PCIe 6.0 SSDs, Controllers Near Market After Delays
TL;DR. Micron and Samsung now offer PCIe 6.0 SSDs as Marvell, Phison, and SMI prepare new controllers, overcoming significant development hurdles. - The PCIe 6.0 specification was ratified in early 2022 but faced multi-year delays in implementation. - New PAM4 signaling in PCIe 6.0 doubled transfer rates but required complex DSPs and interoperability testing. - Interoperability challenges among CPU, GPU, and SSD vendors also contributed to delayed commercial deployment. - The first PCIe 6.0 platforms and storage devices are now approaching market availability.
- PCIe 6.0 SSDs from Micron and Samsung are now available, with controllers from Marvell, Phison, and SMI nearing release.
- The transition to PAM4 signaling in PCIe 6.0 complicated controller design due to advanced DSP, equalization, and error correction requirements.
- Extensive interoperability testing for PCIe 6.0 devices across various vendors caused further delays in commercial rollout.
- Despite setbacks, the first PCIe Gen6 platforms are now emerging, paving the way for faster storage solutions.