Mainstream consumers will need to exercise patience, as this cutting-edge tech won't be available to them just yet.
Micron's press release was somewhat reticent on details, but it did reveal that the new technology "delivers sequential read bandwidths of over 26 GB/s." This development is expected to invigorate the PCIe Gen6 ecosystem, building on recent strides in data centre storage solutions.
Only last month, Micron captured headlines with the launch of its 9550 NVMe SSD. This data centre marvel boasts sequential read speeds of up to 14 GB/s, positioning it among the fastest SSDs currently on the market. Its sequential write speeds, rated at up to 10 GB/s.
According to Micron's projections, the new Gen6 SSDs should be approximately 85 percent faster than the Gen5 9550 units in terms of sequential reads. But speed isn't the only advantage; the 9550 model is also remarkably efficient, consuming 43 percent less power than other data centre SSDs running AI workloads. This efficiency could translate into substantial cost savings for operators at scale.
The Idaho-based memory giant plans to divulge more about this tech at the Future of Memory and Storage (FMS) conference, which runs through 8 August at the Santa Clara Convention Center in California. Whether this will include full specifications, live demonstrations, or pricing and release date information remains to be seen.
While data centre SSDs are reaching new heights, consumer-grade SSDs are a long way behind. The latest Gen5 consumer SSDs, though impressively fast, still struggle with cooling issues. As these drives heat up, they often trigger thermal throttling, significantly reducing performance.
Earlier this year, the PCI Special Interest Group (PCI-SIG) announced delays in the compliance programs for both PCIe 6.0 and 7.0. The PCIe 6.0 program, initially targeted at data centres, was slated for March 2024 but may now be postponed until sometime in 2025. Consequently, it will be some time before this technology trickles down to mainstream consumer levels.
In summary, while Micron's advancements herald a new era for data centre storage, the average consumer will have to wait a bit longer to reap the benefits. Nonetheless, the future of SSD technology looks incredibly promising.