Nice performance! Too bad about the price premium for the form factor[$180], hard to compete with other flash drives, definitely the performance crown at the smallest size, but easier to get a cheap m.2 enclosure and deal with the extra bulk and equivalent to superior performance, what else to do with the spare m.2 chucked from laptops...
The absence of any "thermal solution" is disappointing for that device and price class. A small strip of a quality thermal pad (FujiPoly or comparable) and it would likely not get that dangerously hot (hot enough to cause mild burns). Well fitted thermal pads, and a body made from cast aluminum (as heat sink), and it'd probably be all set, at least temperature-wise. Actually, what is that case made of? Did I overlook that in the article?
Casing is fully plastic. In one sense, this may be user-friendly - the exterior doesn't get hot enough to touch (something that is bound to happen a lot for a thumb drive). But, as suggested, the internal board deserves a thermal pad at the least.
Thanks for the update! Given the price point of that drive, another dollar or two in the BOM for an anodized aluminum body (as heatsink) and a few square centimeters of thermal pads would have been a great investment that would have helped sales.
It's also supposed to be practically portable though, and plastic is far less likely to cause damage to other items in bags/on key chains and won't look too bad acter some abuse. Aluminium on the other hand is terrible for that and will end up looking a mess.
A properly designed partial aluminum enclosure won't damage other things in your bag.
Also, if your, be it partial or fully, aluminum enclosure is getting significantly messed up, maybe don't throw it in a bag that also contains your keys.
>Can't transfer more than 90GB of data per time, otherwise falls to QLC speeds >Half the random speeds of NVMe-through-USB
Ok, I get it, first-gen, too compact
>Couldn't find a way to cool down the controller while still making it skin-friendly (Aluminium body with fins, thermal pads, maybe some silicone on the edges for more comfort in handling?) >$160 for 1TB NAND on a simple PCB in an injection-molded plastic shell.
Is it just me or does this look like a somewhat weird first-gen-y product that doesn't seem to know if it wants to directly compete with NVMe SSD's on performance?
Ganesh, thanks much for this review. I am very much in the market for a flash drive of this type. I have been waiting for powerful USB controllers for, I dunno, 6+ years now...
I currently own a Corsair Flash Voyager GTX. It uses a SATA SSD controller (crappy low end one?) behind a USB <--> SATA bridge chip. It was about the best flash drive available until this Kingston, but Corsair has stubbornly refused to update it since it was released 3 or 4 years ago.
I would love to upgrade from the Corsair, but nobody was releasing anything compellingly better. This Kingston is a leap forward.
I am with eastcoast_pete: my main dislike of this Kingston is the absence of any "thermal solution", and I too would like its body to be aluminum (even if it scratches).
I too would also love if it had a dual-connector (Type-C + Type-A).
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cyrusfox - Thursday, September 30, 2021 - link
Nice performance! Too bad about the price premium for the form factor[$180], hard to compete with other flash drives, definitely the performance crown at the smallest size, but easier to get a cheap m.2 enclosure and deal with the extra bulk and equivalent to superior performance, what else to do with the spare m.2 chucked from laptops...eastcoast_pete - Thursday, September 30, 2021 - link
The absence of any "thermal solution" is disappointing for that device and price class. A small strip of a quality thermal pad (FujiPoly or comparable) and it would likely not get that dangerously hot (hot enough to cause mild burns). Well fitted thermal pads, and a body made from cast aluminum (as heat sink), and it'd probably be all set, at least temperature-wise.Actually, what is that case made of? Did I overlook that in the article?
ganeshts - Thursday, September 30, 2021 - link
Casing is fully plastic. In one sense, this may be user-friendly - the exterior doesn't get hot enough to touch (something that is bound to happen a lot for a thumb drive). But, as suggested, the internal board deserves a thermal pad at the least.eastcoast_pete - Thursday, September 30, 2021 - link
Thanks for the update! Given the price point of that drive, another dollar or two in the BOM for an anodized aluminum body (as heatsink) and a few square centimeters of thermal pads would have been a great investment that would have helped sales.Tams80 - Friday, October 1, 2021 - link
It's also supposed to be practically portable though, and plastic is far less likely to cause damage to other items in bags/on key chains and won't look too bad acter some abuse. Aluminium on the other hand is terrible for that and will end up looking a mess.meacupla - Sunday, October 3, 2021 - link
A properly designed partial aluminum enclosure won't damage other things in your bag.Also, if your, be it partial or fully, aluminum enclosure is getting significantly messed up, maybe don't throw it in a bag that also contains your keys.
meacupla - Thursday, September 30, 2021 - link
I half expect someone to make this drive go even faster by adding some thermal pads and a chunky heatsink.I would guess the controller has thermal protection and throttles when it gets hot.
Wereweeb - Friday, October 1, 2021 - link
>Can't transfer more than 90GB of data per time, otherwise falls to QLC speeds>Half the random speeds of NVMe-through-USB
Ok, I get it, first-gen, too compact
>Couldn't find a way to cool down the controller while still making it skin-friendly (Aluminium body with fins, thermal pads, maybe some silicone on the edges for more comfort in handling?)
>$160 for 1TB NAND on a simple PCB in an injection-molded plastic shell.
Is it just me or does this look like a somewhat weird first-gen-y product that doesn't seem to know if it wants to directly compete with NVMe SSD's on performance?
Up2Trix - Sunday, October 3, 2021 - link
Ganesh, thanks much for this review. I am very much in the market for a flash drive of this type. I have been waiting for powerful USB controllers for, I dunno, 6+ years now...I currently own a Corsair Flash Voyager GTX. It uses a SATA SSD controller (crappy low end one?) behind a USB <--> SATA bridge chip. It was about the best flash drive available until this Kingston, but Corsair has stubbornly refused to update it since it was released 3 or 4 years ago.
I would love to upgrade from the Corsair, but nobody was releasing anything compellingly better. This Kingston is a leap forward.
I am with eastcoast_pete: my main dislike of this Kingston is the absence of any "thermal solution", and I too would like its body to be aluminum (even if it scratches).
I too would also love if it had a dual-connector (Type-C + Type-A).
Corsair: I hope that you are reading this!
PleaseNoMoreVideoAds - Sunday, October 3, 2021 - link
I just made an account to say: PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE AUTOPLAYING VIDEO ADS WITH AUDIO.The site is becoming unusable.
Thanks and best wishes.
yetanotherhuman - Monday, October 4, 2021 - link
Install ublock origin.You're welcome.
watersb - Wednesday, October 6, 2021 - link
Usually I don't support comments like this... but...The auto playing video ad floats above the content, rendering the site unusable on my primary browsing device, a 2020 iPhone SE.
I don't know if there is a simple config to fix this, but it's worth a review. Can't read the site.
Excited about next gen simple USB UFS drives, though !