Source: Phison
PCIe 5.0 Controllers For Enterprise, Extreme Bandwidth And Affordable Performance
Phison unveiled several new PCIe 5.0 controllers and AI acceleration technology at CES 2026. The company introduced aiDAPTIV+, a method for processing Large Language Model (LLM) tasks by leveraging integrated GPUs and the cache within a Phison SSD. This approach significantly reduces the amount of DRAM needed for processing. Internal testing by Phison indicates that a 120B MoE parameter can be managed with 32GB of DRAM, compared to the 96GB typically required.
Beyond LLM performance, aiDAPTIV+ could potentially offload some RAM-intensive tasks during gaming to a specialized Phison SSD. Given the rising cost of DDR5, this technology might enable gaming systems to operate effectively with less RAM while maintaining solid performance. Although Phison has not yet demonstrated this application, it could benefit systems with integrated GPUs or even those with discrete cards featuring 8GB of VRAM.
The flagship Phison E28 controller has previously appeared in reference SSDs provided to review sites such as The SSD Review, representing top-tier performance. The new E37T PCIe 5.0 controller, introduced recently, is expected to be integrated into OEM desktops and laptops. This controller is engineered for lower power consumption than the E28 and, by omitting a DRAM cache, offers a more accessible price point. Despite this, Phison indicates strong performance, with sequential reads reaching 14.7 GB/s and sequential writes at 13.0 GB/s, alongside up to 2,000K 4KB random IOPS.
Phison also introduced the Pascari X201 and D201 Gen5 Enterprise SSDs. The Pascari X201 targets AI training, analytics, high-frequency trading, and HPC applications, boasting a rating of 60 Drive Writes Per Day, indicating exceptional durability for intensive workloads. The D201 is designed for cloud environments, offering a massive 122.88TB capacity. It delivers 14,700 MB/s sequential reads and 3,000K IOPS random reads, providing substantial storage and unprecedented data access speeds for clients.
Anticipate reviews of the E37T PCIe 5.0 controller in 2026, as it has the potential to make PCIe 5.0 technology more accessible.
