Samsung on Thursday launched its new PM9C1a solid-state drive that makes use of a controller constructed utilizing a 5 nanometer-class course of know-how. The modern manufacturing node allowed Samsung to considerably minimize energy consumption of the SSD controller and due to this fact scale back energy consumption of the entire drive. The PM9C1a household is aimed primarily at mainstream and performance-mainstream notebooks.
From efficiency standpoint, Samsung’s PM9C1a supply an as much as 6 GB/s sequential learn pace in addition to an as much as 5.60 GB/s sequential write pace, which appears to be like fairly good for a mainstream drive with a PCIe 4.0 x4 interface. In the meantime, they supply as much as 900 thousand and 1 million of random learn and write IOPS (respectively), which is consistent with a few of the greatest SSDs obtainable at this time. The storage units will probably be obtainable in 256GB, 512GB and 1TB configurations in addition to in M.2-2230, M.2-2242, and M.2-2280 form-factors to fulfill wants of various laptop computer designs.
The 5nm-based controller is likely one of the most fascinating options of the brand new PM9C1a drives. Samsung’s new controller is made utilizing one of many firm’s 5nm-class nodes (we presume that is SF5 aka 5LPP, although we’re speculating) is alleged to be significantly extra energy environment friendly than its predecessors and opponents made utilizing thicker course of applied sciences. In truth, nearly all of the newest SSD controllers are applied utilizing a 12nm-class manufacturing know-how, so utilization of a 5nm-class node appears to be fairly an aggressive transfer to cut back energy consumption. The corporate itself says that the brand new PM9C1a drive gives ‘as much as 70% extra energy effectivity per watt’ than its ancestor PM9B1 and makes use of roughly 10% much less energy in idle mode.
Samsung but has to reveal the entire specs of the controller aimed toward DRAM-less SSDs, although we anticipate it to be refined sufficient to deal with the newest varieties of the corporate’s V-NAND reminiscence (most likely in each 3D TLC and 3D QLC variants) and assist refined sign processing, error correcting and encryption applied sciences. Specifically, the chip helps the System Identifier Composition Engine (DICE (opens in new tab)) root of belief safety customary designed to stop firmware tampering in addition to numerous assaults. DICE assist is a specific profit for PC OEMs, the goal marketplace for Samsung’s PM9C1a.
“Our new PM9C1a SSD will ship a strong mixture of superior efficiency, higher energy effectivity and elevated safety, that are the qualities that matter most to PC customers,” mentioned Yong Ho Track, govt vice chairman of reminiscence resolution product & improvement at Samsung Electronics in an announcement. “We’re dedicated to creating storage that satisfies the various and altering market necessities, as we proceed to advance innovation within the PC SSD area.”