Samsung Z-NAND Optane Competitor Rises From the Ashes

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Quick Report

Samsung is reviving its Z-NAND high-performance flash technology, positioning it as a direct competitor to Intel's now-discontinued Optane memory in the AI-accelerated computing era. According to recent reports, the new Z-NAND implementation promises up to 15x higher peak performance than conventional NAND flash while reducing power consumption by approximately 80%. This specialized storage technology aims to bridge the gap between DRAM and mass storage, particularly for AI workloads that require faster data access than traditional SSDs can provide.

Samsung's Z-NAND technology, which initially appeared in products like the SZ985 enterprise SSD around 2018, is being redesigned specifically for the demands of modern AI applications. The most intriguing aspect of this revival is Samsung's introduction of a mechanism allowing GPUs and AI accelerators to directly access Z-NAND storage. This approach, conceptually similar to Microsoft's DirectStorage technology for gaming but optimized for AI model data, could dramatically reduce the latency involved in moving large datasets between persistent storage and accelerators.

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TechPowerUp