CONCLUSION

   When I opened up the enclosure of the XS1000 and found out that it uses the same exact controller as the XS2000 I couldn't figure out why Kingston would effectively hold back its performance. Yes, USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 is not that common for an interface (nor USB4 for that matter) but it’s still backwards compatible and so everyone would be able to use it. Now I do realize that Kingston already has the XS2000 so my guess is all this was done to cut down costs and thus make available something more affordable to the masses (Silicon Motion could have charged Kingston less for their controller since it’s set at USB 3.2 Gen 2?). Still the end result is not bad at all with the XS1000 2TB easily surpassing 1000MB/s in most of the tests (placing it in the top 5 of my portable SSD charts). Again, just like with the XS2000 I was hoping Kingston would use a more robust enclosure (aluminum would be nice) but I do realize that would up cost and weight by quite a bit (worth pointing out is that the rubber sleeve bundled with the XS2000 is not bundled with the XS1000).

   Currently retailing for just USD108.72 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for 109.31Euros inside the EU (Amazon.de) the XS1000 2TB USB 3.2 Gen 2 Portable SSD by Kingston is roughly 30% cheaper compared to its predecessor, the XS2000 2TB. This of course is a big deal especially if you don’t plan on using an USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 or USB4 compatible motherboard any time soon. Overall, there’s nothing bad I can say about the XS1000 portable SSD by Kingston, yes, it does feel strange that they limited its performance but they did so to reduce costs and since they more than managed exactly that and the drive is still plenty fast it does deserve the Golden Award.

PROS

- Very Good Performance (USB 3.2 Gen 2)
- Compact & Lightweight
- Price (For Some)
- 5 Year Limited Warranty

CONS

- None