At FMS 2024, Phison provided their standard updates on client flash solutions. The E31T Gen 5 mainstream controller has been exhibited at various trade shows, starting with Computex 2023, while their high-end PSSDs USB4 native flash controller was unveiled at CES 2024. The new solution being showcased was the E29T Gen 4 mainstream DRAM-less controller. Phison believes that there remains potential for performance gains on the Gen 4 platform with an affordable DRAM-less option.
| Phison NVMe SSD Controller Comparison | |||||||||
| E31T | E29T | E27T | E26 | E18 | |||||
| Market Segment | Mainstream Consumer | High-End Consumer | |||||||
| Manufacturing Process |
7nm | 12nm | 12nm | 12nm | 12nm | ||||
| CPU Cores | 2x Cortex R5 | 1x Cortex R5 | 1x Cortex R5 | 2x Cortex R5 | 3x Cortex R5 | ||||
| Error Correction | 7th Gen LDPC | 7th Gen LDPC | 5th Gen LDPC | 5th Gen LDPC | 4th Gen LDPC | ||||
| DRAM | No | No | No | DDR4, LPDDR4 | DDR4 | ||||
| Host Interface | PCIe 5.0 x4 | PCIe 4.0 x4 | PCIe 4.0 x4 | PCIe 5.0 x4 | PCIe 4.0 x4 | ||||
| NVMe Version | NVMe 2.0 | NVMe 2.0 | NVMe 2.0 | NVMe 2.0 | NVMe 1.4 | ||||
| NAND Channels, Interface Speed | 4 ch, 3600 MT/s |
4 ch, 3600 MT/s |
4 ch, 3600 MT/s |
8 ch, 2400 MT/s |
8 ch, 1600 MT/s |
||||
| Max Capacity | 8 TB | 8 TB | 8 TB | 8 TB | 8 TB | ||||
| Sequential Read | 10.8 GB/s | 7.4 GB/s | 7.4 GB/s | 14 GB/s | 7.4 GB/s | ||||
| Sequential Write | 10.8 GB/s | 6.5 GB/s | 6.7 GB/s | 11.8 GB/s | 7.0 GB/s | ||||
| 4KB Random Read IOPS | 1500k | 1200k | 1200k | 1500k | 1000k | ||||
| 4KB Random Write IOPS | 1500k | 1200k | 1200k | 2000k | 1000k | ||||
Compared to the E27T, the significant update is the inclusion of a newer LDPC engine that enhances SSD lifespan and ensures compatibility with the latest QLC flash, along with further power optimizations.
The company also showcased a U21 USB4 PSSD reference design (complete with a MagSafe-compatible casing) along with the usual CrystalDiskMark benchmark results. It was indicated that PSSDs based on the U21 controller are nearing retail availability.
Phison has a history of pioneering SSD controllers based on state-of-the-art interface options, whether it be PCIe 4.0, PCIe 5.0, or USB4. Typically, competition comes from tier-one vendors with their in-house solutions, or from Silicon Motion, who often enters the market with a more power-efficient solution a few quarters later. With the E29T, Phison aims to maintain a strong presence in the mainstream Gen 4 market by leveraging their latest LDPC engine and supporting the highest available NAND flash speeds.
