Samsung Readies PCIe 5.0 QLC SSD with a Custom RISC-V Controller

Samsung has developed a new SSD controller based on the open-source RISC-V instruction set, moving away from the Arm ISA in some of its SSD controllers. With the introduction of the BM9K1 PCIe 5.0 QLC NAND SSD, Samsung has officially created a proprietary RISC-V IP that will serve as a foundation for many SSDs the company plans to release. Announced at the China Flash Market Summit 2026, the BM9K1 SSD has been showcased with just one metric: sequential read speed. Achieving a maximum sequential read speed of 11.4 GB/s, Samsung has reached impressive speeds for QLC NAND Flash. While the sequential write speed is unknown, it is expected to be around 10 GB/s, varying slightly depending on Samsung’s design. Typically, high-performance SSDs use TLC NAND, as seen in Samsung’s own 9100 Pro SSD, which we reviewed. It features 3D TLC V-NAND V8 with 236 layers. While this SSD uses TLC NAND and has a proprietary Samsung Presto 5 nm controller running on Arm-based cores, Samsung might transition a significant portion of its SSD lineup to a RISC-V based design with the BM9K1, offering satisfactory performance with QLC NAND.

Interestingly, Samsung has designed this SSD with considerations for size, power, and AI. For instance, the BM9K1 PCIe 5.0 SSD replaces the previous BM9C1 PCIe 4.0 SSD controller. Although both use QLC NAND, the newer BM9K1 features a new RISC-V controller and a fresh PCIe 5.0 interface, doubling the performance in sequential reads on average. The power efficiency of the new RISC-V design is also improved. Samsung claims a 23% increase in power efficiency, thanks to the flexibility of RISC-V, which allows for greater customization and optimization of the controller firmware to match I/O patterns with the QLC NAND, resulting in nearly a quarter less power consumption. This improvement is expected to have a significant impact on small form factor PCs and client laptops. The main drawback of the design is the use of QLC NAND, but Samsung may introduce TLC NAND SSDs with RISC-V controllers in the future. For now, these remain on the 5 nm Presto Arm-powered controllers.

Samsung is targeting a 2027 launch for this SSD, offering capacities of 512 GB, 1 TB, and 2 TB. Pricing and exact availability are not yet known, but more information is expected throughout the year. Other specifications, such as write speeds and endurance, are still unknown.