Fastest SSD on the globe unveiled, yet unfit for traditional PCs - Micron 9650 marks debut as PCIe Gen6 SSD and promises 28GB/s in sequential read speeds.
Micron has announced the launch of its new PCIe Gen6 data center SSD, the 9650, which promises to be one of the fastest SSDs for AI workloads in data centers. The new SSD delivers impressive speeds and energy efficiency, setting a new industry benchmark.
Breakneck Speeds and Energy Efficiency
The Micron 9650 SSD boasts sequential read speeds of up to 28 GB/s and sequential write speeds of up to 14 GB/s, making it one of the fastest SSDs on the market. It also offers 5.5 million IOPS in random read performance and up to 900K IOPS for random writes. More importantly, the 9650 SSD improves on Gen5 SSDs with up to 25% and 67% greater energy efficiency for random writes and reads, respectively. This energy efficiency not only reduces power consumption but also helps data centers meet their sustainability goals.
Real-World Performance
Testing with partners like NVIDIA and Astera Labs has shown the 9650 SSD's impressive real-world performance. Two 9650 drives achieved sustained 56 GB/s throughput, feeding an NVIDIA H100 GPU via PCIe Gen6 switches. This performance is ideal for AI servers requiring fast data access for large models, real-time inference, and retrieval-augmented generation pipelines.
Compatibility and Security
The 9650 SSD supports industry standards such as FIPS 140-3 Level 2 security, Trade Agreement Act (TAA) compliance for U.S. government use, and offers firmware features like CNSA 2.0 download verification and dual-signed updates for enterprise-grade security. It comes in E1.S (9.5mm and 15mm) and E3.S form factors, with options that support liquid cooling for advanced AI server thermal management.
Two Variants for Different Needs
The Micron 9650 SSD comes in two variants: the 9650 Pro, which is read-intensive with one drive write per day (DWPD), and the 9650 Max, which is mixed-use with three DWPD and a higher random write of up to 900 KIOPS.
Key Specifications
Here's a summary of the key specifications of the Micron 9650 SSD:
| Feature | Micron 9650 SSD | |-----------------------------|----------------------------------| | Interface | PCIe Gen6 x4 | | Sequential Read Speed | Up to 28,000 MB/s (28 GB/s) | | Sequential Write Speed | Up to 14,000 MB/s (14 GB/s) | | Random Read IOPS | Up to 5.5 million IOPS | | Random Write IOPS | 570 KIOPS (Pro) / 900 KIOPS (Max)| | NAND Type | Micron 9th Gen TLC NAND | | Form Factors | E1.S (9.5mm/15mm), E3.S | | Energy Efficiency | ~25-67% better than Gen5 SSDs | | Security & Compliance | FIPS 140-3 Level 2, TAA, CNSA 2.0 |
Conclusion
The Micron 9650 SSD represents a significant leap forward in data center storage, combining extreme PCIe Gen6 speeds, energy efficiency, security compliance, and real-world tested performance specifically tuned for demanding AI workloads in modern data centers. Its reduced power draw and emissions also support both performance gains and sustainability efforts in data centers.
The Micron 9650 SSD, a testament to data-and-cloud computing technology, promises to be one of the fastest SSDs for AI workloads in data centers due to its PCIe Gen6 interface. This new technology is a valuable addition, setting a new industry benchmark with its impressive speeds and energy efficiency.
In the realm of technology, the Micron 9650 SSD demonstrates its potential by delivering speeds up to 28 GB/s for sequential reads, making it one of the fastest SSDs available today, thanks to its advanced PCIe Gen6 technology.
