ReviewsStorage

Kingston KC2500 1TB NVMe M.2 PCIe SSD Review

Specification

The specification table shows us that besides significantly higher declared bandwidth and IOPS, not much has changed compared to the KC2000. There is still the same SMI 2262EN controller and 96-layer 3D TLC NAND. Sounds good and how it really looks like we will find out a bit later after the product presentation.

 

Form factor M.2 2280
Interface NVMe™ PCIe Gen 3.0 x 4 Lanes
Capacities 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB
Controller SMI 2262EN
NAND 96-layer 3D TLC
Encrypted XTS-AES 256-bit Encryption
Sequential Read/Write 250GB – up to 3,500/1,200MB/s
500GB – up to 3,500/2,500MB/s
1TB – up to 3,500/2,900MB/s
2TB – up to 3,500/2,900MB/s
Random 4k Read/Write 250GB – up to 375,000/300,000 IOPS
500GB – up to 375,000/300,000 IOPS
1TB – up to 375,000/300,000 IOPS
2TB – up to 375,000/300,000 IOPS
Total Bytes Written (TBW) 250GB – 150TBW
500GB – 300TBW
1TB – 600TBW
2TB – 1.2PBW
Power Consumption .003W Idle / .2W Avg / 2.1W (MAX) Read / 7W (MAX) Write
Storage temperatures -40°C~85°C
Operating temperatures 0°C~70°C
Dimensions: 80mm x 22mm x 3.5mm
Weight 250GB – 8g
500GB – 10g
1TB – 10g
2TB – 11g
Vibration operating 2.17G Peak (7-800Hz)
Vibration Non-operating 20G Peak (20-1000Hz)
MTBF 2,000,000
Warranty/support Limited 5-year warranty with free technical support
 
 
AIDA64 is also confirming the used controller and NAND type. NAND manufacturer is Intel what wasn’t included in the official specification. Professionals like to see Intel everywhere, so it’s a good thing.

The drive also supports XTS-AES encryption. Hardware encryption is getting popular in business, so it’s, of course, an advantage that we won’t find in all competitive SSD.

The same as the KC2000, also KC2500, is covered by a 5-year warranty. Most SSD still have two or three years of warranty, and only top series have more than that.

Above is a screenshot from CrystalDiskInfo, which is showing us that the SSD is in perfect condition.

The temperature of the drive is between 30-60°C depends on the load, so the same as in the case of KC2000. The maximum specified temperature is 70°C, but as long as our computer has some airflow, then it shouldn’t be so high.

 

 

Product Photos and a Closer Look

The package is also about the same as that of the KC2000. It’s cardboard with blister-type protection for the SSD. It’s enough to deliver all the necessary info about the drive and protect the drive itself for the time of transport. It also presents nicely in a retail store.

The package includes the Acronis True Image HD license key. The software can be downloaded from the Kingston website. Inside we won’t find much more, but some things are described on the package. Everything else, like a user’s manual or more detailed specification, can be found on the Kingston website.

The KC2500 looks like a reliable business-grade SSD, but it’s black PCB, and simple design also fit a gaming PC. There is no heatsink, and some time ago, I wouldn’t say that, but I’m glad there is no heatsink. The reason is simple. If we wish to use the KC2500 in a laptop, then it probably wouldn’t fit, and most gaming and workstation motherboards nowadays have their own heatsinks for M.2 SSD. Some competitive SSD have glued heatsinks, which are hard to remove without damaging the drive, so I dislike that too, but well, no problems with the KC2500.

On the front of the drive, there is a lot of info, product numbers, serial numbers, and logos with certifications. On the back, we will see only some chips with Kingston markings. If not the specification table, then we would have a hard time reading what NAND and controller are on the PCB. The PCB is less important, and for most users, what counts is that it is black.

On the next page, we will take a closer look at test results. Let’s go there as results are exceptional.

 

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