Flash Memory Guide

Portable Flash memory for computers, digital

cameras, mobile phones and other devices

Flash Memory Guide

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Kingston®, the world’s leading independent manufacturer of memory products, offers a broad range of Flash cards, USB Flash drives and Solid-State Drives (SSD) (collectively called Flash storage devices) that employ Flash memory chips for storage. The purpose of this guide is to explain the various technologies and Flash memory offerings that are available.

Note: Due to Flash technology changes, specifications listed in this document are subject to change without notice

1.0 Flash Memory: Empowering A New Generation of Flash Storage Devices

Toshiba invented Flash memory in the 1980s as a new memory technology that allowed stored data to be saved even when the memory device was disconnected from its power source. Since then, Flash memory technology has evolved into the preferred storage media for a variety of consumer and industrial devices.

In consumer devices, Flash memory is widely used in:

• Notebookcomputers • Personalcomputers• Tablets • Digitalcameras• GlobalPositioningSystems(GPS) • Mobilephones• Solid-statemusicplayerssuchas • Electronicmusicalinstruments MP3players • Televisionset-topboxes

Flash memory is also used in many industrial applications where reliability and data retention in power-off situations arekeyrequirements,suchasin:

• Securitysystems • Militarysystems• Embeddedcomputers • Solid-statedrives• Networkingandcommunicationproducts • Wirelesscommunicationdevices• Retailmanagementproducts • PointofSaleDevices (e.g., handheld scanners)

2.0 SSD, Flash Card and USB Flash Drive Capacity

Some of a Flash storage device’s listed capacity is used for formatting and other functions and thus is not available for data storage.

Whena Flash storagedevice is designed andmanufactured, steps are taken to ensure that thedeviceoperatesreliably and to permit the host device (computer, digital camera, tablets, mobile phone, etc.) to access the memory cells — i.e., to store and retrieve data on the Flash storage device. Formatting includes the following operations:

1. Testing each memory cell in the Flash storage device.

2. Identifyingalldefectivecellsandtakingstepstoensurethatnodatawillbewrittentoorreadfromadefectivecell.

3. Reservingsomecellstoserveas“spares.”Flashmemorycellshavealongbutfinitelifetime.Therefore,somecellsare held in reserve to replace any memory cells that may fail over time.

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4. Creating a File Allocation Table (FAT) or other directory. To enable Flash devices to conveniently store and access customer files, a file management system must be created to allow any device or computer to identify the files stored in the Flash storage device. The most common type of file management system for Flash storage devices is the File Allocation Table (FAT), which is also used on hard drives.

5. ReservingsomecellsforusebytheFlashstoragedevice’scontroller,e.g.,forstoringfirmwareupdatesandothercontroller-specific information.

6. Whereapplicable,reservingsomecellsforspecialfeatures.Forexample,thespecificationforSecureDigital(SD)cardsrequiresreservedareastosupportspecialcopyprotectionandsecurityfeatures.

3.0 Features of Kingston’s Flash Storage Products

Kingston’s Flash storage devices offer many advantages for both consumer and industrial applications:

• FlashStorageDeviceWarranty:KingstonwarrantsthatitsFlashstoragedevicesarefreefromdefectsinmaterialandworkmanshipfortheperiodspecifiedbelow:

Product Lifetime Warranty: The following Kingston products are covered by this warranty for the life of theproduct:Memorymodules includingValueRAM®,HyperX®,RetailMemoryandKingston system-specificmemory;Flashmemorycards(e.g.,SecureDigital,SecureDigitalHCandXC,CompactFlash,MultiMediaCard,SmartMedia)andFlashadapters.

Five-Year Warranty: The following Kingston products are covered by this warranty for a period of five years from the date of purchase by the original end user customer: USB DataTraveler® drives and SSDNow KC100 (Solid-State Drives).

Three-Year Warranty: The following Kingston products are covered by this warranty for a period of three years from the date of purchase by the original end user customer: SSDNow (Solid State Drives) except for the SSDNow KC100.

Two-Year Warranty: The following Kingston products are covered by this warranty for a period of two years fromthedateofpurchasebytheoriginalendusercustomer:MobileLite,microSDReader,MediaReaderWi-Drive+andproductsundertheKingstonPrivateLogoProgram.KingstonPrivateLogoProgramproductsarelimited to credit or refund during the two-year warranty period.

One-Year Warranty: The following Kingston products are covered by this warranty for a period of one year from thedateofpurchasebytheoriginalendusercustomer:DataTravelerAccessoryKit,Wi-Drive,TravelLiteSD/MMCReaderandHyperXFan.

