Phison presented its next-generation PS5026-E26 controller coupled with Micron 3D TLC NAND breaking the 12GB/s sequential read speed barrier on two platforms, likely Intel Z690 and AMD's forthcoming X670E.

A video begins with an engineering sample PCB from Phison being inserted into the PCIe x16 slot of an Asus Crosshair X670 Hero motherboard. The test system achieves 12457MB/s sequential read and 10023MB/s sequential write on the standard CrystalDiskMark test. This is more of a proof of concept than a finished product, as most PS5026-based drives will be sold in the traditional M.2 form factor.

With random 4K (Q32T16) yielding 5,387MB/s read and 4,764MB/s write, these are no slouch either. Unmistakably, this is an early sample, so we should anticipate that actual retail speeds will be somewhat faster. 

PCIe 5.0 storage will be compatible with Intel's most recent 600-series systems and AMD's next 600-series platforms. Intel's 12th Generation platform offers a total of 16 lanes, which are divided between graphics and storage, suggesting that bandwidth constraints will develop when using a next-generation graphics card and storage simultaneously. On the other hand, AMD has 24 PCIe 5.0 lanes available, allowing simultaneous usage of snappy graphics and two PCIe 5.0 x4 M.2 drives.