Maximize Your Savings: Kingston’s NV2 SSD Offers Affordable Performance

If you’re on the hunt for a solid-state drive that won’t break the bank, consider Kingston’s NV2 SSD. Let’s dive into the performance and features to see if it’s worth the investment.

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Kingston NV2: The Budget SSD

The Kingston NV2 offers a range of storage capacities, from 250GB to 2TB. However, it’s best to opt for 500GB or more since 250GB SSDs tend to be slower and cost more per gigabyte. With a simple design, all memory is located on one side, making it perfect for cooling and laptop compatibility. It doesn’t come with a heatsink, but we’ll go over temperatures later.

Inexpensive SSDs are notorious for manufacturers cutting corners to save money. The Kingston NV2 is no different, with basic specs listed on their website. While sequential read-and-write performance is acceptable, manufacturers may use the cheapest components available due to the lack of other details. The memory type and presence of the DRAM cache also vary, leading to inconsistencies in performance.

Despite cost-cutting measures, the Kingston NV2 comes with a three-year warranty, which is shorter than the industry standard of five years. Additionally, it doesn’t include cloning software, but that shouldn’t deter you since clean installations are recommended for OS drives. The packaging is simple, but that’s not a major concern.

For pricing and Buying: Amazon

Performance Testing

Let’s analyze the performance of the Kingston NV2 drive, starting with the PC Mark 10 quick benchmark, which simulates everyday tasks such as working with documents and browsing photos. The Kingston NV2 outperforms the WD Blue SN570 and is slightly ahead of the Samsung 980 and Crucial P3 Plus, making it a great choice for these simple tasks. However, mid-range and high-end Gen 4 SSDs such as the Crucial P5 Plus and Kingston’s KC 3000 still outperform it.

Moving on to the PC Mark 10 full suite benchmark, which simulates more intensive use of the drive, the Kingston NV2 is outperformed by mid-range and high-end Gen 4 SSDs such as the Crucial P5 Plus and Kingston’s KC 3000. The Samsung 980 Pro and 990 Pro also outperform it by a large margin. However, in terms of gaming results such as loading times, installation times, and update times, the NV2 performs similarly to other drives, scoring about 57% of the performance of the fastest drive tested, the sn850x.

Things to Consider Before buying Kingston’s NV2 SSD

It’s worth noting that sequential read-and-write performance doesn’t always represent real-life use. Nevertheless, the NV2 managed to score just over 3,500 Mb/s in sequential reads, which is in line with Gen 3 SSDs, but below Sony’s recommended spec for the PS5. Sequential writes came in at 2468 Mb/s, which is better than the WD Blue SN570 and matches the Samsung 980 exactly. However, it’s still below the speeds of most Gen 4 SSDs.

One potential issue with the NV2 is its thermals. When the drive is stressed by writing tens of gigabytes of data to it, it can get quite hot. During a stress test, the internal sensor reported about 70 degrees Celsius. The flare camera reported 93 degrees, which is too hot to touch. For intense use, it’s best to put it under the heatsink of your motherboard or get a third-party heatsink.

Overall, while the NV2 is not the most impressive SSD out there, it is quite cheap, making it an attractive option for some buyers. In the US, it’s cheaper than the Gen 3 WD Blue SN570 and the Samsung 980, and the P3 Plus is the strongest alternative, albeit at a slightly higher price point. However, with current discounts, the P3 Plus may be the better option.

Buying Options

• Kingston NV2 SSD: Amazon
• Samsung 980: Amazon
• Western Digital WD Blue SN570: Amazon
• Crucial P3 Plus: Amazon

Final Thoughts on Kingston’s NV2 SSD

The Kingston NV2 provides a budget-friendly option for those seeking an affordable solid-state drive. It delivers satisfactory performance for everyday tasks, but it may not meet the demands of more intensive use. Although Kingston may not prioritize reviews of their entry-level drives, it’s important to provide information about all of their products. If you’re working with a limited budget, the Kingston NV2 is worth considering. However, if you have the resources, opting for a mid-range or high-end Gen 4 SSD will provide better performance.

If you’re a gamer in search of a large, cost-effective SSD, it’s best to select a drive from the top half of the performance graph rather than the bottom. While the NV2 is a decent option, be mindful of potential thermal issues and consider the P3 Plus if it’s within your budget.