For further details, see Kingston.com/company/warranty.asp

• SolidState:Flashstoragedevices,assemiconductorstoragedevices,havenomovingpartsandtherebyarenotsubject to the mechanical failure issues of hard drives. Their overall data reliability enabled them to dominate the convenience-orientedportablememoryproductsmarket,operatingsilentlywithazerodecibelnoiselevel.

• SmallPhysicalSize(orFormFactor):Flashstoragedevicesaredesignedtobeeasilytransported.Convenienceisan important criterion, especially for consumer and corporate applications.

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• HighDataReliability:FlashmemoryisveryreliableandmanyoftheFlashstoragedevicetypesalsoincludeErrorCorrectionCode(ECC)checkingandadvancedwearleveling.

For example, Kingston’s CompactFlash® cards have a rated error specification of less than one (1) bit in 1,000,000,000,000,000 bits read (1 bit per 1015 bits read).

• Kingston Flash Data Retention: Kingston Flash Storage Devices primarily use MLC/TLC Flash Memory. Dataretention on Flash memory is dynamic since the amount of time the memory has been cycled affects data retention.Importantinformationshouldalwaysbebackeduponothermediaforlong-termsafekeeping.

• Wear-Leveling Technology: Kingston Flash storage devices incorporate controllers utilizing advanced wear-levelingtechnology,whichdistributesthenumberofP/Ecycles(program/erase)acrosstheFlashmemoryevenly.Wear-leveling thus extends theuseful life of a Flashmemory card (for details, please seeKingston FlashCellEndurancesection,next).

• FlashCellEndurance:Non-VolatileFlashMemorycellshaveafinitenumberofprogram/erase(p/e)cycles.Simplyput,everytimedata iswrittentoorerasedfromaFlashStorageDevicethenumberofprogram/erasecyclesdecrease and are eventually used up to the point that the Flash memory is no longer usable.

• For Multi-Level Cell (MLC) Flash, between 3000 and 5000 write cycles per physical sector based on currentlithographyprocess(24nmand25nm)atthetimeofthiswriting.ForSingle-LevelCell(SLC)Flash,upto50,000writecyclesperphysicalsector.ForTriple-levelCell(TLC),upto1,000writecyclesperphysicalsector.LithographyoftheFlashMemoryDieplaysakeyroleincellenduranceanddecreasesasthesizeofthediegetssmaller.

• WriteAmplificationFactor:WriteAmplificationFactoror“WAF”ispresentinallFlashStorageDevices.Thewriteamplification factor is the difference in the amount of data written by the host to the Flash memory and the amountofactuallydatawrittentotheFlashmemorychips.AllFlashdeviceswriteinfullblocks,whichmeans,thatinordertowritetoablockthatmayalreadycontainsomedatatheFlashcontrollermustmovetheexistingdataintheblock(usuallytomemory)andcombineitwiththenewdataandwriteallthedatabacktotheFlashmemory.Forexamplea2MBfilecouldbewrittenbythehosttotheFlashdevicehowever4MBoftotaldatamaybe written to the Flash memory to complete the write operation. In this case you would have a write amplification factorof2.InsomecasestheWAFcanbeashighas20or30.

• AutomaticBadSectorRemapping:KingstonFlashcontrollersautomaticallylockoutsectionswithbadmemorycells(“badblocks”)andmovethedatatoothersections(“spaceblocks”)toavoiddatacorruption.Duringfactoryformatting(asdescribedinSection2),spareblocksaresetasideontheFlashstoragedeviceforremappingbadsectors over time to extend the useful life and reliability of the Flash storage device.

• High-QualityConnectors:Kingston’sFlashstoragedevicesalwaysusehighlyratedmatingconnectorstoensurelong life and reliable usage of the Flash memory device.

• OperatingTemperatureandHumidity: SSD:0–70°C,Humidity:85%RH USBFlashDrives:0–60°C,Humidity:85%RH SDandMicroSD:-25°C–85°C,Humidity:5%to95%RH CFCard:0–60°C,Humidity:95%RH

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CardReaders:0–70°C,Humidity93%RH

For detailed product environmental specifications, check Kingston’s product pages and datasheets formoreinformation.

1Toshibapressrelease,“ToshibaAmericaElectronicComponents,Inc.

ReleasesPerformanceResearchonMLCNANDFlashMemoryforConsumer

Applications,”May10,2004

• High-Capacity: Flash storage devices can provide large storage capacities in a very small form factor. Thisflexibilitymakesthemidealforconsumeruses,suchasdigitalfilmorstorageforMP3music,whereportabilityand convenience are important.

