Adata shows off 14GB/s SSD with enormous liquid cooling system at Computex

[Daniel Sims]

WTF?! Solid-state drives with PCIe 5.0 interfaces boast incredible read/write speeds, and at least one has showcased a mammoth passive heatsink. Now Adata is taking things to a new level at Computex. One of its newest SSDs pushes top-of-the-line transfer rates with an unprecedented liquid cooler.

Adata unveiled the NeonStorm NVMe SSD at Computex with a liquid cooler that needs to be seen to be believed. The water cooling system that dwarfs the drive helps it maintain sequential read and write speeds of up to 14GB/s and 12GB/s, respectively – impressive even compared to other already blazing-fast PCIe 5.0 SSDs.

The company's exhibit details several components of the elaborate cooler. A transparent casing absorbs heat using a coolant. An aluminum alloy tube inside efficiently transfers heat between air and liquid cooling, while two fans on either side dissipate heat. All these components sit atop a heat spreader and thermal gasket, which enhance radiation and minimize thermal resistance. Adata claims its impressive-looking setup outperforms traditional SSD heatsinks by 20 percent.

To achieve enterprise-level performance, the NeonStorm's blistering read/write speed requires a Silicon Motion NVMe 2.0-compliant SM2508 controller. It can read and write up to two million iOPS and will be available in capacities up to 8TB when it launches later this year.

Although the NeonStorm is a new step for SSD coolers, Adata isn't the first to slam a giant heatsink on an NVMe. Gigabyte's Aorus PCIe 5.0 drive features a passive cooler that similarly dwarfs the drive itself. However, it only achieves more typical PCIe 5.0 speeds of 10GB/s sequential read and 9.5GB/s sequential write.

Despite how hard it often is to fit SSD heatsinks into complete builds, tests have shown how necessary they are to maintain top performance. Without cooling, Crucial's T700 collapses from its incredible 12.3GB/s sequential read to HDD-like speeds of around 101MB/s.

Accompanying the NeonStorm at Computex are two more reasonable-looking but impressive SSDs from Adata. The Legend 970, with its Phison E26-series controller, pushes 10GB/s in both directions and will come in 1TB or 2TB variants. Its heatsink is more standard-sized but still unique, with a fan that pushes and pulls air through multiple sides of the unit. Mass production begins in late June. Meanwhile, the company's SE920 external SSD manages 3.8/3.2GB/s read/write speeds through USB4. Like the Legend 970, it also includes a micro fan. The heat spreader and extendable chassis also help to dissipate heat.

Masthead image: Tom's Hardware

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https://www.techspot.com/news/98901-adata-unveils-14gbs-ssd-enormous-liquid-cooling-system.html

 

[J95qRP7]

These first gen PCIe 5.0 drivers are incredibly flawed. The speeds provided are great in synthetic benchmarks, but offer almost no real world uplift and require these expansive and cumbersome cooling solutions. Hopefully a new and updated generation of controller can at least address the power and temperature issues of these drives.

 

[Hodor]

Yeah, that's exactly what we need. Another thing that needs new antifreeze every winter.

 

[amghwk]

From 3.5" bulky drives, to 2.5" more streamlined drives to even thinner SSDs and then the mini SSDs and finally the wafer-thin M.2 SSDs. And now we're back to bulky and even more bulkier than the 3.5" drives....

 

[Neatfeatguy]

Holy crap. Until now, I didn't know this was something I didn't need.

 

[ddferrari]

Show me any specs that matter beyond PCIe 3.0 for surfing and gaming, not synthetic benchmarks, and I'll consider them.

95% of average users will never notice a difference.

 

[toooooot]

Interesting technological example but could use some visual design improvement.

 

[Lounds]

PCIE 5.0 will only really benefit the data center and virtual server environments. This makes no real world sense for the average user apart from it looks cool.

 

[dangh]

Show me any specs that matter beyond PCIe 3.0 for surfing and gaming, not synthetic benchmarks, and I'll consider them.

95% of average users will never notice a difference.

Aaaaand where exactly producer stated this is for surfing, gaming or average users?
This is a solid next step and good we progress technology.

 

[PEnnn]

Do those companies even try to install one of those monsters in a PC to see if it will fit - or even function in such a cramped environment??

At this rate, PCs will be as large as refrigerators to accommodate this craziness!!

 

[wiyosaya]

Aaaaand where exactly producer stated this is for surfing, gaming or average users?
This is a solid next step and good we progress technology.

IMO, it hardly progresses technology. As I see it, progressing technology would require achieving the speeds these drives hit without generating such a massive amount of heat that it could double as a bacon and egg cooker.

 

[wiyosaya]

PCIE 5.0 will only really benefit the data center and virtual server environments. This makes no real world sense for the average user apart from it looks cool.

Pun intended, I'm sure.

 

[axiomatic13]

Negative Ghostrider. Do not want. I will wait for Phison's 7nm controller which will need far less power and cooling.

 

[Todd Sauve]

Any SSD that requires some massive heat sink or active cooling is not going in my PC. This is TRULY ridiculous. It seems the PC hardware industry will try to sell you anything! I suppose this is the current state of things. Engineers and executives have become simpletons who think the majority of people will buy anything they throw at us. My PCIe 4 system is PLENTY fast enough for the way the PC world is currently!