It's been a frustrating 18 months since launch but we'll finally be getting PCIe 5 SSDs worth a damn this year

HardwareStorageSSDsIt’s been a frustrating 18 months since launch but we’ll finally be getting PCIe 5 SSDs worth a damn this yearWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

(Image credit: SiliconMotion)

SiliconMotion SM2508 memory controller

Good news everyone, the only PCIe 5.0 SSD controller that currently makes any damned sense isstarting to ship out to drive manufacturers. Fingers crossed that means we ought to see some Gen5 drives worth a damn before the end of the year.

TheSiliconMotion SM2508 memory controller(pdf warning) has been delayed a couple of times, reportedly in order to switch to a more advanced 6nm process at TSMC. Weinitially expected it to come around earlier this year, but now it is finally being sent out to manufacturers for them to create their own SSDs built around this new controller.

This is the reason PCIe 5 drives have variously come with active cooling, or else an admission that you’re going to need to provide some serious chip-chilling yourself if you’re hoping to get the most out of the shiny new, and expensive SSD. It’s also the reason that we actively do not recommend PCIe 5 SSDs.

And the random 4k read/write speeds have barely moved on from the PCIe 4 SSDs that have become ubiquitous. That means you’re not going to suddenly notice you’re getting a more zippy Windows experience as your Gen5 boot drive isn’t dealing with the myriad of tiny read/write operations that make up its day-to-day OS workloads.

None of that performance stuff is going to change with the advent of the SiliconMotion SM2508 controller—you’re still going to be limited in terms of transferring in and out of your speedy SSD, and random 4k performance is still the same, but it’s significantly more efficient in operation.

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals

Partly that’s thanks to the 6nm process allowing it to run at around 7W compared with more than 11W with the competition. That all means you should be able to do without a bulky active cooling solution. You may well still need a heatsink, but any time you can do without a tiny whiny spinning fan is a win in my book.

Apparently, it will deliver SSDs that are essentially the same in terms of power and thermal characteristics compared with the current PCIe 4.0 SSDs, and yet is still bringing the straight-line speeds of rival PCIe 5 controllers. SiliconMotion is claiming that in some states it will even use less power than a Gen4 drive.

Interestingly, it’s also sporting a quad-core ARM Cortex R8 processor, which can use standard memory instead of flash memory to hit peak speeds for super low-latency workloads. That is apparently something rival controllers aren’t able to do, and it will be interesting to see if that means anything in terms of bumping those 4k numbers.

Peak Storage(Image credit: Future)Best SSD for gaming: The best speedy storage today.Best NVMe SSD: Compact M.2 drives.Best external hard drives: Huge capacities for less.Best external SSDs: Plug-in storage upgrades.

Peak Storage

(Image credit: Future)Best SSD for gaming: The best speedy storage today.Best NVMe SSD: Compact M.2 drives.Best external hard drives: Huge capacities for less.Best external SSDs: Plug-in storage upgrades.

(Image credit: Future)

SATA, NVMe M.2, and PCIe SSDs on blue background

Best SSD for gaming: The best speedy storage today.Best NVMe SSD: Compact M.2 drives.Best external hard drives: Huge capacities for less.Best external SSDs: Plug-in storage upgrades.

There’s no word on when drives based on this controller will be available, nor who will be the first to use the new silicon, but it could make a big difference in the proliferation of Gen5 SSDs. Our Jacob spoke to the VP and GM of Micron’s Consumer and Components group, Dinesh Bahal, at Computex this year, who told him that even so long after launch “the percentage of Gen5 shipping to the percentage of Gen4 is very small.”

But he expects the final hurdle to start shifting out of the way soon, too: pricing.

“Watch this space over the next nine months or so, " says Bahal. “And you’ll see some interesting Gen5 announcements that should help people move from Gen4 to Gen5.

“There will definitely be a price difference, but it won’t be as substantial as it is.”

Phison is also due to be releasing its E31T controller, first shown off at CES, at some point this year. That’s a slower drive, rated at just under 11,000 MB/s in terms of sequential performance, but it’s targeting efficient operation as a priority. If we finally get some proper PCIe 5 competition in terms of cool-running drives towards the end of the year that could finally provide a needed kick in the pants of this new generation of SSDs.

