--- description: KIOXIA LC9 debuts with 122TB of QLC NAND, PCIe Gen5, and dual-port support, built for AI, LLMs, and cloud storage. title: KIOXIA’s 122TB LC9 SSD Targets AI, LLMs, and Hyperscale Storage image: https://www.storagereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/KIOXIA_LC9_2.5_front_low.png --- [![Storage Review]()](https://storagereview.com/) --- [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/@storagereview) [X (Twitter)](https://twitter.twitter.com/storagereview) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/storagereview/) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/storagereview-com) [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/user/storagereview?sub_confirmation=1) [Email](mailto:info@storagereview.com) [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/1y6VnznABhHeOSMOmbDTz0) [Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/StorageReview/) [Discord](https://discord.gg/TwMHb4azdC) [RSS Feed](https://www.storagereview.com/rss.xml) [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@storagereview) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/@storagereview) [X (Twitter)](https://twitter.com/storagereview) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/storagereview/) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/storagereview-com) [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/user/storagereview?sub_confirmation=1) [Email](mailto:info@storagereview.com) [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/1y6VnznABhHeOSMOmbDTz0) [Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/StorageReview/) [Discord](https://discord.gg/TwMHb4azdC) [RSS Feed](https://www.storagereview.com/rss.xml) [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@storagereview) [![StorageReview.com](https://www.storagereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Storage-Review-2x.png)](https://www.storagereview.com) ≡ Menu - [Home](https://www.storagereview.com/) - [Storage Reviews](https://www.storagereview.com/review) - [Consumer Reviews](https://www.storagereview.com/consumer) - [Enterprise Reviews](https://www.storagereview.com/enterprise) - [Ubiquiti Reviews](https://www.storagereview.com/best/ubiquiti-reviews) - [SR Merch](https://store.storagereview.com) - [Leaderboards](https://www.storagereview.com/best) - [Best Storage Arrays](https://www.storagereview.com/best/storage-arrays) - [Best Enterprise SSDs](https://www.storagereview.com/best/enterprise-ssds) - [Best Servers](https://www.storagereview.com/best/servers) - [Best Desktops for Local AI](https://www.storagereview.com/best/desktops-local-ai) - [Best Laptops for Local AI](https://www.storagereview.com/best/laptops-local-ai) - [Best Local LLM Tools](https://www.storagereview.com/best/local-llm-tools) - [Agentic AI Hardware](https://www.storagereview.com/best/agentic-ai-hardware) - [Best SSDs & Hard Drives](https://www.storagereview.com/best_drives) - [Best Portable SSDs](https://www.storagereview.com/best/portable-ssds) - [Best Business Laptops](https://www.storagereview.com/best/business-laptops) - [Best Mobile Workstations](https://www.storagereview.com/best/mobile-workstations) - [Best Desktop Workstations](https://www.storagereview.com/best/desktop-workstations) - [Best Laptop Battery Life](https://www.storagereview.com/best/laptop-battery-life) - [Storage Reference Guide](https://www.storagereview.com/storage-reference-guide) - [About SR](https://www.storagereview.com/about-storagereview) - [StorageReview.com Sweepstakes Rules and Regulations](https://www.storagereview.com/storagereview-com-sweepstakes-rules-and-regulations) Search [Home](https://www.storagereview.com/) » [News](https://www.storagereview.com/news) » KIOXIA’s 122TB LC9 SSD Targets AI, LLMs, and Hyperscale Storage # KIOXIA’s 122TB LC9 SSD Targets AI, LLMs, and Hyperscale Storage by Brian Beeler on March 13, 2025 [Enterprise](https://www.storagereview.com/enterprise)  ◇  [SSD](https://www.storagereview.com/enterprise/ssd) The high-capacity enterprise SSD market just got a new contender with the **KIOXIA LC9** Series NVMe SSDs being announced today. The drive features capacities up to 122.88TB and is built on KIOXIA’s generation 8 3D flash memory technology QLC 2 terabit (Tb) die. As with all other enterprise SSDs, the LC9 is designed to address the growing storage needs of AI, large language models (LLMs), and vector databases. As these workloads demand more efficient storage solutions, the KIOXIA LC9 SSD aims to optimize performance while reducing power consumption per terabyte. ![kioxia lc9 122.88TB](https://www.storagereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/KIOXIA_LC9_2.5_front_low.png) ### Breaking Down the KIOXIA LC9 SSD The KIOXIA LC9 SSD uses a 2.5-inch U.2 form factor, which is critical when stuffing so much NAND into a single SSD. Vendors selling 122.88TB SSDs today require the real estate that twin PCBs can offer in the 15mm z-height SSD body. The SSD supports PCIe Gen5 (1×4 or 2×2) and NVMe 2.0, bringing a potential performance uplift over Gen4 drives, at least regarding read speed; sustained writes for a QLC drive are unlikely to surpass the Gen4 barrier. The LC9 also features dual-port capability, making it viable