Review: Kingston’s KC3000 is a top PCIe 4.0 SSD for those who need speed
Solid-state drives (SSD) using the PCIe 4.0 standard are gaining popularity, and leading storage manufacturers are padding their lineups with the faster drives. Kingston’s selection of consumer drives currently includes two PCIe 4.0 SSDs: the Kingston KC3000 and the Kingston Fury Renegade. I recently picked up the former to test out how well it performs, how it compares to competing SSDs, and whether or not it’s worth a buy.
Kingston KC3000
Pros
- Incredible performance
- Generous TBW rating
- Up to 4TB size available
- Acronis True Image HD software included
- Five-year warranty
Cons
- No true heatsink included
- No built-in AES encryption
- Can find more affordable PCIe 4.0 drives
Kingston KC3000: Price, availability, and specs
Source: Windows Central
List prices vary due to availability and depending on the retailer, though Kingston has some set prices that I used to calculate the price per GB. The 512GB model should cost about $100, the 1TB model should cost about $162, the 2TB model should cost about $317, and the 4TB model should cost about $884. That’s a big increase for 4TB, but that’s normal with the large-capacity drives.
The Kingston KC3000 works best with compatible PCIe 4.0 PCs and it also works with the PlayStation 5 (though a heatsink should be required).
Here’s a look at the specs that make up the Kingston KC3000.
Category | Spec |
---|---|
Form | M.2 2280 |
NAND | 176L 3D TLC |
Controller | Phison E18 |
Interface | PCIe 4.0×4 NVMe 1.4 |
Cache (DRAM) | 512MB DDR4 (512GB) 1GB DDR4 (1TB) 2GB DDR4 (2TB) 4GB DDR4 (4TB) |
Durability | 512GB: 400 TBW 1TB: 800 TBW 2TB: 1,600 TBW 4TB: 3,200 TBW |
Warranty | Five years |
$ per GB | 512GB: $0.20 1TB: $0.16 2TB: $0.15 4TB: $0.22 |
Kingston KC3000: What I like
Source: Windows Central
The Kingston KC3000 is extremely fast and backs it up with a generous TBW rating.
This is a generous TBW rating that beats out the likes of the Crucial P5 Plus, the XPG Gammix S70, and the Samsung 980 Pro. It extends beyond the 1TB model, with generous coverage for all sizes in relation to how many gigabytes you’re buying. Most people won’t ever hit the threshold for high-end drives, but it’s something to keep an eye on if you quickly burn through data.
Source: Windows Central
The Kingston KC3000 looks great on paper, but how does it really perform? I ran a bunch of tests using an ABS Challenger (ALI589) with Intel B560 chipset on a Gigabyte DS3H motherboard, 16GB of dual-channel DDR4 RAM, and 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11400F CPU.
Sequential read and write speeds in CrystalDiskMark are excellent, beating out the Samsung 980 Pro and Crucial P5 Plus. The XPG Gammix S70 and the Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus scored better, though they were the larger 2TB models that generally offer better speeds.
Source: Windows Central
Source: Windows Central
Kingston KC3000: What I don’t like
Source: Windows Central
Though there’s a graphene sticker included with the KC3000, there’s no real heatsink included. There’s not even an M.2 screw in the package, which is a bit annoying. Temperatures during regular use hovered around 60 to 70 degrees Celsius, but those without PC cases with good airflow or a PS5 will want to add something more substantial. And if you’re really putting the SSD through its paces with sustained load, it will likely hit its heat threshold and begin to throttle.
Kingston KC3000: Competition
Source: Windows Central
The Samsung 980 Pro is another top option that’s available in sizes from 250GB-2TB. Prices are slightly less than the Kingston KC3000, though it does have a slightly lower TBW rating. The KC3000 came out on top in benchmarks, though we did test a smaller 500GB 980 Pro which could affect speeds.
Source: Windows Central
Sabrent’s Rocket 4 Plus uses the same controller as the Kingston KC3000 and comes in sizes from 500GB to 4TB. It also comes with a slim heatsink. The 500GB model starts at $100, while the 1TB model climbs to $180. It has a slightly lower TBW compared to the KC3000 but it offers great performance.
Be sure to have a look at our collection of the best SSDs for more great storage options.
Kingston KC3000: Should you buy it?
Source: Windows Central
You should buy this if …
- You want one of the faster PCIe 4.0 SSDs available
- You need a drive between 500GB and 4TB in size
- You have a compatible PC or PS5
You shouldn’t buy this if…
- You want the most affordable PCIe 4.0 SSD
- You want an SSD with an included heatsink
- You need a drive that’s smaller than 500GB
Kingston’s KC3000 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD is easy to recommend to anyone upgrading or building a modern PC. It’s available in 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB sizes, it comes with cloning software to better manage your upgrade, it has an excellent TBW rating and a five-year warranty, and it performs extremely well. You don’t get a true heatsink or built-in AES encryption, but these won’t matter to everyone.
The Kingston KC3000 might cost more than the likes of the popular Crucial P5 Plus and Samsung 980 Pro, but those who want the extra transfer speed and durability shouldn’t find the price difference too extreme.
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