eMMC Destined to Live a Bit Longer: KIOXIA Releases New Generation of eMMC Modules
by Anton Shilov on September 27, 2023 8:00 PM EST
While the tech industry as a whole is well in the middle of transitioning to UFS and NVMe storage for portable devices, it would seem that the sun won't be setting on eMMC quite yet. This week Kioxia has introduced a new generation of eMMC 5.1 modules, based around a newer generation of their 3D NAND and aimed at those final, low-budget devices that are still using the older storage technology.
Kioxia's new storage modules are compliant with the eMMC 5.1 standard, offering sequential read performance that tops out at 250 MB/s – the best that this technology can provide. But the internal upgrade to a newer generation of Kioxia's 3D NAND can still provide some benefits over older modules, including 2.5x higher sequential and random write performance as well as 2.7x higher random read performance. Also, the new eMMC modules are spec'd to be more durable, with up to 3.3x the TBW rating of its predecessors.
"e-MMC remains a popular embedded memory solution for a wide range of applications," said said Maitry Dholakia, vice president, Memory Business Unit, for Kioxia America. “Kioxia remains steadfast in its commitment to delivering the latest in flash technology for these applications. Our new generation brings new performance features which address end user demands – and create a better user experience."
Given that the remaining devices using eMMC storage fall into the simplistic and inexpensive category, the new lineup of Kioxia's eMMC modules only includes packages offering 64GB and 128GB of storage. Which, in the big picture, is a small amount of storage – but it's suitable for budget devices, as well as for electronics with limited storage needs, such as drones, digital signage, smart speakers, and TVs.
But the main idea behind the new eMMC modules from Kioxia is perhaps not to improve their performance and user experience, but rather use newer and cheaper 3D NAND memory with them. This enables Kioxia to address inexpensive applications more cost efficiently, which ensures that the company will continue doing it going forward.
Kioxia expects to start mass production of its new 64 GB and 128 GB eMMC 5.1 storage modules in 2024. The company is sampling the new devices with its partners at present.
Source: Kioxia
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ballsystemlord - Wednesday, September 27, 2023 - link
@Anton , I think you mean, "..up to 3.3 times the TBW rating of it's predecessors" or maybe, "up to 3.3 more TBW than it's predecessors."The sentence is, "with an up to 3.3 higher TBW rating over predecessors."
meacupla - Thursday, September 28, 2023 - link
I would be fine with eMMC, if it didn't come soldered on absolutely everything. Especially Chromebooks.m.2 2230 eMMC is a thing.
PeachNCream - Thursday, September 28, 2023 - link
eMMC is perfectly okay in a fair number of PC usage applications where cost matters and speed does not such as absolute lowest end, cost-hypersensitive laptops. Windows 11 is okay on 4GB of RAM supported by ~64GB of eMMC if tasks aren't demanding.TheinsanegamerN - Thursday, September 28, 2023 - link
Unless the only thing you are doing is using the calculator, a 4GB/64GB eMMC config is horrendously slow. Even basic word documents will slow that machine to a grinding halt.dotjaz - Thursday, September 28, 2023 - link
That's just BS. eMMC is still faster than HDD in random access, and about equal in sequential. 4GB/eMMC works perfectly fine for SBCs. Even RPi4 can open word without grinding to a halt, and that's not even using UHS-I.PeachNCream - Friday, September 29, 2023 - link
Because I've actually used systems like that for a number of years (since 2GB RAM and 32GB eMMC Bay Trail solutions hit the market) and do currently, I can safely say from experience that is quite an exaggeration.dwillmore - Thursday, September 28, 2023 - link
"Given that the remaining devices using eMMC storage fall into the simplistic and inexpensive category..."There's a lot of industrial and control equipment that use eMMC and hardly qualifies as simplistic and inexpensive. Maybe that statement is true in the limited scope of the industries you're familiar with, but that doesn't make it true globally.
TheinsanegamerN - Thursday, September 28, 2023 - link
GOOD control equipment should have replaceable storage, which eMMC isnt.meacupla - Thursday, September 28, 2023 - link
The cheapest Steam deck comes with a 64GB stick of m.2 2230 eMMC. It is slotted into the m.2 NVMe connector.It is possible to have user replaceable eMMC, it's just that hardly anyone does it.
dwillmore - Thursday, September 28, 2023 - link
In the SBC market, there are at least two 'standards' for removable eMMC modules.