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March 19, 2026

How does HiFi compare to other long-read technologies?

While multiple platforms offer long reads, HiFi stands out for: 

High per-read accuracy
Each read is highly accurate on its own—reducing false positives and simplifying downstream analysis. 

Lower coverage requirements
~20× coverage is typically sufficient for confident variant and methylation calls, compared to ~40× for other long-read methods. 

Smaller data files
A typical HiFi human genome BAM file is ~30–60 GB, versus >1,300 GB for other nanopore datasets, reducing storage and compute burden. 

Lower DNA input
With SPRQ chemistry, native whole genome sequencing requires just 500 ng of DNA. The Ampli-Fi protocol supports inputs as low as 1 ng. 

Interested in learning more about the differences between long-read sequencing technologies? Read more. 

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