Introduction

Crucial's SSD products are in an odd position at this time. The m4 products launched during the first quarter of 2011, around 18 months ago. In SSD years, that's quite some time. To keep up with other manufacturers, Crucial shaved the m4 prices and now the m4 is one of the best-selling SSD series in the world.

Since its first introduction to us in January 2011, the Crucial m4 has actually changed quite a bit. Firmware updates have increased performance while advances in flash technology and higher production has decreased the cost of flash, the most expensive component on the BOM. The result leaves us with a faster product that costs less. Today though, were looking at an entirely new m4, this time in the small mSATA form factor.

mSATA was announced in September of 2009 and it didn't take long for OEMs to make use of the new, tiny form factor. mSATA in part is responsible for many of the new ultrabook designs. Typical notebook SSDs are 9.5mm tall, but some of the new ultrabooks are actually thinner than that.

Today we are looking at the new Crucial m4 SATA III mSATA 256GB SSD. This is the first new SATA III SSD from Crucial in a long time and we're excited to see how it performs.