Where to buy PCIe Gen 5.0 SSDs

Are you in the market for a new SSD and looking to upgrade to PCIe Gen 5.0? You’re not alone. Many tech enthusiasts are eagerly anticipating the release of these next-gen SSDs, which promise faster speeds and improved performance over their PCIe Gen 4.0 counterparts. However, the release of these SSDs has been delayed, leaving consumers wondering when they can expect to see them on store shelves. Brands like Kioxia, Corsair, Apacer, and TEAMGROUP have all made exciting announcements about their upcoming PCIe Gen 5.0 SSDs, but availability is not expected until Q2 of 2023. In this article, we’ll explore the latest specs and potential release dates for these highly anticipated SSDs.

What is in common in all these SSD? Phison controller.

The Phison E26 is a solid-state drive (SSD) controller that supports the PCIe Gen5 interface. It is designed for high-end consumer and enterprise applications and offers high-speed data transfer rates and low power consumption. The controller supports up to 8 NAND channels and can support up to 8TB of storage capacity. It features LDPC error correction, TRIM, S.M.A.R.T., and thermal throttling. The Phison E26 controller is expected to be used in a number of Gen5 SSDs from various manufacturers. However, there have been reports of delays in the release of these SSDs, which were originally expected to launch in late 2021 but have been pushed back to Q2 2023.

How fast will PCIe Gen 5.0 SSDs be?

PCIe Gen 5.0 SSDs are expected to be significantly faster than their predecessors, with a theoretical maximum speed of 32 GB/s. However, real-world performance will depend on various factors such as the SSD’s controller, NAND flash technology, and interface. Some announced PCIe Gen 5.0 SSDs are claiming sequential read speeds of up to 14,000 MB/s and sequential write speeds of up to 12,000 MB/s, which is significantly faster than current PCIe Gen 4.0 SSDs. Ultimately, the actual speed of a PCIe Gen 5.0 SSD will depend on its implementation and use case.

Why gen5 SSD are delayed?

The delay in the launch of PCIe Gen5 SSDs, such as Phison’s E26 controller-based SSDs, can be attributed to several factors. One of the major factors is the supply chain disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected the production and distribution of various components used in the manufacturing of SSDs. This has led to a shortage of key components such as NAND flash memory chips and controllers, which are essential for building high-performance SSDs.

Another factor contributing to the delay is the complexity of the PCIe Gen5 standard itself. The Gen5 standard is a significant upgrade from the previous Gen4 standard, offering double the data transfer speeds and increased power efficiency. However, this increased performance also requires more advanced technology and components, which may take longer to develop and refine.

Finally, the delay may also be due to the partnership between Phison and AMD. Phison has made AMD its official partner to usher in the new era of Gen5 SSDs on the AM5 platform, which means that they may be waiting for the launch of the new AMD Ryzen 7000 Desktop CPUs before releasing their Gen5 SSDs. This could be a strategic decision to ensure optimal compatibility and performance between the CPUs and SSDs.

Overall, the delay in the launch of Gen5 SSDs can be attributed to a combination of factors, including supply chain disruption, technological complexity, and strategic partnerships. While this delay may be frustrating for consumers and enthusiasts eagerly awaiting the new technology, it is important to remember that developing and launching advanced technology takes time and careful planning.

What gen5 SSD are there available?

As per recent reports, a few Gen 5.0 SSDs have been unveiled, and consumers can expect to see more models in the near future. Some of the models that have already been announced include the Apacer AS2280F5, Corsair MP700, Zadak TWSG5, and Gigabyte AORUS Gen5 10000 SSD. These SSDs are expected to push the boundaries of the new technology straight out of the gate, providing faster data transfer rates and improved overall performance. While there may be some delays in the release of these products, consumers can rest assured that they will soon be able to take advantage of the benefits offered by the latest Gen 5.0 SSDs.

What price to expect 

The latest generation of NVMe SSDs, Gen 5, has started to arrive in the market with a price point of around $350 US. Akiba-PC reports that the 2 TB variant with the “CSSD-M2M2TPG5NFZ” id is available in several Japanese outlets for 49,980 Yen, which includes taxes. However, with the removal of taxes, the realistic pricing of the drive should be closer to $385 US. This means that buyers will be paying 13% more than the current fastest PCIe Gen 4.0 NVMe SSD, which is the Samsung 990 Pro priced at $309 US for the 2 TB heatsink variant.

In addition to the price, the CFD Gaming PG5NFZ PCIe Gen 5.0 NVMe SSDs come with features such as Smart Data Processing, Predict & Fetch, and SLC Caching. The heatsink cooler comes equipped with a small 20mm fan and a 45cm cable that connects to a 5V connector. According to CFD Gaming, the active operation is ideal for extreme use cases such as gaming and applications that move a lot of data. However, users who opt for a passive mode will need to ensure good airflow in their PC cases.

