Kioxia has announced the new EG7 series SSD, its first client drive built around 8th-generation BiCS FLASH QLC memory. The new model targets upcoming laptops and desktops from major PC brands, with PCIe 4.0 performance reaching up to 7,000 MB/s and capacities up to 2TB.
The EG7 arrives as QLC storage becomes more common in mainstream systems, where manufacturers want larger capacities at lower cost, especially in budget-focused machines. Kioxia is aiming to close the usual gap between QLC and TLC drives by pairing higher-density flash with faster client-level performance.
Sequential read speeds reach up to 7,000 MB/s, while writes climb to 6,200 MB/s. Random performance is rated at up to 1,000K IOPS for both reads and writes. Kioxia also claims the EG7 can deliver performance similar to its TLC-based BG7 series in common client workloads.
The drive supports PCIe 4.0 and the NVMe 2.0d standard, aligning with storage upgrades now common in performance notebooks. It does not include onboard DRAM, instead relying on Host Memory Buffer technology, which borrows a small portion of system memory to help maintain responsiveness while reducing cost and power draw.
Kioxia will offer the EG7 in M.2 2230, 2242, and 2280 sizes. That opens the door for thin laptops, handheld gaming systems, mini PCs, and standard desktop towers, especially compact systems where storage size flexibility matters. Capacity options include 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB.
Security-focused versions with TCG Opal 2.02 self-encryption support are also planned, although availability may differ by market.
The EG7 is currently sampling to OEM partners. Consumers are more likely to see the drive inside new laptops and prebuilt desktops rather than as a boxed retail SSD, particularly in ready-to-use mainstream PCs. Systems carrying the new storage are expected to ship in the second quarter of 2026.
For buyers, the bigger story may come later this year: more affordable notebooks and desktops with faster storage and larger capacities already installed.
Kioxia EG7 SSD: Key Specifications
| Interface | PCIe 4.0 |
| Protocol | NVMe 2.0d |
| NAND | 8th-gen BiCS FLASH QLC |
| Form Factors | M.2 2230 / 2242 / 2280 |
| Capacities | 512GB / 1TB / 2TB |
| Max Read Speed | Up to 7,000 MB/s |
| Max Write Speed | Up to 6,200 MB/s |
| Random Performance | Up to 1,000K IOPS |
| DRAM Cache | No |
| HMB Support | Yes |
| Availability | OEM sampling now, Q2 2026 systems |
Source: Kioxia
