Micron Unveils 2600 NVMe PCIe 4 Up to 2TB SSDs Series with Adaptive Write Technology and G9 QLC NAND

SSDs are vital to enhancing user experience and system performance for PCs and client devices. Micron Technology, Inc. announced the 2600 NVMe SSDs Series, a value client storage solution designed for OEMs.

Built with the industry’s first 9th Gen QLC NAND in an SSD, the 2600 SSD features the company’s Adaptive Write Technology (AWT) to deliver PCIe Gen4 performance with QLC economics. ⁽¹⁾ The 2600 SSD series achieves up to 63% faster sequential write and 49% faster random write speeds than competing value QLC and TLC SSDs, ⁽²⁾ offering a best-in-class user experience for demanding client users.

“The Micron 2600 QLC SSD achieves superior performance compared to competitive value TLC drives,” said Mark Montierth, corporate VP and GM, mobile and client business unit, Micron Technology. “Micron’s unparalleled combination of high-performance G9 NAND and innovative Adaptive Write Technology unlocks the performance previously only considered possible with TLC drives and is in qualification with Micron’s OEM customers. This Micron innovation milestone allows for broader commercial adoption of QLC NAND.”

Optimized QLC NAND performance 
The company’s AWT improves the write performance of QLC NAND by delivering an industry-first multi-tiered SLC, TLC and QLC dynamic caching architecture to improve sequential write speeds. Improved write performance provides up to 4 times faster sequential write speeds while continuously writing up to 800GB of data to a 2TB SSD. ⁽³⁾

The cutting-edge 6-plane NAND architecture of Micron’s 2Tb G9 QLC NAND allows for higher degrees of parallelism and increases RW commands issued to the NAND simultaneously to improve performance. With speeds up to 3.6GB/s, the 2600 SSD offers the fastest NAND I/O rate shipping in a client SSD. ⁽⁴⁾

Storage matters
Powerful PC storage solutions enable improved application productivity and optimized user experience. The Micron 2600 SSD transforms everyday computing experiences, significantly boosting productivity for commonly used applications.

• Enhanced performance: The 2600 SSD accelerates data access, along with read and write speeds, leading to quicker boot times, faster application launch time and enhanced system responsiveness. Reduced OS image installation time ensures more efficient manufacturing process and fast commercial PC drive imaging for IT departments.
• AI PC applications: Storage performance is a key contributor to advancements in AI-driven applications. The 2600 SSD’s fast read access allows AI models to be loaded quickly, enabling transitions between tasks.

• User experience: AWT helps ensure active data is optimally stored in the SSD, resulting in smoother performance for content creation, casual gaming and everyday computing. In PCMark 10 testing, the 2600 SSD achieved up to 44% better scoring and 43% better bandwidth versus competitive value TLC SSDs, helping demonstrate the excellent user experience provided by the 2600 SSD. ⁽⁵⁾

The Micron 2600 NVMe SSD is shipping to OEMs globally in 22x30mm, 22x42mm, and 22x80mm form factors, with capacities ranging from 512GB to 2TB. The variation of smaller form factors, capacity options and a single-sided design is for handhelds, ultra-thin laptops and workstations. For example, the compact 2TB, 22x30mm form factor is ultra-small and high-capacity for use in limited-space designs such as handheld gaming devices.

Industry quotes:
“The Micron 2600 QLC SSD is one of the best examples of client storage, bringing high-capacity, efficient and responsive performance to modern computing. As AMD advances processor technology, Micron’s innovations help users get the best possible user experience for everyday applications,” said Joe Macri, SVP and CTO, compute and graphics, AMD (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.).

“Building upon Micron’s legacy of NAND innovation, the Micron G9 QLC NAND has the potential to set a new level of performance for QLC NAND. As part of our ongoing collaborative efforts, IBM is eager for the opportunity to integrate this exceptional NAND into our products,” said Alistair Symon, VP, storage systems development, IBM Storage, IBM Corp.

“The Micron 2600 SSD is a groundbreaking product that showcases the power and potential of Intel’s latest technology. We are excited to see this innovative solution transform the industry and drive new levels of performance for value SSDs on Intel Platforms. Furthermore, the Micron 2600 SSD is now included on Intel’s Platform Component List (PCL),” said Todd Lewellen, VP, client ecosystem group, Intel Corp.

“The Micron 2600 SSD, powered by Phison’s industry-leading E29T controller, supports high NAND flash speeds, redefining user experiences for value-based client SSDs. In the data center storage realm, Micron’s G9 QLC NAND marks a significant technological advancement that will bolster our lightning-fast Pascari enterprise drives,” said K.S. Pua, CEO, Phison Electronics Corp.

“Micron G9 QLC NAND is a substantial leap forward in QLC NAND technology. Pure Storage continues to lead the way in QLC NAND deployment for the enterprise, and now for hyperscale customers. The initiation of the testing and implementation phases for the innovative Micron G9 QLC NAND marks a significant milestone for both companies,” said Bill Cerreta, VP and GM, hyperscale, Pure Storage, Inc. 

⁽¹⁾ AWT is available on select 2600 SSD SKUs and may not be available from every OEM.
⁽²⁾ SSD comparisons are based on currently in-production, commonly available 2TB QLC and value TLC NAND client SSDs from the top 5 competitive suppliers of OEM SSDs by revenue (using 1TB where the supplier does not offer 2TB), excluding consoles and Apple products, as per Forward Insights analyst report, SSD Supplier Status Q1/25”. Performance comparisons are based on publicly available data sheet information.
⁽³⁾ Refers to rated capacity, formatted capacity will be less, 1TB = 1 trillion bytes. AWT accelerates large file transfers for 40% of the SSD capacity based on internal Micron testing results.
⁽⁴⁾ Statements are based on publicly available information and Micron lab testing results available at the time of product announcement. NAND analysis based on production NAND from the top 5 competitive NAND suppliers, as noted in the Forward Insights analyst report, NAND Quarterly Insights Q1/25. SSD analysis is based on currently in-production, commonly available 2TB QLC and value TLC client SSDs from the top 5 competitive suppliers of OEM SSDs by revenue (using 1TB where the supplier does not offer 2TB), excluding consoles and Apple products, as per Forward Insights analyst report, SSD Supplier Status Q1/25.
⁽⁵⁾ The PCMark 10 Full System Drive Benchmark suite uses a wide-ranging set of real-world traces from popular applications such as Adobe and Microsoft, along with PC games such as Call of Duty, to fully test common tasks and performance of the fastest modern drives.

Resources:
Micron AWT video   
Micron AWT tech brief    
Micron G9 QLC NAND