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The PX-128M1S is a 2.5-inch, SATA 3Gb/s drive, which makes it compatible with most notebooks. It can also be installed into a desktop computer with use of a mounting bracket (not included).
80% Rating: 
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HDD Benchmark: File Transfer Test & Conclusions
 File
Copying |
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For this
test a single 8.5GB file is copied from a WD Raptor (WD740) system disk to the
test disk (write to), from the test disk to the WD Raptor system disk (read
from), and from the test disk to itself (read and write to self). While this
test is heavily influenced by the SATA controller and by the number of files
being transferred, it provides a good indication of the sustained transfer rates
capable from the hard drive being tested. Higher transfer speeds are best.
 Large Single File
Transfer (8.5GB) |
| Average Speed: Write to |
(MB/s) |
Ranking |
 Plextor PX-128M1S
|
51 |
   |
| Seagate 2TB Barracuda XT |
51 |
   |
| Average Speed: Read From |
(MB/s) |
Ranking |
| Plextor PX-128M1S
|
63 |
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| Seagate 2TB Barracuda XT |
58 |
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| Average Speed: Read / Write to Self |
(MB/s) |
Ranking |
| Plextor PX-128M1S
|
48 |
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| Seagate 2TB Barracuda XT |
51 |
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While
other tests have shown the Plextor PX-128M1S as having higher sequential read
and write speeds, a simple copying test in Windows Explorer show the Plextor
PX-128M1S actually takes longer than the Seagate Barracuda to copy large
files.
Weighing your SSD
Options
Only recently have Solid State Drives (SSDs) come into
vogue for personal computing, and for good reason. They're much faster than
conventional rotational hard drives, particularly for tasks like booting into
Windows and increasing the speed at which programs will load (READ: games).
The 128GB
Plextor
PX-128M1S SSD works the way a good piece of hardware should, giving a noticeable
improvement in operating system responsiveness without requiring the user to
jump through hoops to take advantage of it. Just hook up the SATA cable and turn
on AHCI (if you have the compatible hardware), it'll work nearly as well with
older systems that lack ACHI but you lose some hot-swappability and speed.
When
compared to a pair of fast drives like the Western Digital WD1001FALS in RAID 0 mode, the Plextor
PX-128M1S SSD can't quite attain the same sequential read and write speeds, but
it does manage better random small file I/O performance. Thanks to its built-in
wear-leveling and S.M.A.R.T. diagnostic tools, the PX-128M1S should last you
quite some time. Plextor backs the whole thing up with a 3-year warranty.
SSD's are
blessed with some of the lowest access latencies this side of Mars. As PCMark
Vantage shows, it's these qualities that make the SSD significantly faster for
situations like application loading... though you do sacrifice storage capacity
for those gains. This is why most enthusiasts will use them selectively to boost
the performance of their PC - typically by installing the OS directly onto the
SSD partition and relegating all media/data files to a conventional hard disk
where price per GB is dramatically lower.
Retailing
for around $430 CDN ($380 USD, £250 GBP), the
Plextor PX-128M1S SSD is definitely an investment, but 128GB of space gives you
a bit more storage capacity compared to those enticing 32GB-64GB SSDs. If you've
been window shopping for SSD recently, the Plextor PX-128M1S is comparable to
OCZ's Vertex, the G.Skill Falcon II and Kingston's SSDNowV+; all of which can be
found in 128GB capacities at for around the same amount.
Plextor's
128GB PX-128M1S SSD hits all the right notes and offers up good mainstream
performance on par with other solid state disks of its class, although we do
wish Plextor would expand the warranty from 3 years to 5. Bottom line, if you
have can afford an SSD like the Plextor PX-128M1S, it is one of the best
upgrades you can do for your computer in terms of application load time and all
around snappiness!
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