Samsung PM9E1 Gen5 SSD: 4 TB Storage Capacity in M.2 2242 Form Factor with Up to 14.5 GB/s Read Speeds

Samsung has launched its latest PM9E1 Gen5 SSD, boasting an impressive 4 TB storage capacity and lightning-fast read speeds of 14.5 GB/s, all packaged into a compact M.2 2242 form factor.

Samsung PM9E1 Gen5 SSD: Merging Capacity, Performance, and Compact Design

Samsung’s PM9E1 is setting a new standard for M.2 2242 Gen5 SSDs with its expansive 4 TB capacity, providing the perfect solution for compact workstations like NVIDIA’s DGX Spark. Designed specifically for artificial intelligence applications, this SSD surpasses previous-generation models with superior speed and efficiency. Key features of the PM9E1 include:

Innovative hardware architecture featuring a dual-sided PCB design that integrates 8th-generation 1Tb V-NAND and DRAM, maximizing both capacity and consistent performance within a small footprint.
Impressive sequential read speeds of up to 14, 500 MB/s and write speeds reaching 12, 600 MB/s.
Outstanding random I/O performance, offering up to 2, 000K IOPS for reading and 2, 640K IOPS for writing.

Image Source: Samsung

According to Samsung, the PM9E1 Gen5 SSD achieves a power efficiency improvement of up to 45% compared to its predecessors, with its 14.5 GB/s read and 12.6 GB/s write speeds delivering nearly a 2.47x enhancement in overall performance. In addition to its superior speed capabilities, the PM9E1 supports the latest security standards with SPDM v1.2 protocols, ensuring robust protection through features such as device authentication, firmware verification, and secure communication channels.

Press Release: The PM9E1 is powered by an in-house designed ‘Presto’ controller, utilizing cutting-edge 5nm technology developed by Samsung Foundry. This controller is specifically tuned for seamless operation with DGX Spark OS and NVIDIA CUDA, optimizing the AI computing experience.

Despite its compact M.2 22×42 dimensions, the PM9E1 maintains a full-performance architecture complete with dedicated DRAM. This design ensures reliable high-speed data access and minimal latency, allowing the SSD to effectively manage both large sequential data transfers and intensive random access patterns, which are essential for demanding AI applications. This responsiveness is vital for executing time-sensitive tasks in AI workloads.

Security: A Priority for the AI Era

While exceptional performance is crucial, safeguarding data transactions is equally important. Relying solely on AI processing to secure transactions would be counterproductive.

Performance and power efficiency comparison chart between PM9E1 PCIe Gen5 SSD and PM9A1 PCIe Gen4 SSD — Image Source: Samsung

The PM9E1 controller complies with all current security benchmarks and adopts SPDM v1.2 protocols to support features such as device authentication, firmware integrity checks, and secure communications. This iteration ensures robust, certificate-based security for data exchanges, extending the same high level of security used in external communications to internal data interactions.

In Mass Production for NVIDIA’s Cutting-Edge DGX Spark Desktop AI Supercomputer

The advanced specifications and robust reliability of the PM9E1 make it a fitting counterpart for the NVIDIA DGX Spark, designed for desktop AI supercomputing. While high capacity and speed are significant features, their integration into a low-power and compact design is what truly enables a high-performance AI supercomputer to operate efficiently within a user-friendly desktop environment. Enhanced power efficiency helps reduce thermal demands, promoting greater flexibility in system configurations. The compact M.2 22×42 form factor positions storage close to processing components, ensuring that the most efficient data paths are utilized.

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