More about ssdsWD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD reviewPC Gamer Hardware Awards: The best gaming SSD of 2024LatestTeam Fortress 2 just had the single biggest trade in its history, with ‘the absolute best hat you can get’ going for around $40KSee more latest►

More about ssdsWD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD reviewPC Gamer Hardware Awards: The best gaming SSD of 2024

More about ssds

WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD reviewPC Gamer Hardware Awards: The best gaming SSD of 2024

The WD Black SN850X 8 TB out of the packaging.

WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review

An out-of-focus image of an SSD, surrounded by a colorful border, with a PC Gamer Best SSD 2024 logo in the center

PC Gamer Hardware Awards: The best gaming SSD of 2024

LatestTeam Fortress 2 just had the single biggest trade in its history, with ‘the absolute best hat you can get’ going for around $40KSee more latest►

Latest

Team Fortress 2 just had the single biggest trade in its history, with ‘the absolute best hat you can get’ going for around $40K

A valuable TF2 hat shimmers in the moonlight.

Team Fortress 2 just had the single biggest trade in its history, with ‘the absolute best hat you can get’ going for around $40K

See more latest►

Most PopularThermaltake’s new 2000 W PSU is too powerful to be sold in the USA and comes with four PCIe 5.0 GPU power connectorsAMD accuses Intel’s Arrow Lake of being a ‘horrible’ product and implies a lack of options for consumers has caused the Ryzen 7 9800X3D shortageThis Jinx-inspired gaming PC is my favorite of CES 2025 and I’m head over heels for the hardwareHarrowing report alleges years of horrific abuse at Brandoville Studios, an Indonesian support studio that worked on Assassin’s Creed Shadows and The Last of Us RemakeTencent says it’s not a Chinese military company and is willing to sue the US Department of Defense if it isn’t removed from a blacklistAll Zenless Zone Zero 1.5 livestream codesAsus reveals three new Slash Travel Bags for carting around your ROG Ally—however, none of them are particularly fashion forwardToday’s Wordle answer for Friday, January 10We may not have a roadmap or balance patch just yet, but at least Path of Exile 2’s bugfix patch notes are funnyDeus Ex: Mankind Divided writer didn’t like the ending either: ‘Nothing is resolved’It seems like Square’s finally consistently taking the PC ports of Final Fantasy seriously

Most Popular

Thermaltake’s new 2000 W PSU is too powerful to be sold in the USA and comes with four PCIe 5.0 GPU power connectors

AMD accuses Intel’s Arrow Lake of being a ‘horrible’ product and implies a lack of options for consumers has caused the Ryzen 7 9800X3D shortage

This Jinx-inspired gaming PC is my favorite of CES 2025 and I’m head over heels for the hardware

Harrowing report alleges years of horrific abuse at Brandoville Studios, an Indonesian support studio that worked on Assassin’s Creed Shadows and The Last of Us Remake

Tencent says it’s not a Chinese military company and is willing to sue the US Department of Defense if it isn’t removed from a blacklist

All Zenless Zone Zero 1.5 livestream codes

Asus reveals three new Slash Travel Bags for carting around your ROG Ally—however, none of them are particularly fashion forward

Today’s Wordle answer for Friday, January 10

We may not have a roadmap or balance patch just yet, but at least Path of Exile 2’s bugfix patch notes are funny

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided writer didn’t like the ending either: ‘Nothing is resolved’

It seems like Square’s finally consistently taking the PC ports of Final Fantasy seriously

HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review4Ikea Utespelare desk review5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS

1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

A bunch of the best Steam Deck accessories on a blue background.

1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop

Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop

3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most

Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most

4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands

Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands

5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested

Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested

1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review

Thank Goodness You’re Here review

1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review

Thank Goodness You’re Here! review

2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review

Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review

3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review

WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review

4Ikea Utespelare desk review

Ikea Utespelare desk review

5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals#

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals