Kingston NV3 2TB M.2 2280 NVMe SSD Review

Solid Budget Storage with Some Performance Trade-offs

The Kingston NV3 2TB M.2 2280 NVMe SSD offers an affordable option for expanding your storage, making it ideal for users looking to boost their system’s capacity without breaking the bank, but it does come with notable performance compromises compared to more premium drives.



Design and Build Quality

The Kingston NV3 follows a standard M.2 2280 form factor, with no additional heat sink or flashy design elements, giving it a low-profile appearance.

The simplicity in its design makes it easy to install, but it lacks advanced thermal management, which could become an issue during intensive tasks.

Compared to more premium SSDs like the Samsung 970 EVO Plus, the NV3 feels more basic, though this is to be expected at its price point.

Performance and Speed

The NV3 is marketed with read speeds of up to 3,500 MB/s and write speeds of up to 2,800 MB/s, which positions it in the entry-level range for NVMe drives.

During testing, it performed adequately for general everyday use, such as file transfers and application launches, but it noticeably lagged behind more performance-focused SSDs like the WD Blue SN570, especially when dealing with large file transfers or intensive workloads.

For users upgrading from a traditional SATA SSD, the NV3 will provide a decent boost, but it’s far from the top-tier speeds found in Gen4 or high-end Gen3 SSDs.

Gaming Performance

For gaming, the Kingston NV3 handled moderate titles like Fortnite and Apex Legends well, delivering decent load times and in-game performance.

However, when playing more demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077, the drive struggled with longer loading times compared to drives like the Crucial P5 Plus, which is optimized for faster read speeds and sustained performance under pressure.

While the NV3 works fine for casual gaming, enthusiasts seeking seamless gameplay and rapid load times might find it lacking.

Thermal Performance

Thermal management is a potential drawback for the NV3, especially under heavy load conditions.

In my testing, the SSD tended to run warmer during large file transfers and extended gaming sessions, resulting in minor performance throttling.

This contrasts with drives like the Kingston KC3000, which offers more robust thermal solutions to maintain peak performance.

Users with poorly ventilated systems or those looking for long-term reliability might need to add a third-party heat sink to ensure stability during heavy use.

Endurance and Durability

With a Total Bytes Written (TBW) rating of 640TB for the 2TB model, the Kingston NV3 offers reasonable endurance for light to moderate use but falls short of what professionals or heavy users might expect.

Compared to high-end drives like the Samsung 980 Pro, which has a higher TBW, the NV3 might feel limited for tasks like video editing or 3D rendering that involve frequent data writes.

However, for everyday users or those primarily using the SSD for storage and moderate workloads, the TBW rating is perfectly acceptable and should last for several years without issue.

Installation and Compatibility

Installation of the Kingston NV3 was a breeze, especially for users familiar with M.2 NVMe drives.

It’s compatible with most modern motherboards, though it does not take full advantage of PCIe Gen4 slots, as it’s a Gen3 drive.

Users looking to future-proof their builds might want to consider investing in a Gen4 drive like the WD_BLACK SN850X, which offers greater potential in speed and performance when paired with newer systems.

For those simply upgrading an older PC or laptop, the NV3 will suffice and provide a noticeable performance boost compared to traditional hard drives or SATA SSDs.

Power Consumption

One of the more positive aspects of the Kingston NV3 is its relatively low power consumption, making it an attractive option for laptop users or energy-conscious consumers.

In my tests, the drive drew significantly less power during everyday use compared to some higher-end SSDs like the Corsair MP600 Pro, which tend to consume more power due to their performance-focused architecture.

This makes the NV3 a practical choice for users who prioritize energy efficiency or those with portable devices that need to conserve battery life.

Price-to-Performance Ratio

The NV3’s standout feature is its affordability, offering 2TB of storage for a lower price compared to other NVMe drives on the market.

While it doesn’t deliver blistering performance, it provides good value for users needing to expand their system’s storage without spending too much.

For users who are budget-conscious and don’t need top-tier speeds, the NV3 is an excellent option.

However, those willing to pay a bit more for increased performance should consider alternatives like the Crucial P3 Plus, which offers better speeds and slightly more features for a reasonable price increase.

Suitability for Power Users

For power users, the Kingston NV3 is a tough sell due to its lack of DRAM cache, which affects its ability to handle large workloads and frequent data transfers.

Professionals who work with video editing, 3D rendering, or data-heavy applications will likely find the NV3 underwhelming in sustained performance.

Drives like the Kingston KC3000 or Samsung 980 Pro, which come with DRAM cache and superior write speeds, are much better suited for users who require consistent performance over long periods of use.

Conclusion

The Kingston NV3 2TB M.2 2280 NVMe SSD is an excellent choice for users on a budget looking to expand their storage capacity, but it comes with notable performance compromises that may not appeal to power users or those with demanding workloads.

Pros:

  • Affordable price for 2TB of storage
  • Easy installation and compatibility with most systems
  • Low power consumption, ideal for laptops

Cons:

  • Slower write speeds compared to high-end NVMe SSDs
  • Lacks DRAM cache, which limits performance in intensive tasks
  • Potential thermal throttling under heavy load

For those needing better performance without breaking the bank, the Crucial P3 Plus or WD Blue SN570 are worthy alternatives, offering faster speeds and better thermal management while maintaining good value for the price

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