Over the years, we have been using the traditional spinning hard disk drive (HDD) which was first invented more than 65 years ago as these HDD comprises of one or more rotating platters using magnetism to store the data.
As technology progresses a new generation of storage device have been developed using flash-based memory called Solid State Drive (SSD). SSD uses integrated circuit assemblies than the traditional mechanical hard disk. SSDs are currently being installed in laptops, desktop PC and servers.
The good thing with SSD storage is that they are durable, offers faster data transfer, energy efficient, less weight, and quieter than HDDs due to the absence of moving parts. SSD is able to handle drops, shakes, shocks and everyday wear and tear, making it less apt to experience data loss. Lastly, SSD are available in a variety of sizes with the smallest up to 2.5-inch form factor.
Packaging of the Kingston XS2000
Last year, Kingston Technology unveiled its latest pocket-sized portable SSD the Kingston XS2000 available in three storage capacities: 500GB (PHP6,400), 1TB (PHP10,700) and 2TB (PHP19,200). The XS2000 is backed by a limited five-year warranty with free technical support and available on Kingston’s official e-commerce stores on Lazada and Shopee.
So, let’s check out more of the Kingston XS2000.
Opening the box, you’ll get the Kingston XS2000 unit, black rubber sleeve and a USB Type-C to USB Type-C cable which stretches to almost 12-inches long.
The Kingston XS2000 is made of durable material compose of both plastic and metal. It has a nice matte-silver color on the top and bottom while crammed with a matte-black on the center of the whole body of the drive. On top of the silver you have a Kingston logo while at the back there’s a sticker with more info about the device.
The XS2000 gets an oval shaped design on one end while the opposite end you can find the USB Type-C port plus next to it a blue LED indicator. The overall dimensions of the XS2000 are 69.54 x 32.58 x 13.5mm and weighs at only 28.9 grams.
The Kingston XS2000 measures only less than 3 inches
As we’ve mentioned, Kingston included a removable black rubber sleeve which adds even more durability and protection making it shockproof in case you accidentally drop it from your hands. Added feature of the XS2000 offers an IP55 rating4 making it withstand dust particles and a good level of protection against water making it usable for on-location photoshoots or outdoor travel adventures.
The compact size of the Kingston XS2000 can be stored easily in your pocket or backpack
Performance and Benchmark
For our review unit we got a large storage capacity of 1TB giving you the option to store a lot of your videos, music, photographs, files and more. You can also choose from other available storage options as the XS2000 offers either in 500GB or a hefty 2TB.
Again, the XS2000 connects using the USB Type-C cable with Kingston claiming that it could perform lightning-fast transfer speeds of up to 2000MB/s read and write making it easy to upload your files. It supports USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 to achieve that needed fast transfer speeds but it can also be used with USB versions 3.1 and 3.0 or automatically default to the highest speed it allows to the device you’re connected.
Here are our benchmark results:
Using my Apple Macbook Pro Touchbar we opted to measure the storage read and write benchmark performance of the Kingston XS2000 using Amorphous Disk Mark.
The transfer read speed goes at a 779.61MB/s which is very remarkable while the write gets a 626.41MB/s. We tried transferring a 2.81GB and 16.17GB files to the Kingston XS2000 which took only less than a minute to complete.
Conclusion
The Kingston XS2000 is a very fast portable SSD solution that would be great to have one to store your home or office files especially useful if you’re a creative professional.
This compact device packs a lot of features such as a good performance of up to 2000MB/s transfer speeds, its very lightweight, IP55 rating4, rubber sleeve for extra protection and the promise of technical support in case you have problems with it.
The XS2000 also gets the next-gen USB-C 3.2 Gen 2×2 which will probably be an advantage if you have the right computer or laptop specs supporting the said feature. However, if you are using USB versions 3.1 or 3.0 the XS2000 can still perform and get that fast transfer speed rates as what we have experienced.
The only small concerns we could see for the Kingston XS2000 would probably the price. The 1TB storage will cost you at PHP10,700 unless the cost doesn’t worry you then make that purchase. Another thing would be the lack of management software and security features to protect your data.
Overall, the Kingston XS2000 is pretty much a solid portable SSD you can rely on when you need to move large files between computers or want a travel backup for your laptop. They are a bit expensive than the existing external HDD in the market but because they have no moving parts, they’re essentially more faster, lightweight and more durable.
What We Like
- Small and lightweight form factor
- Easy on-the-go storage device
- Available capacity storage options
- Speeds up to 2,000MB/s1 with USB 3.2 Gen 2×2
- IP55 rating4
- Removable rubber sleeve for additional protection
- 5-year warranty with technical support
What We Want
- Lower Price
- Management Software and Security Features
Kingston XS2000 Full Specifications
- Storage Capacity and Price: 500GB PHP6,400 / 1GB PHP10,700 / 2GB PHP19,200
- Interface: USB 3.2 Gen 2×2
- Speed: 2,000MB/s read, 2,000MB/s write
- Capacities: 500GB, 1TB, 2TB
- Dimensions: 69.54×32.58×13.5mm
- Weight: 28.9g
- Casing Material: Metal + Plastic
- Operating Temperature: 0°C~40°C
- Storage Temperature: -20°C~85°C
- Warranty/Support: Limited 5-year warranty with free technical support
- Compatible with: Windows 10, 8.1, Mac OS (v.10.14.x +), Linux (v. 2.6.x +), Chrome OS