Overall, the Gen 5 NVMe SSDs are pushing the boundaries of speed and performance, but the price point may be a deterrent for some buyers. Those who are willing to invest in the latest technology and require extreme performance will benefit from the CFD Gaming PG5NFZ PCIe Gen 5.0 NVMe SSDs with their advanced features and cooling capabilities.

What is available now

The latest generation of NVMe SSDs, Gen 5, has started to arrive in the market with a price point of around $350 US. Akiba-PC reports that the 2 TB variant with the “CSSD–M2M2TPG5NFZ” id is available in several Japanese outlets for 49,980 Yen, which includes taxes. However, with the removal of taxes, the realistic pricing of the drive should be closer to $385 US. This means that buyers will be paying 13% more than the current fastest PCIe Gen 4.0 NVMe SSD, which is the Samsung 990 Pro priced at $309 US for the 2 TB heatsink variant.

In addition to the price, the CFD Gaming PG5NFZ PCIe Gen 5.0 NVMe SSDs come with features such as Smart Data Processing, Predict & Fetch, and SLC Caching. The heatsink cooler comes equipped with a small 20mm fan and a 45cm cable that connects to a 5V connector. According to CFD Gaming, the active operation is ideal for extreme use cases such as gaming and applications that move a lot of data. However, users who opt for a passive mode will need to ensure good airflow in their PC cases.

Overall, the Gen 5 NVMe SSDs are pushing the boundaries of speed and performance, but the price point may be a deterrent for some buyers. Those who are willing to invest in the latest technology and require extreme performance will benefit from the CFD Gaming PG5NFZ PCIe Gen 5.0 NVMe SSDs with their advanced features and cooling capabilities.

GIGABYTE AORUS Gen5 10000 M.2 2280 2TB PCI Express Gen5 x4 3D NAND TLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)

https://www.cfd.co.jp/biz/product/release/cssd-m2m4tpg5nfz.html

CFD Gaming has announced its PG5NFZ-series drives, which will be available in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB configurations, with a PCIe Gen5 x4 interface and a large aluminum heatsink with a small high-speed fan on top. The drives feature Phison’s PS5026-E26 controller paired with Micron’s 3D TLC NAND B58R memory, and are rated to offer up to 10 GBps sequential read speed and up to 9.5 GBps sequential write speed. Random read/write performance can achieve 1.5 million/1.25M million input/output operations per second (IOPS). One of the key selling points of CFD’s PG5NFZ-series drives is their cooling system called Phnix, which incorporates a high-pressure high-speed fan to ensure the best possible cooling for the controller and 3D NAND devices under high loads. The aluminum cooler is 20mm tall (including the bottom cover) and is expected to prolong the lifespan of CFD’s SSDs. The drives are covered with a three-year warranty.

CFD’s PG5NFZ-series drives are notable for their availability timeframe. While other PCIe Gen 5 SSD makers have yet to release a firm release date, CFD says that the 2TB model will be available this November, with other SKUs to follow later. It is noteworthy that PCIe Gen5 SSDs rated for ~12 GBps sequential read speed will likely hit the market only in 2023. The PG5NFZ-series drives also come equipped with a fairly large heatsink to ensure consistent performance under high loads. The cooling system, Phnix, goes above and beyond when it comes to off-the-shelf SSD cooling, and is the first actively-cooled PCIe Gen5 client drive on the market.

One potential issue with CFD Gaming is that the company is a Japan-based retailer that outsources production to third parties, and it is unclear who manufactures the PG5NFZ-series drives. However, Phison provides product development, firmware and hardware customization, as well as manufacturing services to clients, and it is possible that Phison is behind the production of the CFD PG5NFZ drive. While the particular design is probably exclusive to CFD and may never make it outside of Japan, Phison might offer something similar to its other customers, which could lead to actively cooled PS5026-E26-based drives being sold by other suppliers in the U.S. and Europe.

https://www.cfd.co.jp/biz/product/release/cssd-m2m4tpg5nfz.html

▼Sequential Read (Max)
・CSSD-M2M4TPG5NFZ: 10 GB/s → 4TB
・CSSD-M2M2TPG5NFZ: 10 GB/s → 2TB
・CSSD-M2M1TPG5NFZ: 9.5 GB/s → 1TB
▼Sequential Write (Max)
· CSSD-M2M4TPG5NFZ: 9.5 GB/s → 4TB
· CSSD-M2M2TPG5NFZ: 9.5 GB/s → 2TB
· CSSD-M2M1TPG5NFZ: 8.5 GB/s → 1TB 2TB

As per recent reports, a few Gen 5.0 SSDs have been unveiled, and consumers can expect to see more models in the near future. Some of the models that have already been announced include the Apacer AS2280F5, Corsair MP700, Zadak TWSG5, and Gigabyte AORUS Gen5 10000 SSD. These SSDs are expected to push the boundaries of the new technology straight out of the gate, providing faster data transfer rates and improved overall performance. While there may be some delays in the release of these products, consumers can rest assured that they will soon be able to take advantage of the benefits offered by the latest Gen 5.0 SSDs.

