MLC stands for Multi-Level Cell and is the second type of flash drive available. MLC flash drives perform better than TLC drives but lower than SLC drives. They are also denser than TLC flash drives and use two bits per cell.

Multi-level cell flash drives are suitable for consumer NAND and are about three times cheaper than SLC flash drives. This is because they have lower performance and durability than SLC drives. A 2-bit MLC memory cell can usually withstand up to 10,000 write cycles before failing.

SLC

SLC or single-level cell flash drives provide the highest performance. They have the lowest density, one bit per cell, and are suitable for enterprise NAND. Because of their highest performance and durability (which can withstand up to 100,000 write cycles before failure), they are the most expensive type of flash drive. SLC flash drives also benefit from fast write speeds and lower power consumption. When speed and reliability are key factors, this type of flash memory is the best choice.

in conclusion

Although single-level cell drives are the fastest and most reliable flash drives, they are also the most expensive. Due to its high cost, it is usually used at the industrial or enterprise level. Three-level cell and multi-level cell flash drives are widely used in consumer memory due to their lower cost. At BabyUSB, we use MLC flash to process all orders and provide SLC upon request.

 

of USB flash drives on the market.