July 26, 2026 - Storage chip giant CrossChip is making waves in the flash memory arena again. After releasing its 7th-gen 3D NAND flash in Q1 this year with a 50% performance boost, the company is rapidly scaling mass production of QLC (Quad-Level Cell) flash technology. According to sources close to the supply chain, CrossChip's QLC SSD shipments in H2 2026 are expected to triple those in H1, with enterprise high-capacity SSDs as the main growth driver.
QLC Flash: Evolution from "Substitute" to "Mainstream"
QLC NAND flash stores 4 bits per cell, offering higher density and lower cost per bit compared to TLC (Triple-Level Cell, 3-bit). However, due to slow write speeds and limited endurance, it was long regarded as a "low-end alternative." CrossChip's new QLC product line shows remarkable progress: leveraging the charge trap technology of the 7th-gen 3D NAND architecture and its proprietary "Intelligent Write Buffer" algorithm, the random write performance of its QLC SSDs improves by 40% over the previous generation, and endurance reaches 1,500 program/erase (P/E) cycles, approaching the level of some TLC products.
Technology Breakthrough: 7th-Gen Architecture Empowers QLC
CrossChip's 7th-gen 3D NAND flash was originally designed primarily for TLC and higher PLC (Penta-Level Cell), but its advanced stacking layers (over 300) and low-latency circuitry provide an excellent foundation for QLC optimization. At the June technology summit, the CTO stated: "QLC is no longer just synonymous with cheap storage. On the 7th-gen architecture, by optimizing the read voltage window and error correction algorithm (ECC), we have reduced QLC read latency to within 1.2x that of TLC, while cutting costs by over 35%." Additionally, CrossChip has introduced a firmware feature called "CoolData" that automatically migrates frequently written data to TLC cache regions, while cold data stays in the QLC high-capacity area, balancing performance and cost.
Data Center and Consumer Market Dual Engine
Market analysis indicates that CrossChip's QLC expansion plan targets two main areas:
- Data Center High-Capacity Storage: With massive cold data generated by AI training and big data analytics, cloud service providers have soaring demand for low-cost, high-capacity SSDs. CrossChip's 8TB and 16TB QLC SSDs have entered validation phases with customers like Google and Microsoft, with volume shipments expected in H2. Compared with traditional HDDs, QLC SSDs offer clear advantages in random read/write, power consumption, and footprint.
- Consumer High-Capacity SSDs: Targeting gamers and content creators, CrossChip is launching 4TB and 8TB M.2 SSDs priced 20-30% lower than comparable TLC products, expected to accelerate high-capacity SSD adoption in PCs. E-commerce platforms such as Amazon and JD.com have begun pre-orders, with official sales starting at the end of July.
Industry Landscape: QLC to Shake Up Storage Market
The global QLC SSD market is currently dominated by Samsung, Micron, Kioxia and others. CrossChip's aggressive entry is set to intensify competition. An analyst at research firm StorageWatch noted: "CrossChip's leading position in 7th-gen 3D NAND gives its QLC products dual competitiveness in performance and cost. It is estimated that in 2026 QLC SSDs will account for 25% of total SSD shipments, with CrossChip likely capturing about 30% of that share." However, challenges remain: PLC (Penta-Level Cell) technology is emerging, and CrossChip has already planned mass production of PLC flash in 2027 on its roadmap. Balancing resource allocation between QLC and PLC will be key.
Company News: CrossChip Q2 Earnings May Reveal Strategic Focus
CrossChip is scheduled to announce its Q2 2026 financial results on Thursday, July 30. The market generally expects its storage business revenue to grow 12% quarter-over-quarter, with QLC-related contributions likely exceeding expectations. The company also recently announced a cooperation agreement with Western Digital (WD) on QLC interface standards, aiming to unify communication protocols for enterprise QLC SSDs. According to Taiwan media, CrossChip's new plant in Kaohsiung has started trial production of QLC wafers, with monthly capacity expected to reach 50,000 wafers by year-end.
For investors, QLC flash is becoming a new growth point in the storage sector. Whether CrossChip's QLC strategy can replicate the success of its 7th-gen 3D NAND and challenge Samsung's leading position in the overall NAND market deserves continued attention.
(This article is compiled based on public news reports and industry analyst opinions, and does not constitute investment advice.)
