Micron has demonstrated its bleeding-edge storage technologies, ready to power AI demands using PCIe 6.0. This new interface opens the door for doubling total throughput, allowing professionals to develop even more data-hungry language models.
Unlike the brand’s early PCIe 6.0 solutions which maxed out at 26.8GB/s, the 9650 Pro SSD prototype has reaches 30.25GB/s. That’s an impressive speed that’s just shy of the PCIe 6.0 x4 theorical 32GB/s bandwidth, especially considering that this is still an engineering validation test (EVT3) sample. Final Gen 6 SSDs may push a bit ahead, but the difference won’t be staggering since Micron is already on the edge of the interface’s capabilities.
Unlike consumer-grade M.2 or U.2 modules, the brand’s EVT3 prototype is designed explicitly for partners’ testing. But, since no current CPU supports PCIe 6.0 yet, Micron leveraged Astera Labs’ Scorpio PCIe 6.0 4×16 switch, Aries Bandwidth-matching Gearbox software, and Aries 6 retimers to showcase the potential of PCIe 6.0 drives. This contraption allowed direct peer-to-peer data transfers between the GPU and SSD without CPU intervention, demonstrating its potential for high-performance computing and AI training, both of which benefit from direct GPU-to-SSD access.
To reach such speeds, Micron’s prototype leveraged PCI-SIG’s new PAM-4 signalling to transmit two bits per symbol by using four distinct voltage amplitudes, effectively doubling the data rates of PCIe 5.0. But since 9650 Pro had to be enveloped in a thick metal casing, we wonder if these Gen 6 SSDs’ controllers will also be power hungry and hot like early Gen 5 solutions.
As you can guess, the path to market remains long, especially for consumer platforms. Aside from the absence of compatible CPUs and motherboards, PCIe 6.0 will likely debut at exorbitant prices reflecting their bleeding-edge status. Furthermore, certification testing by the PCI-SIG has been delayed to the second half of 2025, affecting roadmaps. This means that we can expect the first PCIe 6.0 devices to hit the market next year.
While their real-world benefits may be limited on consumer PCs, data centres and AI farms will greatly appreciate the speed boost. Even tasks that don’t require such quick transfer rates can still benefit by reducing the lane count per drive from x4 to x2, which frees up room to install more units and expand the storage capacity.
PCIe 6.0 will enable future systems to meet the growing demand for data, providing unprecedented speed to customers and professionals alike. And, thanks to its advanced development in this matter, Micron will be ready to ride the upcoming upgrade wave.
