Phison's E37T controller could make PCIe 5.0 SSDs faster, cooler and *get this* slightly less pricey

Phison PCIe 5.0 — (Image credit: Phison)

With memory pricing ballooning to apocalyptic amounts due to demand from the AI industry, it doesn't feel like we've had much good news in the realm of SSDs in recent weeks. Well, Phison Electronics is looking to change that with the PCIe Gen5 controller it just unveiled at CES 2026.

The E37T PCIe Gen5 controller may not sound like the sexiest hardware update, but I promise there's plenty about it that's at least eyebrow-raising. Basically, you can think of it as a great big step up from the Phison E31T, which features in our current budget favourite for the best PCIe 5.0 SSD for gaming, the Crucial P510 NVMe SSD.

To make that short story a little longer, I'll borrow some of Phison's own words; the company touts the new E37T memory controller's ability "to deliver competitive price-to-performance value for modern consumer workloads across notebooks and mobile devices." To cut through the marketing-speak, this memory controller should make PCIe 5.0 drives not only faster but just a little more affordable, too.

CES 2026

(Image credit: Future)

Catch up with CES 2026: We're on the ground in sunny Las Vegas covering all the latest announcements from some of the biggest names in tech, including Nvidia, AMD, Intel, Asus, Razer, MSI and more.

For one thing, this SSD controller is geared towards an "active power efficiency measurement of under 2.3 W." Phison then goes on to share, "Its DRAM-less, 4-channel design keeps power consumption and thermals low, making it an ideal choice for next-generation laptops and mobile gaming using compact form factors."

In other words, the days of bulky heat sinks being a necessity for your cutting-edge PCIe 5.0 SSD may be numbered, as this memory controller affords far better temperature regulation and power management.

The E37T PCIe Gen5 SSD memory controller will feature in the Phison E28, the company's flagship PCIe Gen5 x4 NVMe drive. As far as we PC gamers go, we'll see more of it in SSDs from the likes of Corsair or Silicon Power. For those strangely desperate for the AI industry to at least get a look in, the E37T will likely play a part in Phison’s Pascari X201 and D201 enterprise SSDs geared towards data centres, too.

Release and pricing information for all of the above is still thin on the ground, but my fingers are crossed that I'll be entertaining the thought of a PCIe 5.0 SSD upgrade for my gaming rig a long time before 2028…

Best SSD for gaming 2026

1. Best overall:
WD_Black SN7100

2. Best budget:
Biwin Black Opal NV7400

3. Best PCIe 5.0:
WD_Black SN8100

4. Best budget PCIe 5.0:
Crucial P510

5. Best 4 TB:
TeamGroup MP44

6. Best 8 TB:
WD_Black SN850X

7. Best M.2 2230:
Lexar Play 2230

8. Best for PS5:
Silicon Power XS70

👉Check out our full SSD for gaming guide👈

TOPICS

Jess has been writing about games for over ten years, spending the last seven working on print publications PLAY and Official PlayStation Magazine. When she’s not writing about all things hardware here, she’s getting cosy with a horror classic, ranting about a cult hit to a captive audience, or tinkering with some tabletop nonsense.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.