SiliconMotion expects the first laptops with next-generation PCIe Gen5 SSD storage technology to hit the market by the end of 2024 . If this happens, we will see a fundamental change in laptops.
PCIe Gen5 SSDs aiming to enter the notebook segment by the end of 2024
This information comes from SiliconMotion’s product manager, Liu Yavern, who said that the first laptops with PCIe Gen5 SSD storage technology will enter retail markets by the end of 2024. This seems to be why SiliconMotion wants to rush its plans to release SM2508 ICs that will enable support for faster storage devices.
The SiliconMotion SM2508 IC is a next-generation PCIe Gen5 SSD controller that will compete with Fison’s E26, with transfer speeds up to 14GB / s, 2.5 million IOPs, and 3D TLC/QLC NAND support.
These SSD controllers are very expensive, but it looks like companies will focus on the high-end segment first, as has been the case with PC (desktop) launches.
Also some additional specs, such as that the SM2508 controller is manufactured using a 6nm node from TSMC:
And it has a dual-core ARM Cortex R8 CPU for the computational workloads in the controller, confirmed. The memory controller operates at only 3.5W TDP, which may make it one of the most efficient solutions on the market, and this very low power consumption is a great reason to use it in notebooks without losing much performance. Gen5 PCIe SSDs are almost twice the speeds of existing Gen4 SSDs, but they also have a downside, higher heat output, so it will be interesting to see how notebook manufacturers plan to manage that.
There are now a few laptops like the MSI 2023 series that are PCIe Gen5 SSD compatible. In fact, a Gen5 SSD can be plugged into its slot right now, but we must also remember that most Gen5 solutions come with large heatsinks that may not be compatible with the notebook chassis.
As for products, we can expect some high-end Intel Meteor Lake and Raptor Lake Refresh products to be released later this fall to take advantage of these next-generation storage solutions. The companies will also showcase their latest products, including next-generation notebooks and laptops with Gen5 SSDs. They will be showing off at CES 2024, so we’ll have to wait until then to get more details.