Samsung has moved away from traditional Arm-based SSD controllers, developing a custom SSD controller based on the open-source RISC-V instruction set. This innovation, officially introduced with the BM9K1 PCIe 5.0 QLC NAND SSD, will serve as a foundational component for Samsung's future SSD products. The BM9K1, unveiled at the Flash Market Summit 2026 in China, boasts impressive performance figures.
Top-Tier Performance
The BM9K1 SSD demonstrates remarkable performance for QLC NAND flash storage, particularly achieving an impressive sequential read speed of 11.4 GB/s. While the sequential write speed has not yet been finalized, it is expected to be around 10 GB/s, depending on Samsung's design.
Previously, high-performance SSDs typically utilized TLC NAND, with Samsung's 9100 Pro model, for instance, featuring 236-layer 3D TLC V-NAND V8 and an Arm-based Presto 5 nm controller. With the BM9K1, Samsung aims to diversify its SSD portfolio by delivering satisfying performance with QLC NAND combined with a RISC-V-based controller design.
The BM9K1 PCIe 5.0 SSD replaces the previous generation BM9C1 PCIe 4.0 controller. Although both models use QLC NAND, the BM9K1's new RISC-V controller and PCIe 5.0 interface have approximately doubled its sequential read performance. Furthermore, the new design boasts a 23 percent increase in power efficiency. The flexibility of the RISC-V controller plays a significant role in this improvement.
This development offers significant advantages, especially for small form-factor computers and portable devices. The only perceived drawback of the design is the use of QLC NAND, but Samsung plans to offer TLC NAND-based RISC-V SSDs in the future.
Samsung aims to launch the BM9K1 SSD in 2027, with planned capacity options including 512 GB, 1 TB, and 2 TB. Pricing and the exact release date have not yet been announced, and more details are expected to be shared in the coming period.
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