Plextor

Plextor's next-gen M6e is a M.2 2280 PCIe SSD combined with a x4 PCIe adapter. You probably don't have a M.2 PCIe slot yet, but Plextor hopes their Marvell 9183 powered SSD will find a home in enthusiast systems thanks to their adapter.

Plextor is launching two new SSDs under its M6 banner. The M6S and M6M lean on Toshiba's A19 flash and Marvell's updated 9188 silicon. Together, both components (plus some custom firmware work) should augment value and speed in a couple of form factors.

Hot on the heels of its M5S, Plextor sent us the M5 Pro. Loaded with hot new technologies like 19 nm NAND and the latest Marvell controller, the company's flagship was certainly worth waiting for. How does it do against the established incumbents, though?

Plextor's optical drives were always known for their quality. Now, the company is trying to carry that reputation over to SSDs. Its M5S is actually a fourth-generation offering based on Marvell's controller technology. But Plextor adds its own spin, too.

Do you want the best performance from your SSD all of the time, regardless of workload? Drives with Marvell's controller technology should be on your short list. We put seven of them through the paces and discover lots of speed at each capacity point.

The advent of affordable, high-capacity media could bring a renaissance in optical storage, but only if the performance is adequate. We tested a few of today’s fastest drives with USB and eSATA connectivity to find out where this technology stands.