Manage updates with the Download App
Performance
With a 13-second boot time, the Plextor M3 totally changed the way the host computer boots up in my test. The machine's overall performance was also greatly improved. Gamers will be happy to see how fast many of their games load. In my case, StarCraft 2 took just a few seconds to start.
Similar to other recent SATA 3-based SSDs, the Plextor M3 did well, though not the best, in sequential write and read performance, which is basically how fast the drive can copy files. When used as a secondary drive, where the SanDisk could show its top performance since it only performed the writing, the M3 scored 222 MBps, slightly faster than the OCZ Agility 3 , but noticeably slower than the previous model, the Plextor M2, which scored 261MBps on the same test.
When used as the boot drive that hosted the operating system and performed both writing and reading at the same time, the Plextor M3's data-transferring performance was reduced to 110MBps, about the average on the chart.
Overall, the M3 performed as I expected. On a side note, while it's just the middle of the herd among SSDs, it will offer the same experience as any other SSDs for users who move to it from a regular hard drive. This is because SSDs generally are so much faster than traditional hard drives, especially in terms of boot/shutdown/wakeup times and application performance, that the differences between themselves are only noticeable to those who've always used SSDs. That said, you should refrain from testing your own SSD since that would effectively use up its program cycles , lowering its lifespan.
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
 |
Shutdown | |
Boot Time |
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
|
As Secondary Drive | |
As OS Drive |
Service and support
Plextor backs the M3 up with a five-year warranty, two years longer than what it offers for the M2. When it comes to storage devices, the length of the warranty is the most important factor, and in this case Plextor delivers.
Conclusion
Competitively priced, offering very good performance, and backed by a top warranty time, the Plextor M3 makes a great replacement drive for any laptop or desktop computer.
Where to Buy
- Amazon.com
Quick Specifications
- Hard drive size 128 GB
- Storage Hard Drive / Hard Drive Type Internal hard drive
- Interface type Serial ATA-600
- Form factor 2.5"
- Buffer size 256 MB
CNET editor Dong Ngo has been involved with technology since 2000, starting with testing gadgets and writing code for CNET Labs' benchmarks. He now covers networking and storage, and also writes about other topics from online security to new gadgets and how technology impacts the life of people around the world. Full Bio
