Kingston XS2000 SSD Review

The Kingston XS2000 is a USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2×2 portable SSD drive. It uses USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 interface to deliver high performance in a compact size.

The XS2000 offers high-speed storage options of up to 4TB for offloading and editing high-res images, 8K videos and large documents in a flash drive. The drive is future-proofed to keep up with storage demands and is compatible with most devices out of the box.

It functions just like a hard drive but stores data using NAND flash technology and connects via USB Type-C, allowing content creators to access their data anywhere on a PC or mobile device. The XS2000 includes a removable rubber sleeve and IP55 rating to withstand water and dust, making it the perfect companion outdoor use as well.

There are four different versions available in different storage capacities of 500GB, 1TB, 2TB and 4TB. With a total weight of just 28.9 grams, it is the lightest, portable SSD drives we’ve reviewed.  The SSD is rated for temperatures between 0 to 40 degrees Celsius and is backed by a 5-year warranty. A big thank you to Kingston for sending us this review unit.

Highlights

• Speeds up to 2,000MB/s with USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2×2
• Capacities up to 4TB
• Compact, pocket-sized form factor
• IP55 rating with removable rubber sleeve

Specifications

Unboxing

The Kingston XS2000 comes in the Kingston-branded, paper cardboard packaging. The SSD is protected inside in a plastic container to keep the drive safe during shipping. The drive casing is made of plastic and has a grainy metal texture. The included rubber sleeve needs to be installed to achieve the IP55 resistance rating.

The XS2000 measures 22mm x 3.5mm in size, weighs 28.9 grams and is therefore very compact and pocket-friendly. The front side of the drive has the USB-C port and a activity indicator LED.

Performance

Our review unit is the 2TB version. On paper, performance should be 2,000MB/s in sequential reading and 2,000MB MB/s in writing when connected via USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 interface. The Kingston XS2000 is also backward compatible with last-gen USB Type-C but will only operate at last-gen speeds.

After formatting the drive, we are left with 1.86TB of free space. During tests, the Kingston XS2000 performed very well. Transferring files, videos and large documents is quick with this portable SSD.

During everyday use, the speeds are in the range of 300-600 MB/s, depending on the size of files. In CrystalDiskMark, the XS2000 comes out with 1,717 MB/s and 1,614 MB/s in sequential reading and writing respectively.

Conclusion

The Kingston XS2000 is the fastest portable SSD drive we’ve tested. It works as a great portable storage solution for creative professionals to quickly transfer and store large files, photos, videos and documents. The new Kingston XS2000 SSD is currently available in 500GB, 1TB, 2TB and 4TB capacities and is backed by a limited five-year warranty