UFS 4.0 vs UFS 3.1 vs UFS 3.0 | Speed Comparison

Today, we look at UFS 4.0 vs UFS 3.1 vs UFS 3.0 and compare their speed, performance, release date, and much more. Samsung Galaxy S6 (UFS2.0) was one of the first smartphones to adopt the UFS. Since then, we have come a long way with development from UFS 3.0 to UFS 3.1 and finally landing at UFS 4.0.

USF 3.0 was announced in 2018 and made its way into the market in 2019. The OnePlus7 was the first phone that was released with it. Later on, UFS3.1 was released in 2020 with iQOO 3 5G. After waiting for 2 years, Samsung finally announced the launch of flash storage UFS 4.0 in 2022. According to them, this storage solution is 2 times faster than the USF 3.1, its predecessor. OnePlus 11 has become the first phone to take advantage of this storage. Moreover, it keeps the battery consumption at the lowest even with high results. In this article, we will find out the difference between UFS 4.0 vs UFS 3.1 vs UFS 3.0.

UFS 4.0 vs UFS 3.1 vs UFS 3.0 | Everything You Need to Know

Spec Sheet Comparison

STORAGE GENERATION	UFS 3.0 (SAMSUNG)	UFS 3.1 (SAMSUNG)	UFS 4.0 (SAMSUNG)
Announced	2018	2020	2022
First Phones	OnePlus 7	iQOO 3	OnePlus 11
Sequential Read	2100MB/S	2100MB/S	4200 MB/S
Sequential Write	410MB/S	1200MB/S	1800MB/S
Random Read	63,000 IOPS	68,000 IOPS	N/A
Random Write	100,000 IOPS	70,000 IOPS	N/A

First Phones of Each Generation of UFS

UFS 4.0 vs UFS 3.1 vs UFS 3.0 | Release Date Comparison

Let’s start with the release dates of UFS 4.0 vs UFS 3.1 vs UFS 3.0 storages. UFS 3.0 was first announced in 2018. However, the first phone to use flash memory was the OnePlus 7 and the OnePlus 7Pro. Originally, Samsung planned to launch its Galaxy Fold with it. However, it was delayed to give the throne to OnePlus.

The UFS3.1 version was released by JEDEC on 30th January 2020, with a write booster, deep sleep, and many other features. iQOO 3 5G was the first phone that took advantage of this technology.

In 2022, Samsung announced the UFS4.0 version doubling the speed from 11.6 Gbit/s to 23.2 Gbit/s. We will be seeing more devices with this latest technology. However, OnePlus 11 released on 4th January 2022 has already become the first official phone to have UFS 4.0.

UFS 4.0 vs UFS 3.1 vs UFS 3.0 | Storage Capacity

Storage has to be the most important thing when it comes to the performance of any smartphone. If the storage is efficient and performs well, the user can have an optimal experience. As years have passed by, we have seen the storage capacities of memory getting better. Let’s take a look at the storage capacity of UFS 4.0 vs UFS 3.1 vs UFS 3.0.

UFS 3.0 is the first edition that we are going to discuss. The edition launched by Samsung has V-NAND memory that consists of 96 layers. It was based on the fifth-generation technology by the company. It also had the patent controller that supports two lanes UFS 3.0HS Gear 4 interface. There are two versions of the memory, 128GB has two 64GB and 96L V-NAND devices whereas 512GB has eight 64GB and 96L V–NAND devices.

As we move to UFS 3.1, we see better and optimal performance coming from the storage. It has NVMe PC simulation technology that allowed it to reach a storage speed of 2GBPs. When introduced, it was something never seen before. Allowing the read speed to vary from 350 Mbps to 500 Mbps on regular usage. And has the capability to reach 1500 Mbps. Not only the performance was better, but the battery consumption was also reduced as storage got smarter.

The latest and greatest introduction by Samsung, the UFS 4.0 has the 7th generation V–NAND technology with a proprietary controller. It has MIPI’s M–PHY v5.0 physical layer as well as the brand-new UniPro v2.0 transport layer. According to the company, the UFS4.0 has a maximum bandwidth of 23.3 Gbps. It is double the speed when compared to UFS3.1. It has the option of dual–lane data transmission allowing reading and writing at the same time.

UFS 4.0 vs UFS 3.1 vs UFS 3.0 | Performance Comparison

The performance of these storage has always seen an incline, as move ahead with the generations. The performance of all three storages i.e UFS 4.0 vs UFS 3.1 vs UFS 3.0 is as follows. The 512GB version of the UFS3.0 has a sequential read of 2100 MB/S. On the other hand, the write speed of the storage is 410MB/s. The random read and write speed of UFS3.0 is 63,000 IOPS and 68,000 IOPS respectively.

As we move forward to UFS 3.1, we don’t see any difference when it comes to sequential reading. It has the same 2100MB/s speed. Whereas, things start to change when we discuss the sequential write speed. It was increased to 1200MB/s. The random read speed is 100,000 IOPS and the random write speed is 70,000 IOPS.

The recent addition of UFS4.0 sees a drastic increase when it comes to sequential reading, it has a speed of 4200MB/s. The sequential writing speed has increased to 2800MB/s. The increase in both the department is more than double. Meaning that the performance of the storage has increased by miles. According to Samsung, may see an efficiency of 46% in power consumption.

UFS 4.0 vs UFS 3.1 vs UFS 3.0 | Price Comparison

Price has become the most important factor when it comes to deciding between UFS 4.0 vs UFS 3.1 vs UFS 3.0. The UFS 4.0 is the latest edition when it comes to storage. Being very new it is yet not seen on many devices. It is likely that the new Samsung S23 series will feature this memory. However, OnePlus 11 has become the first smartphone to feature the new UFS4.0. Soon all the high-end devices will be taking benefit from this new storage.

On the other hand, UFS 3.0 and UFS 3.1 are still being used for phones on the budget as they are more cost-effective. Companies ranging from Samsung to Oppo, almost all the companies are now using this storage technology for faster smartphone performance. 

UFS 3.0 vs UFS 3.1 vs UFS 4.0 | Why the Need for UFS 4.0?

If we talk about numbers, we see a drastic increase with every generation. And above all, the UFS 4.0 has more than double the numbers when it comes to read and write performance. Decreasing the time it takes to open applications and store data on your phone.

Moreover, the UFS 4.0 not only performs well it can also increase the battery efficiency of smartphones. According to Samsung, due to 1mA per 6.0Mbps, it consumes 46% of the battery when performing tasks.

In addition, the size of this storage is also tiny when compared to the older generations. The UFS 4.0 module is 1mm thick. If we talk about the 1TB version, the maximum size will be 13mm and 11mm. Thus, newer smartphones can be sleeker when it comes to design. it is the sleekest module when it comes to UFS 4.0 vs UFS 3.1 vs UFS 3.0.

Final Verdict

The world of technology is advancing at a very fast pace, and we see new advancements popping up. In times like these, it is very important to know what storage technology is the best when it comes to performance.

UFS 4.0 is the clear winner here as it outranks the older generation in almost every department. It is the next step ahead and we will be seeing it in the upcoming generations of smartphones. On the other hand, UFS 3.1 has become the choice for budget smartphones now. And last but not the least, UFS 3.0 will soon vanish from the market as the technology is super old. In the showdown of UFS 4.0 vs UFS 3.1 vs UFS 3.0, the winner is ;

Overall Winner : UFS 4.0

So, if you are looking for a smartphone that will last years. Make sure you choose one with UFS 4.0. And let us know what you think of the comparison between UFS 4.0 vs UFS 3.1 vs UFS 3.0.