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    Plextor SSDs - M3 or wait for M5S

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by kseanking, Jul 20, 2012.

  1. kseanking

    kseanking Notebook Enthusiast

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    Hello, I am getting ready to order a new laptop and I plan on buying a Plextor SSD aftermarket to install myself. My question is regarding the new model that they just announced, the M5S. I was originally planning to purchase a M3 (link Newegg.com - Plextor M3 Series PX-256M3 2.5" 256GB SATA III Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)) but I just came across a review for their new product (link to review AnandTech - Plextor M5S 256GB Review)

    I have never owned a SSD before, and I really don't know what kind of benefits the M5S will provide over the M3. Is it worth waiting for the M5S to be released, and furthermore is it worth the $100 increased pricetag for a 256GB M5S? I will use this laptop mainly for gaming, I plan to install the OS and any games with large load times on the SSD, and anything else on storage HDD I will have in the 2nd bay.

    Thank you in advance.
     
    kseanking, Jul 20, 2012
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  2. tilleroftheearth

    tilleroftheearth Wisdom listens quietly...

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    From your Anand Link the above quote is why it would be worth to wait for the M5S instead of the M3 (and imo even for $100 more than the same sized M3...).

    Good luck.
     
    tilleroftheearth, Jul 20, 2012
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  3. R3d

    R3d Notebook Virtuoso

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    No. You won't notice the difference at all for gaming. I would just pick up a cheap Crucial m4 or Samsung 830 next time it goes on sale.
     
    R3d, Jul 20, 2012
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  4. yrc

    yrc Notebook Consultant

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    The Plextor m5 and Crucial m4 both use Micron (parent of co crucial) flash memory and Marvell controllers. Main difference btw them are firmware, warranty (Crucial m4 is 3yrs vs Plextor 5 yrs; don't know if the m5 is 5yr; Plextor m3 has a 5 yr warranty) and the price. I'd say that the premium for the Plextor is not worth it.
     
    yrc, Jul 20, 2012
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  5. baii

    baii Sone

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    This, unless you are dead set on getting a plextor.
     
    baii, Jul 20, 2012
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  6. tilleroftheearth

    tilleroftheearth Wisdom listens quietly...

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    Specifically for gaming? I honestly don't know if this is better than an M4.

    For any other use (work) that needs the highest storage subsystem performance possible?

    Get the M5S (with 3 year warranty only, btw...).

    See:
    AnandTech - Plextor M5S 256GB Review


    The above link shows how the SATA3 M4 performs almost like the SATA2 era Intel 320 series when it comes to writes (while the SATA3 M5S performs where it should - almost 2x faster...). To me, this makes it worthy of $100 more (I'd keep this SSD in for the life of the system (~3yrs)... so less than 9 cents a day to use from day one: a high performance drive to use in a new system that will be able to fully utilize it.

    Yeah, still definitely worth it. ;)
     
    tilleroftheearth, Jul 21, 2012
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