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Samsung teases radical new modular SSD design with swappable NAND and SSD controller that can be detached independently — tiny 4TB PCIe 5.0 M.2 drive is also ready
As the year draws to a close, anticipation for CES 2026 grows. Samsung has provided a preliminary preview of its forthcoming Detachable AutoSSD (AM9C1 E1.A) and PM9E1 M.2 22x42, a 2242 variant of the OEM drive designed to rival the best SSDs in the market. The radical new modular SSD design has a swappable NAND and SSD controller that can be detached independently. The company also showed off its new tiny 4TB PCIe 5.0 SSD.
Samsung introduced the original AM9C1 automotive SSD last year, a BGA drive that incorporates the company's proprietary 5nm PCIe 4.0 controller and 8th-generation V-NAND flash. The latest E1.A version of the AM9C1 maintains these components but now features a modular design. Consequently, Samsung markets the AM9C1 E1.A under the new Detachable AutoSSD series. The modular configuration separates the SSD controller from the NAND into two distinct modules, thereby facilitating upgrades and replacements. Samsung asserts that the new E1.A form factor also extends the product's operational lifespan by enhancing heat dissipation.
The original AM9C1 was available with capacities ranging from 128GB to 2TB, with sequential read speeds up to 4,700 MB/s and sequential write speeds up to 1,400 MB/s. It's modular AM9C1 E1.A form factor provides extensive versatility, allowing automotive manufacturers or owners to replace the PCIe 4.0 controller with a faster PCIe 5.0 alternative in the future or to increase storage capacity with higher-capacity NAND components.
The AM9C1 E1.A caters to autonomous vehicles. However, it is reasonable to envisage a similar implementation within the consumer SSD market. Samsung can easily port this design to the mainstream market; however, the associated costs are likely to be substantial, as is typical for cutting-edge technology.
The PM9E1 M.2 22x42 is essentially an iteration of the original PM9E1, rendered in a more compact form factor. The initial model is a M.2 2280, whereas this new variant, as indicated by its designation, is presented in an M.2 2242 package. Although not a prevalent form factor, it is commonly utilized in ultra-thin laptops, tablets, or mini-PCs. The PM9E1 M.2 22x42 is marginally too long for the Steam Deck, as the device employs M.2 2230 drives. Nonetheless, modifications exist to accommodate larger drives within Valve's gaming handheld; however, such alterations are not generally advisable.
The PM9E1 is a PCIe 5.0 drive featuring Samsung's 5nm Presto SSD controller and V8 TLC V-NAND. It essentially serves as the OEM variant of the Samsung 9100 Pro, tailored for the consumer market. The M.2 2242 segment is not very crowded; however, the PM9E1 M.2 22x42 will compete against Corsair's recently announced MP700 Micro. Similar to its competitor, the PM9E1 M.2 22x42 supports capacities of up to 4TB. This makes these M.2 2242 drives particularly appealing to Steam Deck users, as the increased surface area permits higher capacities, whereas M.2 2230 SSDs are limited to a maximum of 2TB.
The PM9E1 M.2 22x42 provides sequential read and write speeds of up to 14.8 GB/s and 13.4 GB/s, respectively. Consequently, it offers significantly higher performance compared to the MP700 Micro. The PM9E1 M.2 22x42 demonstrates a 48% increase in sequential read speeds and a 58% increase in sequential write speeds. Although the PM9E1 M.2 22x42 is classified as an OEM drive, Samsung's OEM products occasionally enter the grey market and are available at more competitive prices; however, this often entails the absence of the standard warranty typically associated with consumer products.
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Samsung will likely disclose additional details regarding the AM9C1 E1.A and PM9E1 M.2 22x42 at the CES 2026, which is scheduled to take place from January 6 to 9 at the usual venue in Las Vegas.
Zhiye Liu is a news editor, memory reviewer, and SSD tester at Tom’s Hardware. Although he loves everything that’s hardware, he has a soft spot for CPUs, GPUs, and RAM.
@Deleted member 2824971
Well, I think you've nailed it Sir! Another unnecessary iteration of tech that was fine to begin with, and labeling it 'innovation' to print holiday cash? !
I read modular controller and NAND package, which seems to imply there are choices for both that can be freely recombined.
Yet the pictures seem to hint at how you can mount a 2242 length M.2 into something longer, perhaps 2280... for which in most systems you just move a screw.
Playing with free permutations of controlers and NAND packages seems like a very bad idea, for nearly each permutation.
Flexible length NVMe drives sort of exist already, where you can simply break off the latter part or simply buy the shorter variant and move the screw...
What am I missing?
The two pictures seem to be unrelated. The 2242 drive seems to be the PM9E1, while the "Detachable Auto SSD" is the AM9C1.
That said, I don't get the point of the modular AM9C1 either. Upgrading either part will result in the loss of all data, the host system is likely not going to get upgraded to a new PCIe version, they're not going to be able to validate every combination of controller and flash unless options are limited, and many pairings will leave performance on the table in same way. A non-modular range of validated pairings seems like it would make much more sense.
I read modular controller and NAND package, which seems to imply there are choices for both that can be freely recombined.
Yet the pictures seem to hint at how you can mount a 2242 length M.2 into something longer, perhaps 2280... for which in most systems you just move a screw.
Playing with free permutations of controlers and NAND packages seems like a very bad idea, for nearly each permutation.
Flexible length NVMe drives sort of exist already, where you can simply break off the latter part or simply buy the shorter variant and move the screw...
What am I missing?
I think what it's about is supply line diversification. I don't really think it has anything to do with upgrades. With the way NAND prices have been fluctuating this could potentially allow for buying at lows and still being able to use it with whatever controller they have that's compatible. By disconnecting the two it gives manufacturers more flexibility and that's all I think this is about so it'd be pointless outside of that market.
