Phison Brings a Next-Generation PCIe 6.0 Controller to Computex

At Computex 2026, Taiwanese developer Phison unveiled its new 16-channel controller, the Phison X3, powered by the advanced PCIe 6.0 interface. The product is already gearing up for its market release.

What Phison X3 Is Capable Of

The new chip boasts stunning technical specifications, including:

• Up to 28 GB/s bandwidth for sequential read and write operations.
• Up to 6.8 million random input/output operations (IOPS) per second.
• A maximum capacity of up to 2 PB for a single X3-based SSD.

Development of this product is already in the home stretch. The first engineering samples will be shipped to partners in December 2026, with mass production scheduled to begin in mid-2027. Phison X3 will initially debut in enterprise E3.S and E1.S form factors targeted at data centers; an M.2 version for mainstream consumers is expected later down the line.

An Energy-Efficiency Breakthrough

Phison also showcased another innovation aimed at the mass market, the E37T (PCIe 5.0) controller, designed for DRAMless SSDs. This chip demonstrated impressive efficiency metrics during a laptop demo, hitting read speeds of up to 14,239 MB/s and write speeds of up to 12,307 MB/s.

The E37T matches the speed of the flagship E28 with DRAM, yet consumes a mere 4.5 W (which is 2.5 W less than the high-end model). Furthermore, eliminating expensive DRAM will make E37T-based drives significantly cheaper to manufacture, translating to lower costs for the end consumer.

The first commercial SSDs powered by this controller are expected to hit store shelves by the end of 2026.