SSD Data Recovery
Phison PS5018-E18 Data RecoveryCorsair MP600 Pro/XT / Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus / Seagate FireCuda 530
The Phison PS5018-E18 powers over 160 SSD designs, making it one of the most common NVMe Gen4 controllers in circulation. Its triple Cortex-R5 architecture and 4th-gen LDPC provide strong reliability, but a known performance degradation bug affected Kingston KC3000 models before a firmware patch. We recover Phison PS5018-E18-based SSDs using our PC-3000 system's Phison-specific firmware tools at our Austin lab.
Phison PS5018-E18 Technical Details
The Phison PS5018-E18 powers over 160 SSD designs, making it one of the most common NVMe Gen4 controllers in circulation. Its triple Cortex-R5 architecture and 4th-gen LDPC provide strong reliability, but a known performance degradation bug affected Kingston KC3000 models before a firmware patch.
Phison PS5018-E18 Specifications
- Manufacturer
- Phison
- Interface
- NVMe Gen4
- DRAM Cache
- Yes
- Channels
- 8-channel
- NAND Types
- 3D TLC
AES-256 + TCG Opal 2.0 complicates chip-off. Triple ARM Cortex-R5, 12nm, 1600 MT/s, 4th-gen LDPC.
Recovery Feasibility
AES-256 + TCG Opal 2.0 complicates chip-off. Triple ARM Cortex-R5, 12nm, 1600 MT/s, 4th-gen LDPC.
Drives Using the Phison PS5018-E18
The following consumer SSDs use the Phison PS5018-E18. If your drive is on this list, the failure modes and recovery approaches described on this page apply to your situation.
Phison PS5018-E18 Drive Models
7 models affected
Failure Modes
Each failure mode has a different root cause and requires a different recovery approach. Identifying the correct failure mode is the first step in any recovery.
Performance degradation bug
Kingston KC3000 affected by performance degradation on older files. Firmware fix released but does not recover already-degraded data.
Symptoms you may notice
- Slow read speeds on old files
- Performance inconsistency
- SMART warnings
Related search terms
Windows 11 update vulnerability
Reports link the same Windows 11 KB updates to E18-based drive failures, though the E18 was not explicitly named in primary reports. Microsoft and Phison could not reproduce the issue in testing. Over 160 SSD designs use this controller.
Symptoms you may notice
- SSD failure after Windows update
- Drive not detected post-update
- BSOD during large writes
Related search terms
How We Recover Phison PS5018-E18 SSDs
Firmware-Level Recovery
We recover Phison PS5018-E18-based SSDs using the PC-3000 SSD system with the Phison Active Utility. This provides direct access to the controller's diagnostic interface for firmware repair and FTL (Flash Translation Layer) reconstruction.
Firmware-level access preserves the NAND chip layout and avoids the complications of chip-off recovery. For most Phison PS5018-E18 failures, this is the primary recovery path.
Chip-Off Recovery
Chip-off is possible but complicated for Phison PS5018-E18 drives. Hardware encryption or proprietary NAND encoding reduces chip-off success rates compared to firmware-level recovery.
We attempt firmware-level recovery first and only proceed to chip-off when no other option exists.
AES-256 + TCG Opal 2.0 complicates chip-off. Triple ARM Cortex-R5, 12nm, 1600 MT/s, 4th-gen LDPC.
Pricing
SSD firmware and logical recovery for the Phison PS5018-E18 typically costs $300 to $500. Controller-level failures requiring advanced diagnostics are $500 to $1,500. Chip-off recovery, when viable, is $1,500 to $2,500.
See our full pricing breakdown for details. Our No Data, No Fee guarantee means you pay nothing if we cannot recover your files.
Hard Drive Data Recovery Standards & Verification
Our Austin lab operates on a transparency-first model. We use industry-standard recovery tools, including PC-3000 and DeepSpar, combined with strict environmental controls to make sure your hard drive is handled safely and properly. This approach allows us to serve clients nationwide with consistent technical standards.
Open-drive work is performed in a laminar-flow bench filtered to 0.02 µm, verified using TSI P-Trak instrumentation.
Transparent History
Serving clients nationwide via mail-in service since 2008.
Media Coverage
Our repair work has been covered by The Wall Street Journal and Business Insider, with CBC News reporting on our pricing transparency. Louis Rossmann has testified in Right to Repair hearings in multiple states and founded the Repair Preservation Group.
Aligned Incentives
Our "No Data, No Charge" policy means we assume the risk of the recovery attempt, not the client.
Technical Oversight
Louis Rossmann
Louis Rossmann's well trained staff review our lab protocols to ensure technical accuracy and honest service. Since 2008, his focus has been on clear technical communication and accurate diagnostics rather than sales-driven explanations.
We believe in proving standards rather than just stating them. We use TSI P-Trak instrumentation to verify that clean-air benchmarks are met before any drive is opened.
See our clean bench validation data and particle test videoFrequently Asked Questions
What is the Kingston KC3000 performance bug?
Are Phison E18 drives affected by the Windows 11 update vulnerability?
Why are there so many different SSDs using the Phison E18?
Does the E18 use encryption that complicates recovery?
How much does Phison E18 NVMe data recovery cost?
Other Phison Controllers
We also recover SSDs using these Phison controllers.
Phison PS3111-S11
SATASATAFIRM S11 firmware lockout
9 affected drive models
Phison PS3110-S10
SATAFTL corruption
4 affected drive models
Phison PS5012-E12
NVMe Gen3Firmware corruption from power loss
5 affected drive models
Phison PS5016-E16
NVMe Gen4Firmware corruption
5 affected drive models
Phison PS5021-E21T
NVMe Gen4Permanent data loss bug
5 affected drive models
Not an SSD issue? We also recover hard drives, RAID arrays, and iPhones.
SSD Recovery Overview →Nationwide Mail-In Data Recovery Service
We serve all 50 states with secure mail-in data recovery. Ship your failed drive to our Austin lab using our free shipping kit, and we'll diagnose it within 24-48 hours. No geographic limitations—we've successfully recovered data for customers from Alaska to Florida.
Popular Service Areas
Phison PS5018-E18 SSD not working?
Ship it to our Austin lab for a free evaluation. No data, no charge.