https://www.techpowerup.com/309474/patriot-memory-at-computex-2023-first-dramless-gen-5-ssd-viper-elite-and-viper-extreme-ddr5 Patriot Memory introduced some truly unique memory and storage products at the 2023 Computex. The company showed us what is probably the world's first PCIe Gen 5 NVMe SSD with a DRAMless architecture. It also runs surprisingly cool for the kind of performance that's being claimed. The untitled Patriot Gen 5 SSD uses a Maxiotek MAP802A-F1C DRAMless controller that features a PCI-Express 5.0 x4 host interface. The drive comes in capacities of 1 TB, 2 TB, and 4 TB. The performance on offer easily matches or beats some of the early Gen 5 SSDs based on Phison E26. You get sequential speeds of up to 12 GB/s, with up to 10.5 GB/s sequential writes.
The company also showcased the Viper PV553, a more traditional Gen 5 SSD that uses a DDR4-based DRAM cache that can be as large as 4 GB for the 2 TB model. At this point we don't know which controller is powering this drive, but it's confirmed that it uses a DRAM cache, and needs active cooling. The performance on offer is up to 12.4 GB/s sequential reads, with up to 11.8 GB/s sequential writes. A side-effect of Gen 5 SSDs picking up traction in the market is that Gen 4 SSDs with fairly powerful specs are taking up mainstream pricing. The Viper VP4300 Lite is one such drive, it is a revision of the VP4300 from 2021. This drive uses an InnoGrit-sourced controller paired with 3D TLC NAND flash, DDR4 DRAM cache, and sequential transfer speeds of up to 7.4 GB/s reads, with up to 6.8 GB/s writes. It comes in 500 GB thru 4 TB capacities, and unlike the original VP4300, lacks a heatsink.
Over in the DRAM section, we are shown the Viper Xtreme 5 series DDR5 memory, which comes in speed variants ranging between DDR5-7600 and DDR5-8000, with 32 GB (2x 16 GB) and 48 GB (2x 24 GB) capacities. The Viper Elite 5 series is the more mid-range product from the Patriot stable, with speeds ranging between DDR5-5600 thru DDR5-7000, and capacities ranging between 16 GB (1x 16 GB) to 96 GB (2x 48 GB).
The DRAMless Gen 5 M.2 SSD is extremely innovative.
