JEDEC releases UFS 4.1 standard: interface bandwidth doubled, read and write speed reaches 4.2GB/s

The JEDEC Solid State Technology Association announced the launch of the universal flash storage standard UFS 4.1 and its supporting host controller interface standard UFSHCI 4.1.

Based on the compatibility with UFS 4.0 hardware, the new standard further optimizes data access speed and overall performance, and has made a number of improvements in particular for the high-performance and low-power requirements of mobile applications and computing systems.

Specifically, UFS 4.1 introduces a host-initiated defragmentation function , which optimizes read traffic and improves memory maintenance efficiency through host-initiated data defragmentation.

Secondly, the WriteBooster buffer and Partial Flush are adjusted to support host requests to adjust buffer size, data pinning and more fine-grained flushing to maximize system throughput.

It also adds features such as persistent bootable logical unit configuration and secure execution of vendor-specific commands through RPMB authentication.

In addition, UFS 4.1 also enhances exception type handling, increases recovery speed, improves health notifications, handles errors more promptly, and paves the way for the application of quad-level cell (QLC) NAND, using enhanced memory logic units with higher precision.

In terms of transmission speed, UFS 4.1 adopts the MIPI® Alliance’s M-PHY® 5.0 and UniPro® 2.0 specifications , doubling the UFS interface bandwidth, with read and write speeds of up to approximately 4.2 GB/s, opening a new chapter for mobile storage .

Industry giants such as Kioxia, Micron, Samsung, SK Hynix and Western Digital have also actively responded to the new standard, further promoting the commercialization of the UFS 4.1 standard in the mobile field and edge AI applications.