QLC
Technology & Computing abbreviation · Computer Hardware
| Stands for | Quad-level cell |
|---|---|
| Categories | Technology & Computing |
QLC stands for Quad-level cell, a computer hardware abbreviation.
NAND flash memory that stores four bits per cell, maximizing capacity and lowering cost per terabyte at the expense of endurance and sustained write speed. It suits large game libraries and read-heavy storage.
Example: The 4 TB QLC drive is cheap, but large copies slow to hard-drive speeds once the cache fills.
Usage notes
Intel and Micron launched the first consumer QLC SSDs in 2018. Sixteen voltage levels per cell must be distinguished, so QLC needs strong error correction and typically lasts a few hundred to about a thousand program/erase cycles. Data-center QLC drives with very high capacities are increasingly used for AI datasets and archives.
Related abbreviations
More computer hardware abbreviations
- PDU – Power distribution unit
- PGA – Pin grid array
- PPM – Pages per minute
- PS/2 – Personal System/2 port
- PSU – Power supply unit
- PWM – Pulse-width modulation
- RAID – Redundant array of independent disks
- RAM – Random-access memory
- RISC – Reduced instruction set computer
- RISC-V – RISC-V (open instruction set architecture)
- ROM – Read-only memory
- RU – Rack unit