Please note: Some of the listed capacity is used for formatting and other functions and thus is not available for data storage. Please see Section 2 for details.

• High-Performance:Kingston’sElitePro/UltimateFlashcardsandHi-Speed/SuperSpeedDataTravelerUSBFlashdrives are faster than many standard Flash products and many competitive products. Kingston’s engineers test and select high-performance controllers to ensure that Kingston’s Flash cards are among the performance leaders. Please see theAppendix for information aboutUSB, Hi-Speed and Super SpeedUSB performance. Kingstonstandard Flash products offer moderate performance levels for general purpose applications.

• LowPowerConsumption:UnlikestandardDRAMmemorythatneedstobeconstantlypoweredontomaintainitsdata,Flashmemoryisnon-volatileanddoesnotrequirepowertomaintainitsdata.Flashmemory’slowpowerconsumption results in longer battery life for the host device.

• Plug-and-PlaySupport:Kingston’sFlashmemorylinesupportsplugandplay.Withplug-and-playtechnologyandcompatible computer operating systems, a Flash storage device can be inserted into a computer or a Flash media readerandbequicklyrecognizedandaccessedbythecomputer.

• Hot-SwappingSupport:Hot-swappingallowsforpluggingorunpluggingFlashstoragedevicesintoacompatiblecomputer or reader without needing to power off and restart the computer. This feature enhances the portability and convenience of Flash storage devices for transferring data, pictures or music between two computers or devices.

4.0 Non-Volatile NOR and NAND Flash Technologies

UnlikeDynamicRandomAccessMemory(DRAM),Flashmemoryisnon-volatile.Non-volatilememoryretainsdataeven without being powered-on. For example, when a computer is turned off, all data that was in the computer’s DRAMmemoryislost;however,whenaFlashstoragedeviceisremovedfromadigitalcamera,alldata(andpictures)remainssavedontheFlashstoragedevice.TheabilitytoretaindataiskeyforFlashmemoryapplicationssuchasdigital film for digital cameras, mobile phones, tablets and other transportable devices.

TherearetwomajortechnologiesofFlashmemory:NORandNAND.Eachtechnologyhasstrengthsthatmakeit

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idealfordifferentkindsofapplications,assummarizedinthefollowingtable:

NOR Flash NAND FlashHigh-speed Access Yes Yes

Page-Mode Data Access No Yes

Random Byte Level Access Yes No

Typical Uses NetworkingDeviceMemory Industrial Storage

4.1 NOR Flash MemoryNOR,namedafterthespecificdatamapping(NotOR),isahigh-speedFlashtechnology.NORFlashmemoryprovideshigh-speed random-access capabilities, being able to read and write data in specific locations in the memory without havingtoaccessthememoryinsequentialmode.UnlikeNANDFlash,NORFlashallowstheretrievalofdataassmallasasinglebyte.NORFlashexcels inapplicationswheredata israndomlyretrievedorwritten.NORismostoftenfoundbuiltintocellularphones(tostorethephone’soperatingsystem)andPDAsandisalsousedincomputerstostoretheBIOSprogramthatrunstoprovidethestart-upfunctionality.

4.2 NAND Flash MemoryNANDFlashwasinventedafterNORFlash,andisnamedafterthespecificmappingtechnologyusedfordata(NotAND).NANDFlashmemory readsandwrites inhigh-speed,sequentialmode,handlingdata insmall,blocksizes(“pages”).NANDFlashcanretrieveorwritedataassinglepages,butcannotretrieveindividualbyteslikeNORFlash.

NAND Flash memory is commonly found in solid-state hard drives, audio and video Flash media devices, television set-top boxes, digital cameras, cell phones (for data storage) and other devices where data is generally written or readsequentially.

For example,most digital cameras use NAND-Flash based digital film, as pictures are usually taken and storedsequentially.NAND-Flashisalsomoreefficientwhenpicturesarereadback,asittransferswholepagesofdataveryquickly.Asasequentialstoragemedium,NANDFlashisidealfordatastorage.

NANDFlashmemoryislessexpensivethanNORFlashmemory,andcanaccommodatemorestoragecapacityinthesamediesize.

Flashmemorywhichstoresasinglebitpercell(e.g.,avalueof“0”or“1”percell)isknownasSingle-LevelCell(SLC)Flash.

