Kingston NV2 1TB M.2 2280 NVMe Review

Affordable Performance with Some Trade-Offs for Everyday Users

The Kingston NV2 1TB M.2 2280 NVMe SSD is a budget-friendly option that aims to deliver solid performance for general computing tasks, but it does have its limitations, particularly for power users and gamers, making it crucial to weigh the pros and cons before buying.


Design and Build Quality

The Kingston NV2 follows a minimalist design with no heat sink or external casing, which helps reduce its cost, but this also means it lacks the robust thermal management found in higher-end SSDs like the Samsung 980 Pro.

While this isn't an issue for light tasks, the lack of a heatsink might lead to thermal throttling during extended heavy usage.

Performance and Speed

In terms of speed, the Kingston NV2 offers sequential read speeds of up to 3,500 MB/s and write speeds up to 2,100 MB/s, which is decent for most everyday tasks such as web browsing, office work, and light gaming.

However, when compared to more advanced models like the WD Black SN770, which can reach over 5,000 MB/s, the NV2 feels somewhat sluggish in more intensive workloads like video editing or large file transfers.

Real-World Testing

When tested in real-world scenarios, such as booting the operating system, launching applications, and transferring medium-sized files, the Kingston NV2 performed adequately, but noticeably slower when handling larger files or multitasking with demanding applications.

Compared to the Crucial P3 Plus, the NV2 is slower in multi-gigabyte transfers, showing limitations for users needing fast data handling.

Gaming Performance

For gaming, the NV2 offers decent load times for less resource-heavy games, but in AAA titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Call of Duty: Warzone, it lagged behind higher-end competitors.

In comparison, the Samsung 970 EVO Plus offered noticeably faster level loads and smoother in-game streaming.

This makes the NV2 a less ideal choice for gamers who demand lightning-fast performance in modern titles.

Thermal Efficiency

Due to its lack of thermal management features, the Kingston NV2 tends to run hotter under continuous heavy workloads, which could lead to thermal throttling, impacting overall performance.

In direct comparison, the Kingston NV1, a previous model, showed slightly better heat management due to its more balanced power consumption, although both models fall short of more premium SSDs like the Seagate FireCuda 530, which integrates a heat spreader to keep temperatures low.

Durability and Endurance

The endurance rating of the Kingston NV2 is fairly low compared to more robust SSDs in the market, with a total bytes written (TBW) specification of 320TB for the 1TB model.

While this may be sufficient for light users, power users working with extensive data sets or large media files may find this to be a limiting factor.

Competitors like the WD Blue SN570 offer better endurance ratings, making them a preferable choice for users who prioritize longevity.

Installation and Compatibility

Installing the Kingston NV2 was a straightforward process, and it worked seamlessly with most systems, including both newer and older motherboards supporting PCIe Gen 3 and Gen 4.

However, if you're using a Gen 4 slot expecting to take full advantage of faster speeds, you'll find the NV2 limited to PCIe 3.0 performance, which makes it less future-proof than faster Gen 4 SSDs like the Corsair MP600.

Price-to-Performance Ratio

Where the Kingston NV2 shines is in its affordability, making it an attractive option for users who need an SSD for everyday tasks without needing the extreme speeds offered by higher-end models.

It is one of the most budget-friendly NVMe drives available, offering better value than options like the Intel 670p, which is slightly more expensive but delivers a similar level of performance.

Power Consumption

One of the NV2's advantages is its low power consumption, which makes it ideal for ultrabooks and laptops, especially for users who value battery life over raw performance.

Compared to the ADATA XPG SX8200 Pro, which consumes more power under load, the NV2 offers a more balanced approach for users with portable devices.

Downsides for Power Users

For users with high-performance needs, such as video editors, gamers, or data scientists, the Kingston NV2 falls short due to its limited speeds, endurance, and thermal management.

The absence of DRAM cache, which is present in SSDs like the Kingston KC3000, impacts its sustained performance, especially in heavier tasks like rendering or multi-threaded operations.

Conclusion

The Kingston NV2 1TB M.2 2280 NVMe SSD is a cost-effective choice for general use, offering decent speed and performance for everyday tasks while keeping energy consumption low.

However, it lacks the higher-end features and performance needed for intensive workloads, and its thermal limitations may impact longevity under sustained heavy usage.

Pros:

  • Affordable price point
  • Easy installation and good compatibility
  • Low power consumption, great for laptops

Cons:

  • Lacks DRAM cache, impacting sustained performance
  • Slower speeds compared to competitors
  • No heat sink, leading to potential thermal throttling

For users needing more speed, endurance, and thermal efficiency, the WD Black SN770 or Samsung 970 EVO Plus offer better overall performance at a slightly higher cost, making them more suitable for demanding tasks

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