The greatest SSDs are about to get even higher. Silicon Movement (by way of ITHome (opens in new tab)) is getting ready the corporate’s new SM2504XT PCIe 5.0 SSD controller to rival the likes of the Phison E26.
Silicon Movement has two PCIe 5.0 SSD controllers that adhere to the NVMe 2.0 protocol. The SM2508 caters to efficiency SSDs, whereas the SM2504XT targets mainstream SSDs. In keeping with the roadmap, Silicon Movement reportedly began sampling the SM2508 in January. Adata’s XPG PCIe Gen5 SSD is the one identified PCIe 5.0 drive to leverage the SM2508 controller.
The SM2508 is an eight-channel controller supporting speeds as much as 3,200 MT/s per channel. TSMC produces the SM2508 for Silicon Movement on the 12nm FinFET manufacturing course of. Then again, the SM2504XT is on TSMC’s newer 7nm course of node. Though the SM2504XT is a four-channel controller with 16 CE (chips enabled), it should assist speeds as much as 3,600 MT/s per channel. Sadly, the SM2504XT will not be out there till September. Each SSD controllers arrive with assist for LDPC, E2E and SRAM ECC; nevertheless, solely the SM2504XT helps I3C.
The SM2508 and SM2504XT assist the quickest flash out there. Nevertheless, it is necessary to notice that not all flash will run at that velocity. Additionally, new flash is available in completely different variants; subsequently, the speeds will range.
Pickings for PCIe 5.0 SSD controllers are slim in the intervening time. As compared, Phison’s E26 options TSMC’s 12nm course of know-how, so it is on a more recent node than the SM2508 however a step behind the upcoming SM2504XT. The E26 helps eight NAND channels with 32 CE and flash switch charges of as much as 2,400 MT/s per channel. InnoGrit will compete with the model’s IG5666, however there isn’t any public details about the controller’s specs.
Many manufacturers have introduced their PCIe 5.0 SSDs. Nevertheless, heavyweights like Samsung, Western Digital and Seagate are nonetheless lacking from the checklist. Moreover, nobody is aware of when PCIe 5.0 SSDs will arrive, and the distributors have not dedicated to a selected launch date. Each AMD’s and Intel’s newest platforms have embraced PCIe 5.0. The one downside is that there are no drives out there. To date, solely CFD Gaming’s PG5NFZ-series drives, beginning at $377 for the 2TB capability, have hit the retail channel. Sadly, CFD Gaming PCIe 5.0 SSDs are restricted to the Japanese market.