Computex 2022 | Apacer showcases first consumer-grade PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSDs
Phison, the premier NVMe SSD controller maker, warned a few months ago that PCIe 5.0 storage solutions may need active cooling due to the overheating of the SSD controller, yet it looks like this will not be that big of an issue, as the first consumer-grade PCIe 5.0 X4 solutions from Apacer can get away with the use of a more hefty heatsink. If the thickness of the heatsink does prove a problem, the gamer-oriented solutions from the Zadak lineup also offer an ultra-thin graphene pad, but this will most likely come with a higher price.
The upcoming PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSDs from Apacer are currently demoed at Computex Taipei and are expected to launch later this year, probably around the same time with AMD’s new AM5 Zen 4 platform. Read and write speeds should see a considerable uplift, even if the gains over the PCIe 4.0 standard are not exactly doubled. Thus, read speeds should theoretically peak at 13,000 MB/s, while write speeds would top at 12,000 MB/s.
Apacer will launch a standard AS2280F5 version that comes solely with an aluminum heatsink that features high quality fins for efficient heat dissipation. This model is also integrating built-in protection technologies to ensure data integrity in the absence of active cooling. The Zadak TWSG5 model that is designed for high-end gaming purposes features the same performance via the latest PCIe 5.0 NVMe 2.0 controllers and, besides the aluminum heatsink, this version also comes with a ultra-thin graphene thermal pad optian, which is ideal for small form-factor builds and laptops.
Pricing details have not yet been revealed, although Apacer does mention that the new solutions feature a 5-year warranty that should put users’ minds at ease regarding the heating issues.
