Phison PS5018-E18 Gen 4×4 NVMe SSD Controller Prototype First Look (2TB) – Phison Raises the Bar

AJA VIDEO SYSTEM DISK TEST

The AJA Video Systems Disk Test is relatively new to our testing and tests the transfer speed of video files with different resolutions and Codec.

TxBENCH

TxBench is one of our newly discovered benchmarks that we works much the same as Crystal Diskmark, but with several other features.  Advanced load benchmarking can be configured, as well as full drive information and data erasing via secure erase, enhanced secure erase, TRIM and overwriting.  Simply click on the title for a free copy.

PCMARK 8 STORAGE 2.0

The SSD Review uses PCMark 8’s Storage test suite to create testing scenarios that might be used in the typical user experience. With 10 traces recorded from Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office and a selection of popular games, it covers some of the most popular light to heavy workloads. Unlike synthetic storage tests, the PCMark 8 Storage benchmark highlights real-world performance differences between storage devices. After an initial break-in cycle and three rounds of the testing, we are given a file score and bandwidth amount. The higher the score/bandwidth, the better the drive performs.

This result for the Phison E18 is somewhat low and was observed by several reviewers.  Phison has already identified the problem and we have been told a new firmware will be available in the near future.  What the consumer will see in their testing will be much higher than this.

REAL WORLD FILE TRANSFER COMPARISON

We have put the Phison PS5018-E18 Prototype Gen 4 NVMe SSD beside a few of the best PCIe 4.0 SSDs in the business for our true to life data testing.  In this test, we simply place 15GB files representing music, video, pictures and operating systems onto the target drive.  We then copy each file from one place on the target disk to another, recording the time taken for the transfer.

Even as an early prototype and with underpowered NAND flash memory as described earlier, the E18 still placed second in our Gen 4 SSD data throughput testing.

REVIEW ANALYSIS AND FINAL THOUGHTS

Early prototype testing of SSDs is such a beneficial way for manufacturers to get the absolute best idea of their product and at no cost.  We don’t see this often and I am often amazed that it isn’t taken advantage of more.  After all, it is absolute free marketing of an up and coming product that usually goes viral.  The Phison PS5018-E18 surely didn’t disappoint with the best performance we have seen to date from a Gen 4 NVMe M.2 SSD.

Through our own quick look we say speeds just under 7100MB/s read and 6400MB/s write with IOPS as high as 750K.  This controller is everything we had hoped, even as a very early sample.  Given respect to any firmware updates, we will amend the report accordingly and may even through in a quick article to display such.  For Phison to have already been appraised of minor concerns and already have discovered the reasoning and stating a firmware is forthcoming within 24 hours…this says tons about where they want to be.