ADATA launches its XPG MARS 980 series of PCIe 5.0 SSDs

ADATA pushes the limits of PCIe 5.0 with their MARS 980 series SSDs

ADATA has officially launched a trio of PCIe 5.0 SSDs under its XPG brand. These SSDs make up the ADATA XPG MARS 980 series, which will be available in three forms.

All three SSDs promise sequential read/write speeds of up to 14,000/13,000 MB/s, using the PCIe 5.0 interface and 232-layer 3D NAND. All three drives use Silicon Motion’s SM2508 SSD controller, which is built using TSMC’s 6nm lithography node. This controller delivers ultra-fast PCIe 5.0 SSD performance, while keeping thermals and power draw in check.

The ADATA XPG MARS 980 is available in three forms. First, we have the MARS 980 Blade, which lacks a large heatsink and is compatible with Sony’s PlayStation 5 console and laptops. Additionally, there is the MARS 980 PRO, which features an aluminium alloy heatsink that promises thermals that are 15% lower than standard fanless solutions. This SSD is also compatible with Sony’s PlayStation 5 console, thanks to the compact nature of its heatsink.

Last, we have the MARS 980 STORM, which features a larger hybrid heatsink solution. This cooler uses a patented design that combines air cooling and liquid cooling elements. The heatsink has two vertical fans that force air through a heatsink solution that contains copper heat pipes. ADATA claims that this solution is 20% cooler than “traditional fanless heatsinks”. This cooler is powered by the user’s M.2 slot, requiring no additional cables to power. This model is intended for users who plan to push this SSD hard with AI or data analytics workloads.

Note that all three SSD models will be available in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB forms and will launch with a 5-year limited warranty.

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