Micron has announced the start of mass production of its Micron 9650 SSD, presented as the first data center model based on PCIe Gen6 to reach this industrial milestone. The move comes at a time when storage is no longer just a background component but becomes a direct factor of performance and cost in Artificial Intelligence, advanced analytics, and large-scale virtualization infrastructures.
A generational leap: why PCIe Gen6 changes the debate
The transition to PCI Express 6.0 doubles the bandwidth compared to PCIe 5.0, raising the transfer ceiling between storage and compute. The PCIe 6.0 specification itself relies on deep changes at the signaling level (such as switching to PAM4 and using error correction mechanisms), precisely to sustain these rates in real-world environments. In practice, this results in a scenario where the bottleneck is no longer only in the GPU or network: it can also be in the data path to and from the SSD, especially in pipelines with continuous ingestion, massive datasets, and high concurrency workloads.
What does the Micron 9650 offer: figures and positioning
Micron positions the 9650 as a component designed to “power” demanding AI workloads, combining raw performance and energy efficiency. According to its technical documentation, the manufacturer references up to 28 GB/s in sequential read and 14 GB/s in sequential write, along with up to 5.5 million IOPS in random reads (depending on configuration). Additionally, the product utilizes Micron G9 TLC NAND and an interface of PCIe Gen6.2 x4 with NVMe 2.0.
The launch is structured into two families:
- Micron 9650 PRO, aimed at intensive read scenarios (1 DWPD, meaning a full drive write per day).
- Micron 9650 MAX, focused on mixed-use (3 DWPD).
In capacities, Micron details options for the PRO line of 7.68 TB, 15.36 TB, and 30.72 TB, while the MAX options include 6.4 TB, 12.8 TB, and 25.6 TB.
Quick table: key specifications (according to Micron)
| Series | Focus | Capacities | Max sequential read | Max sequential write | Max random read |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9650 PRO | Intensive read (1 DWPD) | 7.68 / 15.36 / 30.72 TB | 28,000 MB/sec | 14,000 MB/sec | up to 5,500 KIOPS |
| 9650 MAX | Mixed use (3 DWPD) | 6.4 / 12.8 / 25.6 TB | 28,000 MB/sec | 14,000 MB/sec | up to 5,500 KIOPS |
(Performance values provided by the manufacturer.)
EDSFF and liquid cooling: when SSDs enter thermal discussions
One of the most striking messages of the announcement is that Micron assumes that high-performance storage can no longer be treated as thermally isolated components. The 9650 is available in EDSFF E1.S (9.5 mm) and E3.S 1T formats, and Micron explicitly considers liquid cooling configurations for E1.S. This is a clear signal of where platform design is heading: if CPUs, GPUs, and networks are being reconsidered due to heat and power demands, storage is also involved.
For the data center ecosystem, this point is more than an anecdote: in racks where every watt and degree count, integrating the SSD into thermal management strategies (not just “shadowing it under airflow”) can make a difference in density, stability, and scalability.
Performance per watt: the other half of the headline
Beyond “28 GB/sec,” Micron emphasizes efficiency as a core argument. The manufacturer compares the 9650 with PCIe Gen5 units in terms of performance per watt and reports significant improvements in sequential and random read performance at the same power levels, a particularly important aspect in AI infrastructures where total power consumption is already a growth limiter.
A product aligned with a trend: moving data without system bottlenecks
The subtext of the announcement points to a shift in architectural priorities: when deploying large models, wide context windows, or RAG-like flows, systems need not only compute but also continuous and predictable data movement. In this scenario, a next-generation SSD is not “faster for its own sake,” but an effort to reduce friction across the entire chain: from storage to compute, including IO queues, latency, and energy efficiency.
Additionally, Micron accompanying the announcement with statements from ecosystem partners. AMD, for example, highlights the importance of fast, efficient storage as AI workloads redefine infrastructure requirements, framing joint efforts as a way to maximize next-generation server platforms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a PCIe Gen6 SSD like the Micron 9650 compatible with PCIe Gen5 servers?
Generally, PCIe maintains backward compatibility, but to achieve the advertised performance, the platform (motherboard, CPU, backplane, and server design) must support PCIe Gen6 and its electrical and thermal requirements.
What are the use cases where a 28 GB/sec read SSD is most relevant?
Mostly for large-scale analytics, training workloads, and AI inference with high read demand, high-concurrency databases, and environments where I/O limits the performance of accelerators.
Why is liquid cooling appearing in an SSD?
Because as performance and density increase, the thermal load also grows. Modern designs may require thermal management strategies similar to those used for CPUs or GPUs to prevent throttling and maintain sustained performance.
What is the practical difference between 1 DWPD and 3 DWPD in an enterprise SSD?
It’s a way to estimate endurance. 1 DWPD typically suits intensive read scenarios; 3 DWPD targets mixed environments with higher sustained write activity (such as databases, caches, data pipelines, or continuous ingestion).