What controller to expect on gen5 WD, Seagate and Samsung M.2 NVMe SSD

Based on the information we have and the latest announcements, it’s likely that we will see the following controllers on Gen5 M.2 NVMe SSDs from WD, Seagate, and Samsung:

• WD: It’s unclear which controller WD will use for their Gen5 SSDs, as they have not yet announced any specific products. However, they have used the Phison E16 controller for their Gen4 SSDs, so it’s possible they will continue to work with Phison for their Gen5 lineup.
• Seagate: Seagate has used Phison in the past. This may allow them to be a first big brand to release their SSD. It’s possible they will continue to use their own controllers for their Gen5 SSDs as well, but it’s not yet confirmed.
• Samsung: Samsung has announced that they will use their own in-house controller for their Gen5 SSDs, the Elpis controller. This controller is expected to deliver significant improvements in speed and power efficiency compared to their Gen4 SSDs.

People ask about SLC cache. What is it? 

Now, some SSDs have a feature called SLC cache. This means that part of the SSD is set aside to work like a really fast storage area. When you write something to the SSD, it’s first written to this fast storage area (SLC cache) and then later moved to the regular, slower storage area of the SSD (TLC).

If you only write a little bit of data, like less than half of the capacity of the SLC cache, everything is fast and great. But if you write more than half of the capacity of the SLC cache, then the SSD has to start moving data directly to the slower part of the SSD, and things slow down.

If you keep writing data until you’ve filled up both the SLC cache and the slower part of the SSD to 90% capacity, then things slow down even more. In fact, the SSD has to work really hard to manage all the data and make sure it’s being written and stored correctly.

So, there are some SSDs that are made to write data to the SLC cache first and then move it to the slower part of the SSD, but only up to a certain point. Once the SLC cache is full, the SSD has to start using the slower part of the SSD to store data directly, and that’s when things slow down.

Different SSDs have different sizes of SLC cache, and some SSDs are made to create more free space when the SSD is not in use, which can help keep things running fast. But in general, the way the SLC cache works can vary from vendor to vendor.

What about other controllers

Bravera SC5

Marvell, a leading semiconductor company, recently announced the release of the industry’s first PCIe 5.0 SSD controller, the Bravera SC5. This controller delivers a maximum transfer speed of 14GB/s, making it an ideal choice for next-generation data center servers. The company is currently shipping samples of the Bravera SC5 to some customers.

The Bravera SC5 supports 16ch E.1S and achieves more than double the performance of conventional 8ch products. It supports PCI Express 5.0 x4 or x2 x 2 and NVMe 1.4b, enabling a maximum of 14GB/s sequential read, 9GB/s sequential write, 2 million read IOPS, and 1 million write IOPS.

In addition, the Bravera SC5 supports mechanisms that change the behavior of storage devices such as Software-Enabled Flash (SEF), ZNS, and Open Channel. It also supports 5th generation NANDEdge LDPC error correction and the latest QLC/TLC/SLC, which can help increase SSD lifespan and improve power performance ratios.

Moreover, the Bravera SC5 offers FIPS-compliant Root of Trust, AES 256bit encryption, and NAND support of up to 1,600MT/s. Its cache memory is DDR4-3200 or LPDDR4x-4266. The power consumption is less than 8.7W at 8ch and less than 9.8W at 16ch, and the package size is 20 x 20mm.

Overall, the Bravera SC5 is an impressive addition to Marvell’s portfolio of semiconductor products, and its performance and features make it a promising option for next-generation data center servers.

Few options out there:

ElecGear M.2 2280 SSD Cooler, Angle Adjustable Heat Pipe + PWM Cooling Fan + Aluminum Heatsink for 80mm PCIe NVMe and SATA M2 SSD internal Gaming SSD, Thermal Pads included

ICY BOX M.2 Cooler with Fan and Heatpipe Heatsink for M.2 NVMe & SATA SSD up to 2280, 30 mm Fan Active, Thermal Pad Included

Gigabyte AORUS Gen5 10000 NVMe M.2 SSD 1TB/ 2TB released

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