Credit: MSI
With the advent of MSI’s Spatium M580 Frozr SSD, the storage industry is seeing a significant stride in the application of PCIe Gen 5 technology.
The capabilities of this advanced solid-state drive are being stretched to the upper limits of what is expected, both in data transfer speeds and cooling efficiency.
Key Specifications:
- Sequential Read Speeds: Up to 14.6 GB/s
- Sequential Write Speeds: Up to 12.7 GB/s
- Available Capacities: 1 TB, 2 TB, and 4 TB variants
- Controller Used: Phison E26
The M580 Frozr boasts impressive performance with the 2 TB version demonstrating the quickest speeds. MSI has engineered the drive to exploit the peak bandwidth offered by the PCIe Gen 5 interface, aiming to reach the theoretical maximum of 15.75 GB/s.
Compared to its predecessor, the PCIe Gen 4 M482, the M580 Frozr records transfer rates that more than double its performance, marking a substantial advancement in sequential read speeds from 7.3 GB/s.
Cooling Mechanism:
- Type of Cooling: Passive cooling
- Heatsink: Tall aluminum heatsink with mounted design
- Temperature Reduction: Decreases temperatures by 20°C
- Heat Pipes: Three
- Fins: Numerous for improved heat dissipation
MSI has adopted a passive cooling method utilizing a sizable aluminum heat sink, a distinctive approach favoring quiet operation over the inclusion of an active cooling fan.
This cooling solution, which is already affixed to the SSD, boasts multiple heat pipes and a large number of fins, ensuring that the device remains cool during operation.
Despite the considerable size of the heatsink that extends from the motherboard’s M2 slot, it is crafted not to obstruct CPU or GPU components.
It is acknowledged that the heat sink’s position allows it to encounter heat emanating from the GPU, yet this is an unavoidable aspect of the SSD’s placement.
This innovative design corroborates previous predictions regarding the necessity for cooling mechanisms in top-performing Gen 5 SSDs, deviating from the uncooled designs of past storage devices.
The Spatium M580 Frozr represents a response to these operational needs, melding breakthrough speed with effective thermal management, favoring robust, silent cooling over alternative, noisier solutions.