PCIe 5.0 SSDs Get a Budget Boost: Phison Unveils E31T Controller

The adoption rate of PCIe 5.0 SSDs has not matched the swift pace of PCIe 4.0 in previous years. Both Intel and AMD’s desktop and laptop processors have long supported PCIe 5.0, and PCIe 5.0 SSDs offer incredibly fast read and write speeds. However, currently, only the Phison E26 solution is available on the market. It generates significant heat and maintains a high price. With the introduction of the Phison E31T controller, the cost of PCIe 5.0 SSDs is expected to decrease.

The Phison PS5031-E31T is the first PCIe 5.0 SSD controller to utilize a DRAMless design, with specifications lower than the E26 but at a reduced cost. The E31T employs TSMC’s 7nm process, incorporates a single-core ARM Cortex R5 processor, supports NVMe 2.0, four-channel NAND, up to 16CE, and interfaces like Toggle 5.0 and ONFi 5.1. It offers a maximum NAND interface bandwidth of 3600MT/s, supports 3D TLC and QLC, and has a maximum capacity of 8TB. From the SSD physical photos displayed by Phison, the E31T seemingly does not require the large heatsink found in the E26.

In terms of performance, this controller delivers a maximum sequential read and write speed of 10800MB/s, with a peak random read and write IOPS of 1500K. It supports Phison’s seventh-generation LPDC ECC error correction technology to enhance performance and data reliability.

Phison anticipates shipping the E31T in the fourth quarter of 2024, with SSDs featuring this controller expected to hit the market in the first quarter of next year. By then, we should see more affordable PCIe 5.0 SSDs. Currently, there are no comparable SSD solutions in this segment, so the E31T controller is likely to capture a significant share of the entry-level PCIe 5.0 and some high-end PCIe 4.0 SSD market.