Flaghip PCIe Gen5 SSDs storage has been very pricey in the past few years – especially considering the rather minor real-world benefits they offer compared to high-end Gen4 SSDs. The good news is that the Gen5 space is now growing with much more cost-effective drives.
Patriot Memory’s latest launch adds to those options. The existing top-tier model Viper PV593 is now accompanied by thte Viper PV563 and Patriot PA523, both of which caters to more modest budgets as Gen5 becomes mainstream.
Viper PV563: Excellent Mid-Range Performance
The Viper PV563 comes in a DRAM-less design, targeting system builder looking for solid Gen5 performance without the premium pricing of flagship drives. It achieves impressive sequential read speeds of up to 14,000 MB/s, putting it remarkably close to top-tier models.
According to earlier information, the drive is based on the 8-channel Maxiotek MAP 1806a controller, which has yet to be tested extensively. A test of the Biwin X570 by German Computerbase may provide an indication of what to expect.
| Capacity | Sequential Read | Sequential Write | Endurance (TBW) | Form Factor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1TB | 14,000 MB/s | 7,500 MB/s | 700 TBW | M.2 2280 |
| 2TB | 14,000 MB/s | 10,000 MB/s | 1,400 TBW | M.2 2280 |
| 4TB | 14,000 MB/s | 11,000 MB/s | 3,000 TBW | M.2 2280 |
You can get the PV563 in three capacities: 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB. Sequential write performance scales with capacity, with the 4TB model achieving the highest write speeds of up to 11,000 MB/s. However, sequential read speeds remain consistently high across all versions at 14,000 MB/s.
Patriot PA523: Making Gen5 Accessible
The PA523 is Patriot’s entry-level Gen5 offering, though “entry-level” is relative in this context, as the is almost as fast as the early flagships in the Gen5 segment. With sequential read speeds reaching 10,000 MB/s and write speeds up to 8,500 MB/s, the PA523 easily surpasses any Gen4 drive on the market.
Like the PV563, the PA523 utilizes a DRAM-less architecture with HMB support to keep costs down. Controller and NAND details have not been disclosed yet, but a likely controller candidate would be the 4-channel Phison E31T.
| Capacity | Sequential Read | Sequential Write | Endurance (TBW) | Form Factor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1TB | 10,000 MB/s | 8,500 MB/s | 700 TBW* | M.2 2280 (single-sided) |
| 2TB | 10,000 MB/s | 8,500 MB/s | 1,400 TBW* | M.2 2280 (single-sided) |
| 4TB | 10,000 MB/s | 8,500 MB/s | 3,000 TBW | M.2 2280 (single-sided) |
*Estimated; official specifications confirm 3,000 TBW for 4TB model
Performance is consistent across all capacities, with the same 10,000 MB/s read and 8,500 MB/s write speeds for the 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB models.
With these new additions, Patriot becomes one of the first manufacturers to offer multiple choices in the nascent entry-level Gen5 market, and opens the door for increasing Gen5 adoption among mainstream users. PCIe Gen5 support is now standard in the latest AMD and Intel platforms, so many will want to equip their new builds with the latest tech. We are likely to see more manufacturers introduce competitive options in this space soon.
