A couple of months ago, Computex 2023 happened. I visited the booth of Kingston’s Future Hub. They showcased a lot of new products, some product refreshes, and expansions to their external SSD lineup. One of which is the Kingston XS1000 external SSD.

In this review, we will be checking out the performance of the Kingston XS1000 External SSD (2TB) and seeing how this two-thumb-sized storage device that can be easily inserted in your pocket performs.

Specifications:

Interface	USB 3.2 Gen 2
Speed	Up to 1,050MB/s read, 1,000MB/s write
Capacities	1TB, 2TB
Dimensions	69.54 x 32.58 x 13.5mm
Weight	28.7g
Casing Material	Metal + Plastic
Operating temperature	0°C~40°C
Storage temperature	-20°C~85°C
Warranty/Support	Limited 5-year warranty with free technical support

Closer Look

The packaging comes in a black, white and red color scheme which is the common theme for Kingston products.

The package includes only two items inside. The Kingston XS1000 (2TB) itself and a USB Type-C to Type A Cable.

Looking closely at the XS1000, it is very compact and the size of two thumbs put together. The XS1000 comes only in black with a Kingston logo in the middle.

The XS1000 is using a Type-C port to be able to reach the speeds indicated on it’s spec sheet.

The cable included is a Type-C to Type-A USB cable, which is a USB 3.2 Gen 2. So, you need to plug this into the right port of your PC to reach maximum speed.

Test Methodology

Here are the components used for testing the SSD.

To be able to maximize the potential of the external SSD, I will be using an aftermarket Type-C to Type-C cable instead of the cable that was included in the box.

Specifications:
ASRock Z690 Taichi Intel
Intel i5 13600KF
Thermaltake Core P3 Pro Chassis
DeepCool AK620 Air Cooler
Thermaltake GF3 850W Power Supply
Noiseblocker e-Loop-X Fans

For Benchmark Apps we will be using CrystalDiskMark and HWiNFO64.

Benchmarks

In Sequential Reads and Writes, we can see that it is below what Kingston gave on the specs sheet of their product. Yet this is quite normal, as it will really differ depending on the device used.

This shows the real-world speed of your external SSD on daily usage. So far, the Kingston XS1000 performs well for an external SSD.

Temperature-wise, the Kingston XS1000 has good temperatures for transferring files from SSD to PC or vice versa. But sometimes there are moments when it will reach 44 degrees Celsius or more because of the prolonged usage of the SSD. Even though Kingston said it has a maximum operation temperature of 40 degrees Celsius.

Conclusion

The Kingston XS1000 is a really innovative product that is very useful for content creators and for people who just want to back up their files on-the-fly without using bulky or SSD enclosures or just want a hassle-free device that you don’t need to assemble by yourself.

This external SSD might be small. But it is fast. As long as you plug it into the proper port or use the right cable, it will do its job. Pricing-wise, if you get the best SSD enclosure plus an SSD with the same speed, the total cost will be almost the same. But what makes this most likely to be bought is its size. Yes, you will find SSD enclosures that are smaller and cheaper, but it will sure affect the performance.

Overall, the Kingston XS1000 is a great product—a small yet fast external SSD that eliminates the headache of choosing what enclosure you will buy or what SSD is best for that enclosure, or vice versa. Also, the small size makes portability a lot easier, and it can just fit in your pocket.

You can buy the Kingston XS1000 for around P7,600.00 for the 2TB and P4,599.00 for the 1TB at your nearest Kingston-affiliated online and physical stores.

With this, Kingston receives an Recommendation Award as an external SSD that I would likely recommend, and I will likely buy this product with my own money for my personal use. This is arguably the best external SSD to have.