Kingston’s XS1000 external SSD is a very compact and therefore practical solution for backing up data, photos and films on the move. It slips easily into even the smallest pocket in your bag or jacket.
Available in 1TB and 2TB capacities, it claims read/write speeds of around 1,000 MB per second with a USB 3.2 Gen 2×1 interface (10 Gbit/s), which should be fast enough for the average person in 2024.
There aren’t many ultra-compact external SSDs that combine the same storage capacity, data transfer speeds and affordable price as the Kingston XS1000. Add to that a 5-year warranty, and you’ve probably eliminated all the competition.
With a pitch like that, let’s see what the XS1000 has up its sleeve!
Technical data
| Memory type | Flash TLC (Triple-Level Cell) |
| Controller | Silicon Motion SM2320 |
| Capacity | 2TB |
| Read speed | Up to 1,050 MB/s |
| Write speed | Up to 1,000 MB/s |
| Height | 13.5mm |
| Width | 69.54mm |
| Depth | 32.58mm |
| Weight | 28,7g |
Design
Whether it’s the packaging or the product, Kingston has kept things simple. The case is very compact. So small that the cable will surely take up more room in your pocket: 69.54 x 32.58 x 13.5 millimeters for a weight of 28.7 grams. And a USB-C connector.
To reach such aggressive prices, we of course have a plastic case, which seems very resistant and is above all well finished. You’ll really have to force yourself and use a few tools to get inside.
On the connectivity side, we’re treated to a small USB-C to USB-A cable designed for USB 3.2 Gen 2. It would have been interesting to also have a USB-C to USB-C cable, as USB-As are becoming increasingly rare on our laptops, or simply for connecting our phones.
Speeds
We start by checking with the Kingston software whether the external SSD is up to date, before bringing it to its knees.
Synthetic performance is a good way to really exploit the big numbers. We’ll see later how well it works in the real world with real application benchmarks. That’s why we’re starting with CrystalDiskMark and different file sizes.
ATTO works in a very similar way, so here we check the results.
The 1,050 MB/s read limit is exceeded on CrystalDiskMark and not on ATTO. On the write side, the opposite is true: ATTO slightly exceeds 1,000 MB/s, but not on CrystalDiskMark. We can also see that XS1000 performance is stable.
But what happens when you broadcast a video? a more practical use. The industry uses the AJA benchmark for this. There’s a drop in read and write rates, which is normal when you’re dealing with a real-life situation.
Conclusion
Once again, Kingston has come up with a rather inexpensive product with substantial throughput in USB 3.2 Gen2. Beware, however, of rising memory prices. The XS1000 2TB came out this summer at around 130 euros, was available at Christmas for 120 euros, and now costs around 150 euros.
The XS1000 is perfect for amateur users. With transfer speeds of around 1000 MB per second, Ethan Hunt won’t have time to sweat it out in the vault.
KINGSTON XS1000 2TB
We liked :
- Very compact
- Performance
- 5-year warranty
Our least favorite :
- No USB-C to USB-C cable
- Cable takes up more space than SSD
