Plextor EX1 SSD targets Apple MacBook Pro (2016) with USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C interface

Apple's all-new MacBook Pro looks to be a very well-designed machine. It features Thunderbolt 3/USB Type-C ports only -- something I think is a wise choice. True, those that want to leverage USB Type-A and other ports will need to use dongles, but in a couple years, consumers will be glad to have nothing but the latest-and-greatest connector on their machine. For comparison, look at FireWire, floppy disk, and optical drives -- Apple was panned for their removal too.

If you need to expand storage on your new Touch Bar MacBook Pro, you unfortunately cannot upgrade the internal SSD. Instead, you will need to leverage an external drive using the aforementioned Type-C ports. Plextor has an elegant new product that should meet those external storage needs. Called simply "EX1", it is a USB 3.1 Gen 2 SSD with Type-C connector.

"Weighing only 30 grams, the slim and lightweight EX1 provides great data transfer speeds and is almost as compact as a conventional flash drive. The highly durable SSD storage core eliminates common problems associated with external hard drives such as shaking and over-heating. The EX1's speed, shock resistance, and silent features add stability and convenience to mobile storage users. The simple and elegant curved design of the EX1's exterior is available in gold and titanium silver", says Plextor.

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The company further says, "the speed bottleneck of external storage devices no longer affects system performance. Plextor EX1's design specifications focuses on speed. The USB Type-C interface supports USB 3.1 Gen 2 standards, and can provide transfer speeds 10 times faster than USB 2.0. Equipped with Plextor's renowned SSD core, the EX1 offers amazing 550/500 MB/s continuous read/write speeds, respectively, providing data transfer efficiency that is unheard of in traditional flash drives or external hard drives".

Obviously, the drive is very fast, but as you can see above, it is quite attractive too. Does that matter? Absolutely. For some, the drive will be used when on the go, but for others, it will adorn the top of a desk. Many people like having an attractive work space, and this certainly looks elegant and Apple-esque.

While the EX1 will work brilliantly on Apple's Mac computers, it is compatible with other operating systems too, such as Windows 10, Ubuntu, Android, Chrome OS, and more. You will just need to format it appropriately, of course.

Unfortunately pricing is not yet known. What we do know, however, is capacity. The drive will be sold in November with three storage options -- 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB. If you are worried about compatibility with older machines, don't be -- it comes packaged with a Type-C to Type-A cable too. In addition, a carry case is included to keep the drive safe when traveling.