for high-availability enterprise storage solutions. KIOXIA quotes an endurance rating of 0.3 DWPD, which should be sufficient for the read-heavy workloads these drives will likely be tasked with. At the time of this release, KIOXIA doesn’t have a published datasheet. We’ll be interested in seeing the performance profile when these drives get closer to general availability. ### The Role of the KIOXIA LC9 in AI Workloads Storage requirements in AI, particularly for training and inference, continue to push the boundaries of available technology. Large-scale models require extensive datasets, and high-density SSDs like the KIOXIA LC9 are becoming critical in managing these workloads efficiently. The ability to store vast training data on a single drive reduces complexity and improves access speeds, particularly for AI systems leveraging retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) architectures. KIOXIA also highlights its AiSAQ technology, which optimizes vector database performance by storing elements on SSDs instead of DRAM. KIOXIA says this approach improves efficiency and lowers the cost of high-speed AI inference systems. ### KIOXIA LC9 vs. Solidigm P5336 Solidigm was the [first to introduce a 122TB SSD](https://www.storagereview.com/news/solidigm-launches-the-worlds-highest-capacity-pcie-ssd-the-122tb-d5-p5336) with its P5336 in November last year. With KIOXIA now offering a comparable product in the LC9, there are a few key areas to examine: - **Interface & Performance:** The KIOXIA LC9 supports PCIe Gen5, whereas the P5336 is a PCIe Gen4 drive. Will the updated interface give KIOXIA a performance advantage, particularly in bursty read scenarios? - **Dual Ported:** Enterprise storage arrays have historically preferred a dual-ported drive for high-availability reasons. Will this give the LC9 an advantage, or have enough storage array vendors adapted to single-port SSDs for their arrays? - **Endurance & Use Cases:** Both drives feature 0.3 DWPD, which is best suited for read-heavy workloads such as AI dataset storage, cloud archival, and large-scale object storage. - **Form Factors:** Both drives have a U.2 form factor, but the P5336 also has an E1.L form factor, giving the Solidigm drive a little more flexibility for system designers. - **Availability:** None of the above matters if customers can’t buy the drives—the real winner in this 122.88TB SSD showdown is going to be whoever can actually produce them and get them into customers’ hands. For a deeper look at the Solidigm P5336, check out our extensive review here: [Solidigm D5-P5336 Review](https://www.storagereview.com/review/solidigm-d5-p5336-review). ### Final Thoughts The KIOXIA LC9 Series SSD marks a significant milestone in enterprise storage, leveraging QLC NAND and PCIe Gen5 for improved performance and density. As AI, cloud storage, and hyperscale data centers demand ever-larger and more efficient storage solutions, the battle for dominance in the 100TB+ SSD space is just getting started. [KIOXIA](https://americas.kioxia.com/en-us/business/ssd/data-center-ssd.html) **Engage with StorageReview** [Newsletter](https://www.storagereview.com/storage_newsletter) |  [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/user/StorageReview "Opens in a new window") | Podcast  [iTunes](https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/storagereview-com-storage-reviews/id1060681115 "Opens in a new window")/ [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/1y6VnznABhHeOSMOmbDTz0 "Opens in a new window") |  [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/storagereview/ "Opens in a new window") |  [Twitter](https://twitter.com/storagereview "Opens in a new window") |  [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@storagereview? "Opens in a new window") |  [RSS Feed](https://www.storagereview.com/rss.xml) ![]() ### Brian Beeler Brian is located in Cincinnati, Ohio and is the chief analyst and President of StorageReview.com. Previous post: [VAST Data Takes AI Storage to the Next Level with Vector Search & Event-Driven Workflows](https://www.storagereview.com/news/vast-data-takes-ai-storage-to-the-next-level-with-vector-search-event-driven-workflows) Next post: [Pliops and vLLM: Smarter KV Caching for LLM Inference](https://www.storagereview.com/news/pliops-and-vllm-smarter-kv-caching-for-llm-inference) Trusted Vendors Products and solutions from our affiliate partners: - [ ![Ubiquiti Logo](https://www.storagereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/2-1.webp) Ubiquiti](https://store.ui.com/us/en?a_aid=StorageReview "Opens in a new window") - [ ![Newegg Logo](https://www.storagereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/newegg.webp) Newegg](https://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=g5terNMDhz0&offerid=1207190.18&subid=0&type=4 "Opens in a new window") - [ ![Amazon Logo](https://www.storagereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/amazon.webp) Amazon](https://amzn.to/4fLJUEW "Opens in a new window") Newsletter Subscribe to the StorageReview newsletter to stay up to date on the latest news and reviews. We promise no spam! 1 Leave this field empty if you’re human: ## Advertisement Content Categories [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/@storagereview) [X](https://twitter.com/storagereview) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/storagereview/) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/storagereview-com) [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/user/storagereview?sub_confirmation=1) [Email](mailto:info@storagereview.com) [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/1y6VnznABhHeOSMOmbDTz0) [Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/StorageReview/) [Discord](https://discord.gg/TwMHb4azdC) [RSS](https://www.storagereview.com/rss.xml) [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@storagereview) Copyright © 1998-2025 Flying Pig Ventures, LLC Cincinnati, Ohio. All rights reserved. Manage your privacy To provide the best experiences, we and our partners use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us and our partners to process personal data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site and show (non-) personalized ads. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions. Click below to consent to the above or make granular choices. Your choices will be applied to this site only. You can change your settings at any time, including withdrawing your consent, by using the toggles on the Cookie Policy, or by clicking on the manage consent button at the bottom of the screen. Functional Functional Always active The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network. Preferences Preferences The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user. Statistics Statistics The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you. Marketing Marketing The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes. Statistics Marketing Features Always active Always active - Manage options - Manage services - Manage {vendor\_count} vendors - [Read more about these purposes](https://cookiedatabase.org/tcf/purposes/) Accept Deny Manage options Save preferences Manage options - {title} - {title} - {title} Manage your privacy To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions. Functional Functional Always active The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network. Preferences Preferences The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user. Statistics Statistics The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you. Marketing Marketing The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes. Statistics Marketing Features Always active Always active - Manage options - Manage services - Manage {vendor\_count} vendors - [Read more about these purposes](https://cookiedatabase.org/tcf/purposes/) Accept Deny Manage options Save preferences Manage options - {title} - {title} - {title} Manage consent Manage consent ```json {"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/news\/kioxias-122tb-lc9-ssd-targets-ai-llms-and-hyperscale-storage","url":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/news\/kioxias-122tb-lc9-ssd-targets-ai-llms-and-hyperscale-storage","name":"KIOXIA’s 122TB LC9 SSD Targets AI, LLMs, and Hyperscale Storage - StorageReview.com","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/news\/kioxias-122tb-lc9-ssd-targets-ai-llms-and-hyperscale-storage#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/news\/kioxias-122tb-lc9-ssd-targets-ai-llms-and-hyperscale-storage#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/KIOXIA_LC9_2.5_front_low.png","datePublished":"2025-03-13T15:07:16+00:00","description":"KIOXIA LC9 debuts with 122TB of QLC NAND, PCIe Gen5, and dual-port support, built for AI, LLMs, and cloud storage.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/news\/kioxias-122tb-lc9-ssd-targets-ai-llms-and-hyperscale-storage#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/news\/kioxias-122tb-lc9-ssd-targets-ai-llms-and-hyperscale-storage"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/news\/kioxias-122tb-lc9-ssd-targets-ai-llms-and-hyperscale-storage#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/KIOXIA_LC9_2.5_front_low.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/KIOXIA_LC9_2.5_front_low.png","width":438,"height":622,"caption":"kioxia lc9 122.88TB"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/news\/kioxias-122tb-lc9-ssd-targets-ai-llms-and-hyperscale-storage#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"News","item":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/news"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"KIOXIA’s 122TB LC9 SSD Targets AI, LLMs, and Hyperscale Storage"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/","name":"StorageReview.com","description":"StorageReview.com is a leading provider of news and reviews throughout the entire IT stack - from the datacenter to the edge, and all points in between.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/#organization","name":"StorageReview.com","url":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Storage-Reviews-2-2.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Storage-Reviews-2-2.png","width":344,"height":61,"caption":"StorageReview.com"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/x.com\/storagereview","http:\/\/youtube.com\/user\/storagereview"]}]} ```