5.0 Die-Stacking and Multi-Level Cell/Multi-Bit Cell Flash technologies

In order to economically increase the amount of bit-storage that a Flash memory chip can accommodate, manufacturersutilizedie-stackingandmulti-levelcellormulti-bitcelltechnologies.ThesetechnologiesresultinaFlash memory chip having the capability to store more data in a single chip.

5.1 Die-StackingManysemiconductormanufacturersusea“die-stacking”techniquetodoubleaFlashmemorychip’scapacity.Afterthesemiconductorwaferfabricationprocess,theycutouttheFlashmemorysilicon“die”andthenattachorstacktwo separate dies together.

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Forexample,whenasemiconductormanufacturerstackstwo16gigabitdiestogether,theyformasingle32gigabitFlash memory chip.

Die-stacking allows for cost-reducedchip alternatives to the larger-capacity, single-die chips (called“monolithic”chips). Stacking two 16-gigabit chips together, for example, typically costs far less than buying a low-volumemonolithic32-gigabitchip.The32-gigabitchipcanthenbeusedtobuilda4GBFlashcard(singlechipcard),ora8GBFlashcard(twochipsononecard).

Die-stacking is similar to theDRAMchip-stacking technology that Kingstonutilizes toproducehigh-end servermodules.Asaresult,Kingston’sdie-stackedFlashcardsarereliableanddeliverhighperformance.

5.2 Multi-Level Cell (MLC)/ Triple-Level Cell (TLC) Flash TechnologiesNANDandNORFlashmemorychipsstoreone(1)bitvalue(a“0”ora“1”)ineachcell.Inmulti-levelFlashtechnology,two(2)valuesarestoredintoeachcell.Intriple-levelFlashtechnology,three(3)valuesarestoredintoeachcell.

KingstonhasincorporatedbothMLC/TLCFlashmemoryintoitslineofstandardFlashcards,SSDsandDataTravelerUSB Flash drives.

6.0 Flash Storage Device Performance

Flash card storage device performance depends on the following three factors:

• ThespecificFlashmemorychipsused:Generally,thereisatradeoffbetweenthehigh-speedandmoreexpensiveSingle-LevelCell (SLC)Flashchips,andthestandardspeedandmoreaffordableMulti-LevelCell (MLC)/Triple-LevelCell(TLC)orMulti-BitCell(MBC)Flashchips.

• TheFlashstoragedevice’scontroller:Today’sFlashstoragedeviceshaveabuilt-inFlashmemorycontroller.Thisspecial chip manages the interface to the host device, and handles all the reads from and writes to the Flash chips on the Flash storage device. If the host controller is capable of supporting faster data transfer speeds, the use ofoptimizedFlashcontrollerscanresultinsignificanttimesavingswhenreadingorwritingdataintotheFlashmemory.

• ThehostdevicetowhichtheFlashstoragedeviceisconnectedto:Ifthehostdevice(computer,digitalcamera,cell phones, etc.) is limited to specific read and write speeds, using faster Flash storage devices will not deliver higherperformance.Forexample,usingaUSB3.0FlashdriveonacomputerthatsupportsonlyUSB2.0speedswill not result in faster transfers. In addition, computers need to be properly configured to support faster transfers inbothhardwareandsoftware. In thecaseofaPC, the systemboardwillneed tohavebuilt-inSuperSpeedUSB3.0connectors,andtheOperatingSystem(e.g.,Windows)willalsoneedtohavetheproperUSB3.0driversinstalled in order to be able to support SuperSpeed USB transfers.

FordetailsonUSBPerformance,refertoAppendixA.

Flashmemoryproductmanufacturersprovide“x-speed”ratingsforFlashcards.However,duetoalackofindustrystandards, comparing different Flash productsmay prove difficult for consumers. For details, see kingston.com/Flash/x

Kingston works closely with global semiconductor and controller manufacturers to ensure that Kingston Flashdevicesdeliversuperiorprice/performancetoitscustomers.Forenthusiastsandadvancedcustomersdemandingthehighestperformance,KingstonofferstheElitePro/UltimatelineofCompactFlashandSDcards,theDataTravelerSuperSpeedUSB3.0FlashdrivesandHyperXSSDs.

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7.0 Kingston’s Flash Product Lines

There are several types of Flash storage devices that are available from Kingston:

- USB Flash Drive (DataTraveler®) - SecureDigitalCards(SD,SDHC,SDXC,microSD,microSDHC) - CompactFlash® Cards - eMMC - SSD

7.1 USB Flash DrivesIntroduced in 2002, USB Flash drives offer an incredible combination of high storage capacity, fast data transfer rates,andgreatflexibility,allinthepalmofyourhand.HeraldedasafloppyorCDdriveralternative,USBdriveshavefarmorestoragecapacitythanthatofastandardfloppydiskorCD-ROMdrivereplacement.Theyprovideaneasymethodforquickdownloadsandtransferringdigitalfilestoandfromyourcomputerordevice.

