While there are many external solid-state drives available, Kingston’s latest external SSD not only features a portable and rugged design but also offers top-notch speed transfers for those who require the best. We review the new Kingston XS2000 external SSD and here are our thoughts about it.
Kingston’s latest XS2000 is designed for those who require a fast-performing drive that is easily pocketable. The device features a small and lightweight chassis that can be easily carried in your pockets. The dimensions of the drive are 69.54 x 32.58 x 13.5mm and weigh hardly 28.9g. Kingston mentions that the drive is water-resistant, dust-resistant, and shockproof, thanks to the included rubber sleeve (IEC/EN 60529 IP55 certification).
The inclusion of the rubberized sleeve with the drive is perfect for professionals who want to carry a high-performance drive on the go that can withstand accidental spills and drops. While the rubber sleeve can be easily removed, the main silver chassis of the drive is made of metal, and the sides are black in color.
The XS2000 drive depends on USB-C connectivity for data transfers and the port is located on the right side of the drive. There is also a blue LED indicator that sits next to the USB-C port and it blinks when the drive is connected or while data read/write operations are going on. It should be noted that the USB-C connection used here is the USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 interface.
Kington has also included a USB-C to USB-C cable for connections with other USB-C devices. According to Kingston, the drive is fully compatible with Windows 11/10/8.1 OS systems, macOS (v.10.14.x +), Linux (v. 2.6.x +), and Chrome OS devices. And yes, we tried the drive with Android smartphone such as the Samsung Galaxy Fold4 and it detects the drive without any issues. That said, with the USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 interface, the XS2000 is capable of achieving read and write transfer speeds of 2000 MB/s, respectively.
However, during our time with the XS2000, we didn’t actually have any PC or laptop that sports the latest USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 interface. Our testbed actually features the ASUS X570-PLUS TUF GAMING motherboard with the Zen 2-based AMD Ryzen 3800XT processor, along with Windows 11 Pro installed on a Kingston 1TB KC2500 SSD. While the ASUS X570-PLUS TUF GAMING motherboard features the USB 3.2 Gen 2 USB-C port, it is not the 2X2 version that allows 20Gbps speeds.
By running the CrystalDiskMark test, the XS2000 was able to achieve a read speed of 1025MB/s and a write speed of 906MB/s. Please note that these speeds are due to the hardware limitations of our testbed and the older USB interface causes the performance bottlenecks. We also had the Acer Nitro 5 gaming laptop for review and the machine also did not sport the latest USB-C Gen 2 2×2 interface, and the results were more or less the same as our testbed scores.
We also ran some manual file copy tests and the drive achieved an average write speed of 600MB/s while making a copy of a 1GB test file within the drive.
We also tested transferring the full folder of the GTA 5 game from the main SSD to the XS2000 and the folder weighs around 100GB. The transfer took about four minutes and nine seconds to complete and the average transfer speed was 460MB/s.
The Kingston XS2000 is an excellent choice for those looking for a lightweight and high-speed external solid-state drive. The device comes with a rubber sleeve that helps to protect the drive from accidental drops and water splashes. The main chassis is made of metal and the drive features USB-C 3.2 Gen 2×2 interface that allows read and write speeds up to 2000 MB/s, making it the perfect device to transfer large files and folders.
The XS2000 is compatible with Windows, MacOS, Chrome OS, and also Android devices. While there aren’t many devices out there that feature the latest USB-C 3.2 Gen 2×2 connectivity, the XS2000 SSD still offers impressive read and write speed performances. It’s also the perfect choice for those who want to buy a future-proof drive that has the latest USB specifications. The Kingston XS2000 external SSD is available in 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB storage options.
