Plextor s3, new series of cheap ssd drives

Plextor became one of consumers' favorite brands when it comes to purchasing storage units. Lately, the company has been very successful with the sale of SSD memory units, which is why it has decided to launch a new range called S3 and made up of very cheap models.

Plextor S3, cheap SSD drives with M.2 and 2.5 ”format

Plextor's new SSD memory series arrives with the S3C (2.5-inch size) and S3G (M.2 format) models. As for their specifications and capabilities, they vary between several options.

For example, the S3C series will be available in sizes of 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB, while S3G units will come in capacities of 128GB and 256GB only.

All Plextor S3 series units feature a 14nm SK Hynix TLC NAND flash memory along with a Silicon Motion SMI2254 controller. In addition, each unit will provide sequential read speeds of up to 550MB / s, and write speeds of 500MB / s (128GB model), 510MB / s (256GB), and 520MB / s (512GB).

On the other hand, the performance of reading and writing 4K content also changes from one model to another. 128GB drives will reach 72, 000 IOPS (read) and 57, 000 IOPS (write); 256GB drive reaches up to 90, 000 IOPS (read) and 71, 000 IOPS (write); and the 512GB model can reach 92, 000 IOPS (read) and 72, 000 IOPS (write).

Finally, Plextor ensures that the durability of these drives is 35TB TBW for the 128GB models and 70TB TBW for the 256GB and 512GB models.

Plextor S3 SSD prices

Plextor did not release prices for its new SSDs, although the TechPowerUp web portal notes that they can now be purchased in Europe for 62 euros (128GB), 106 euros (256GB) and 213 euros (512GB).

Based on current information, we can say that the new S3C and S3G drives are somewhat dated, as they use the SATA interface and have prices quite similar to those of Samsung's 850 Pro range, although SSD prices have been on the rise lately due to shortage of NAND chips.

On the other hand, Samsung is still the leader in performance for SSDs, although if you are looking for something cheaper, you should normally opt for an SSD with a SATA interface like the one in the new Plextor SSDs.