USBFlashdrivesincorporateNANDFlashandacontrollerinacapsulatedcase.USBFlashdrivesworkwiththevastmajorityofcomputersanddevicesthatincorporatetheUniversalSerialBusinterface,includingmostPCs,tablets,andMP3players.

KingstonoffersafulllineofDataTravelerHi-SpeedandSuperSpeedUSBFlashdrives.SomeDataTravelerdrivesalsosupportpassword-protection andhardware-basedAESencryption for improved security. Fordetails, please visit kingston.com/Flash/dt_chart.asp.

7.2 CompactFlash (CF) CardsCF cards incorporate a controller and are about the size of a matchbook. CompactFlash cards incorporate anIntegratedDeviceElectronics(IDE)interfacesimilartoharddrivesandATAPCCards.KingstonisamemberoftheCompactFlash Association, which sets the specifications for CF cards.

KingstonoffersstandardCompactFlashcardsaswellashigh-performanceEliteProandUltimatelines.

Kingston’sElitePro/UltimateCompactFlashcardsareamongthefastestavailableintheindustry.Thehightransferrate is ideal for use on newer devices such as high-megapixel digital cameras, to ensure that the cameras save picturesfasterandarequicklyreadyforthenextshot.

CompactFlash cards come in Type I form factor:

INTERFACE VOLTAGE PIN COUNT SIZE IN MMCompactFlash 3.3and5Volts 50 36.4x42.8x3.3

7.3 Secure Digital Cards (SD, SDHC, SDXC, microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC)SecureDigital,introducedinlate2001,isasecond-generationderivativeoftheMultiMediaCard(MMC)standard(seesection 7.4).

TheSecureDigital format includes several important technological advancementsoverMMC.These include theadditionofcryptographicsecurityprotectionforcopyrighteddata/music.TheSDCardAssociation,ofwhichKingstonis an executive member, sets the specifications for Secure Digital cards.

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SDcardsareslightlythickerthantheoriginalMMCcards.ThismeansthatdevicesdesignedtosupportSDcardsmayalsoacceptMMCcards(ifthehostdeviceisnotstrictlylimitedtoSDmediaforSDcopyprotectionmanagementfeatures).However,devicesexclusivelydesignedforMMCcardswillnotsupportthethickerSDcards.

Kingston offers standard SD cards as well as high-performance Ultimate SD cards to capture high-definition video. SecureDigitalHighCapacity(SDHC),startingat4GB,andSecureDigitalExtendedCapacity(SDXC),startingat64GB,offers larger volume data storage and optimized recording performance with support for FAT/FAT32/exFAT fileformats.Inaddition,KingstonSDHCandSDXCcardsusespeed“class”ratingsknownasClass2,4,6and10thatdeliveraminimumdatatransferrateforoptimumperformancewithSDHCandSDXCdevices.Althoughidenticalinsizetotoday’sstandardSDcard,thenewSDHCandSDXCcardsaredesigneddifferentlyandareonlyrecognizedbySDHCorSDXChostdevices.Toensurecompatibility,lookfortheSDHCandSDXClogooncardsandhostdevices(cameras,camcorders, etc.).

microSD (SDC) are the mobile platform form factor of the SD card for use in cell phones and other portable devices. microSDareafractionofthesizeofastandardSDcardand,whenusedwiththesuppliedadapter,canbeusedinstandard SD device slots (for example, in Flash media readers).

microSDHCcardsofferhigherstorageformoremusic,morevideos,morepictures,moregames—moreofeverythingfortoday’smobileworld.Inaddition,KingstonmicroSDHCcardsusenewspeed“class”ratingsknownasClass4and10thatdeliveraminimumdatatransferrateforoptimumperformancewithmicroSDHCdevices.ThemicroSDHCcardallowsuserstomaximizestoragefortoday’srevolutionarymobiledevices.

INTERFACE VOLTAGE PIN COUNT SIZE IN MMSecureDigital/SDHC 2.7–3.3Volts 9 32x24x2.1

SecureDigital/SDXC 2.7–3.3Volts 9 20 x 21.5 x 1.4

microSD/microSDHCmicroSDXC

2.7–3.3Volts 8 15 x 11 x 1

7.4 Embedded MultiMediaCard (eMMC)KingstoneMMCisanEmbeddedFlashDrive(EFD)optimizedformobilehandsetsandconsumerelectronicdevices.eMMC is a hybrid device combining an embedded Flash controller andMLCNANDmemorywith an industrystandardeMMC4.XXinterface.

