While the latest Thunderbolt specification continues to wear the crown when it comes to data transfer speeds, USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 is more versatile with no need to get Intel involved. This makes the new Kingston XS2000 solid-state drive lineup a great alternative for folks on the AMD bandwagon. When connected to a Windows, macOS, or Chrome OS-powered device with support for the USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 specification, Kingston promises up to 2,000MB/s transfer speeds. Best of all, it’s incredibly compact, measuring roughly 2.7 by 1.3 by 0.5 inches and weighting in at just over an ounce. Continue reading to learn more.
Kingston XS2000 attempts to lead the industry with up to 20Gb/s bandwidth
With what Kingston touts as “industry-leading read/write speeds of up to 2,000MB/s,” its latest solid-state drive has come out swinging. Buyers can obtain capacities reaching up to 2TB or get their foot in the door at 500GB. No matter which route you take, design and performance will remain identical.
As with many other external solid-state drives in this category, Kingston XS2000 is water and dust-resistant and even shockproof with an included rubber sleeve. This drive ships with a USB-C to USB-C cable, leaving USB-A in the dust. Support for USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 means that it can handle two concurrent 10Gb/s data streams, creating 20Gb/s of total bandwidth. This paves the way for “offloading and editing high-res images, 8K videos, and large documents in a flash.”
“XS2000 is purpose-built with the ultimate combination of high performance and high capacity to keep up with the content demands of consumers around the world,” said Keith Schimmenti, SSD business manager, Kingston. “Plus the compact size, similar to a key fob, and added durability make this the ideal drive to keep productivity flowing for the everyday content creator to prosumer and corporate professional.”
Pricing and availability
The new Kingston XS2000 solid-state drive comes in 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB capacities that are priced at $99.99, $159.99, and $284.99, respectively. While it is likely to be sold across a variety of retailers, Amazon is the only one we can find that offers it at the time of posting this coverage. None of the capacities are in pre-order status, but shipments appear to be delayed until October at the earliest.
9to5Toys’ Take
If you want a fast external storage and don’t want to be tied to a machine with Thunderbolt compatibility, the new Kingston XS2000 is certainly worth a look. As with just about any solid-state drive, you’ll still need to set aside quite a bit of money when compared with similar capacities found in conventional hard drives.
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