Kingston eMMC provides up to 128GB of NAND Flashmemory for storage applications. The eMMC intelligentcontrollermanagesinterfaceprotocol,datastorageretrieval,errorcorrectioncode(ECC)algorithms,defecthandlingdiagnostics, power management, clock control and many other processes and functions. eMMC Flash driveempowers mobilemultimediadrivenapplications suchasmusic,photo, video,TV,GPS,games, email, etc. TheeMMCarchitecturefullyemulatesaharddisktothehostprocessor,enablingread/writeoperationsthatareidenticaltoastandard,sector-basedharddrive.Inaddition,Kingston’seMMCcontrolleremploysvirtualmapping,dynamicwear-leveling, staticwear-levelingandautomaticblockmanagement toensure thehighestdata reliabilitywhilemaximizingendurance.

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INTERFACE VOLTAGE PIN COUNT SIZE IN MMeMMC4.41 1.8and3.3Volts 153&169BGA 14 x 18 x 1.4

7.5 Solid-State Drives (SSD)A solid-state drive (SSD), is a data storage device that uses solid-state memory to store data with the intention of providingaccessinthesamemannerasatraditionalharddiskdrive(HDD).Asof2007mostSSDsusenon-volitile,NAND-basedFlashmemorytoretaindataandcontainnomovingparts.ComparedtoHDDs,SSDsaretypicallylesssusceptibletophysicalshock,aresilent,haveloweraccessandlatencytimesanddelivermuchhigherperformance.SSDsusethesameinterfaceandformfactorastraditionalharddrivesthusmakingthemeasilyreplaceableinmostcomputer platforms.

Kingston offers a broad range of solid-state drives to suit the needs of business professionals, consumers, system integrators and enthusiast. Kingston’s business class SSDs are some of the fastest in the industry and carry a longer warranty. Kingston’s consumer and system builder SSDs offer a good balance of price and performance while enthusiastwillenjoytheultra-fastperformanceandstylingofKingston’sHyperXSSDs.

The Flashmemory chips used in SSDs:There areprimarily two types of Flashmemory used in SSDs,Multi-LevelCell (MLC) and Single-Level Cell (SLC). Both types of Flashmemory offer different performance and endurancecharacteristics.DuetothehighcostofSLCFlashmemory,MLCisbecomingthemorecommonFlashmemoryusedinSSDsbuiltforclient-basednotebookanddesktopPCs.SSDsthataredesignedforserverswilluseanewFlashmemoryprocesscalledEnterpriseMLCFlashmemory(eMLC)thatwillofferhigherenduranceandbemoresuitableforhigh-endserverworkloads.

SSDEndurance:SSDenduranceistheamountoftimeanSSDcanbeexpectedtofunctionnormallygivenawriteworkload.SSDenduranceiscommonlyclassifiedinTotalBytesWritten(TBW)tothedrive.Thisisthetotalamountofdata you can expect to write to the drive over its useful life time. Flash memory endurance is primarily reduced by die shrinksintheNANDandbysomethingcalledthe “Write Amplification Factor” orWAF.WAFisthedifferencebetweenHostWritesandthetotalamountofdatawrittentotheNANDperwriteoperation.FlashmemorydeviceslikeSSDswriteinfullblocks.InordertowritetoablockthatalreadycontainssomedatarequiresthegooddataintheblocktobecombinedwiththenewdataandrewrittentotheFlash.Forexample,if2GBofdataiswrittentotheSSDtheactualdatawrittentotheFlashmaybe4GB.InthiscasetheWAFis(2).DependingontheSSDcontrollerandthetypeofdatabeingwritten(randomorsequential)totheSSD,theWAFveryfromaslowas.5tohashighas20or30.

SSD Storage Controllers: SSDs use sophisticated Flash controllers to communicate between the Serial ATA HostController and the Flash chips on the SSD. This special chip manages all the reads from and writes to the Flash memory on the SSD. The SSD controller also manages other important functions such as wear-leveling and garbage collection to extend the life of the drive and help maintain consistent performance levels over the life of the drive.

Serial ATA (SATA)Host Interface: All of Kingston’s SSDs support the SATAhost interface connectionwhich allowsKingstonSSDstoconnecttomostmainstreamnotebooks,desktopandservercomputersbuiltwithinthelastseveralyears.KingstonSSDsarecompatiblewithmostSATArevision2,3GbpsandSATArevision3,6Gbpshostcontrollers.MostSATAhostcontrollersprovideforbackwardcompatibilityhoweverifaSATAhostcontrollerislimitedtospecificreadandwritespeeds,usingafasterSSDwillnotresultinfasterdatatransfers.ForexampleifaSATARev.3SSDisattachedtoaSATARev.2hostcontroller,datatransferswillonlybeasfastasthehostcontroller.

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INTERFACE VOLTAGE PIN COUNT SIZE IN MMSATARev.2 5Volts 22PinSATA 69.85 x 100 x 9.5

SATARev.3 5Volts 22PinSATA 69.85 x 100 x 9.5

7.6 mSATA (MO300) and Half-Slim (MO297) Solid State DrivesKingston offers integrators and system builders with a small form factor mSATA and Half-Slim SATA SSDs forcommercial applications.

MO-300–mSATAorMini-SATA,wasannouncedbytheSerialATAInternationalOrganization inSeptember2009.Applicationsincludenetbooks,ultrabooksandotherdevicesthatrequireasmallersolid-statedrive.TheconnectorissimilarinappearancetoaPCIExpressMiniCardinterface,andiselectricallycompatible,howeverthedatasignalsneedtogotothesatahostcontrollerinsteadofthepci-expresshostcontroller.NotallminiPCIeconnectionssupportSATAsocheckwithyoursystemproviderformoredetails.

MO-297 – Slim SATA, is a solid state drive with a purpose-built form factor that delivers great performance in a standardcase-lessformfactor–andlessthanhalfthesizeofa2.5”SSD.SlimSATAusesastandardSATAdriveandpowerconnectionasa2.5”SSDwhichmakes itcompatiblewithawidevarietyofhost systems.SlimSATA isanindustrystandardJEDECformfactor(MO-297)andprovides(4)mountinglocationstosecurethedrivetothesystem.

INTERFACE VOLTAGE PIN COUNT SIZE IN MMMO-300,SATARev.2 3.3Volts 52PinPCIeMiniCard 50.8x30

MO-297,SATARev.2 5Volts 22PinSATA 54x39

KingstonworkscloselywithglobalsemiconductorandcontrollermanufacturerstoensurethatKingstonSSDsdeliversuperiorprice/performancetoitscustomers.

8.0 Kingston Flash Media Readers

Flash media readers allow Flash storage devices to be used as portable storage for computers as well as for uploading ordownloadingofpictures,music,andotherdatawithoutrequiringtheoriginalhostdevice(suchasadigitalcameraorMP3player),andwithoutanyadditionaldrainonitsbatteries.

Flash media readers can enable the transfer of data at higher speeds than a host device is capable of supporting; for example, a USB reader will be much faster than a host device (such as a digital camera) using a serial interface. If a host device does not support high-speed transfers, the faster reader will significantly reduce the data transfer times.

Kingston offers Flash media readers for the convenient attachment of Flash storage devices to personal computers ornotebooks.

ForFlashmedia,Kingston recommends theflexibleandconvenientMediaReader, a single reader that supportsmultipleFlashcardformatsandcanbeconnectedtoanycomputerwithaHi-SpeedUSB2.0orUSB3.0port.Kingston

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offersaUSB3.0MediaReaderforhighspeeddatatransfersthatareupto10timesfasterthanUSB2.0MediaReaders.Kingstonalsooffersconvenientportablereaders–MobileLiteG3andmicroSD/SDHCReaderforhigh-performancedatatransferstosystemssupportingHi-SpeedUSB2.0andSuperSpeedUSB3.0.

9.0 Electromagnetic Compatibility information to the user

9.1 FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (FCC) STATEMENT:

ThisdevicecomplieswithPart15oftheFCCRules.Operation issubjecttothefollowingtwoconditions: (1) thisdevice may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

ThisequipmenthasbeentestedandfoundtocomplywiththelimitsforaClassBdigitaldevice,pursuanttopart15oftheFCCRules.Theselimitsaredesignedtoprovidereasonableprotectionagainstharmful interferenceinaresidentialinstallation.Thisequipmentgenerates,usesandcanradiateradiofrequencyenergyand,ifnotinstallandusedinaccordancewiththeinstructions,maycauseharmfulinterferencetoradiocommunications.However,thereisnoguaranteethatinterferencewillnotoccurinaparticularinstallation.Ifthisequipmentdoescausetheharmfulinterferencetoradioortelevisionreception,whichcanbedeterminedbyturningtheequipmentoffandon,theuseris encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

• Reorientorrelocatethereceivingantenna.• Increasetheseparationbetweentheequipmentandreceiver.• Connecttheequipmentintoanoutletonacircuitdifferentfromthattowhichthereceiverisconnected.• Consultthedealeroranexperiencedradio/TVtechnicianforhelp.*** You are cautioned that changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance couldvoidyourauthoritytooperatetheequipment

9.2 INDUSTRY CANADA (IC) STATEMENT:

ThisClass[B]digitalapparatuscomplieswithCanadianICES-003.

Cetappareilnumèriquedelaclasse[B]estconformea’lanormeNUM-003duCanada.

10.0 For More Information:

For additional information on Kingston products, please visit: kingston.com/Flash.

Appendix: USB Performance

The Universal Serial Bus (USB) is emerging as the preferred interface to connect Flash card readers to computers.

ThelatestUSBspecificationisUSB3.0.TheolderspecificationwasUSB2.0.TheUSB3.0specificationincludestheUSB2.0speedsforbackward-compatibilityreasons.USB2.0isbackwardcompatiblewithUSB1.1howeverUSB3.0willnotworkinUSB1.1ports.

To understand what affects a Flash storage device’s performance, one needs to consider several factors (see next page).

Flash Memory Guide

12

Flash Memory Chip Technology

Single-LevelCell(SLC)vs.Multi-LevelCell(MLC)andMulti-BitCell(MBC)

Ingeneral, Flash storagedevicesbuiltwithMulti-LevelCell (MLC)NANDFlash,willdeliverhigherperformance than the standardTriple-LevelCell (TLC)NANDFlashorMulti-BitCell(MBC)NANDFlash-basedcardsorDataTraveler.

StandardFlashcardsortheDataTravelerUSBdrivesdeliverthebestprice/performancevaluefor most users of digital cameras, tablets, mobile phones, and other electronic devices.

Elite Pro/Ultimate Flash cardsor SuperSpeedDataTraveler 3.0USBFlashdriveswill deliverfaster reads and writes, ideal for advanced users, photography professionals, and enthusiasts. Ofcourse,toachievetheperformancebenefitoffasterFlashcardsorUSBFlashdrives,usermust have the compatible high-speed devices and properly configured computers. Some digital cameras and other devices require Flash based high-performance Flash cards forproper functionality.

Host Consumer Devices

Digitalcameras,mobilephones,PDAs,tablets,PCsandotherdevices

The built-in controller interfacing with Flash cards or USB Flash drives in many consumer devicesmayhavelimitedbandwidth.Pleaseconsultyourusermanualorcontactthedevicemanufacturer for specifics.

Allelsebeingequal,theachievableperformancelevelwillbetheminimumdatatransferlevelsupported by the host controller or the Flash card or USB Flash drive.

• ConnectingFlashcardstocomputers through Kingston’s MediaReader,MobileLiteandMicroSDreaders

• ConnectingUSBFlashdrivesdirectly to a computer’s USB slot

The USB 2.0 specification also includes the older USB 1.1 specification for backward-compatibility reasons. The latest USB specification is USB 3.0. The USB 3.0 specificationincludes theUSB2.0speeds forbackward-compatibility,howeverUSB3.0deviceswillnotworkinUSB1.1ports.

USBFlashDrives andDigitalMediaReader/Writers require the following logos to indicateperformance levels:

USBlogo:transfersdataatamaximumof12megabitspersecond(12Mb/sor 1.5MB/s). It is also referred to asOriginal USB or USB 1.1, and is alsocompatiblewithUSB2.0Full-Speedwithamaximumspeedof12Mb/s(or1.5MB/s).

HI-Speed USB logo: transfers data at a maximum of 480 megabits persecond(480Mb/sor60MB/s). It isalsocalledUSB2.0Hi-Speed.Hi-SpeedUSBisupto40XfasterthanUSBandfullybackward-compatiblewithUSBthrough itsUSB2.0Full-Speedmodewithamaximumspeedof12Mb/s(or1.5MB/s)

SuperSpeed USB logo: Transfers data at a maximum of 5 Gigabits persecond (5Gbps/s or 625MB/s). SuperSpeedUSB ismore than 10X fasterthan USB 2.0 and fully backward-compatible with USB 2.0 at 480Mb/s.HoweverUSB3.0deviceswillnotworkinUSB1.1ports.

Pleasenote:Someofthelistedcapacityisusedforformattingandotherfunctionsandthusisnotavailablefordatastorage.

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