New to Kingston’s collection of reasonably priced solid-state drives is the Kingston NV3 SSD, which is intended for customers seeking dependable performance at an economical cost. The Kingston NV3 offers a blend of speed, efficiency, and endurance and is designed for professionals as well as casual users looking to upgrade their system’s storage without going over budget. A thorough review of the Kingston NV3 SSD can be found here.
Unboxing
The Kingston NV3 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD came with the following as below
- The Kingston NV3 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD
Thats all you will get, simple, and user manual or instructions can be obtained online via Kingston.com
Design and Build Quality
Because the Kingston NV3 SSD adheres to the conventional M.2 2280 form factor, it can be used with a variety of laptops and desktop computers. This compact and stylish design makes it simple to install in gaming rigs, certain ultrabooks, and compact builds. Though not as advanced as other higher end PCIe Gen 4 drives, the drive is backed by the PCIe Gen 4 x4 interface and offers much quicker performance when compared to SATA SSDs and also it’s predecessor, the NV2.
Typical of low-cost SSDs, the NV3 SSD is devoid of a heatsink. Even with continuous loads, nevertheless, its thermal design guarantees that it operates effectively without overheating. The design and performance ought to be more than sufficient for the majority of users, particularly those moving up from an older SATA SSD or a conventional hard drive.
Performance & Benchmarks
The Kingston NV3 SSD delivers respectable performance for a Gen 4 NVMe drive. With sequential read speeds up to 6,000 MB/s and write speeds reaching up to 5,000 MB/s, it offers a significant boost in performance over SATA-based SSDs, which typically max out at around 550 MB/s. While these speeds are not as fast as the newer PCIe Gen 4 drives, the NV3 is still more than capable for most everyday computing tasks, including gaming, content creation, and productivity work.
In real-world usage, the Kingston NV3 excels at boot times, reducing the time it takes for Windows to load and applications to open. File transfers, whether large media files or complex project files, are swift, making it a practical choice for video editors, photographers, and gamers who require quick load times and fast access to large files.
For gamers, the NV3 handles large game installations and in-game loading times with ease. Titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Call of Duty: Warzone, which require vast amounts of storage and data transfer, load much faster than on traditional hard drives or SATA SSDs.
Capacity Options
The Kingston NV3 SSD is available in several capacity options, ranging from 256GB to 4TB, catering to different storage needs. The 256GB and 512GB options are ideal for users looking to upgrade their laptop storage or add a boot drive to their desktop PC, while the 2TB and 4TB models offer ample space for gamers, content creators, and professionals dealing with large media files.
The flexibility in storage options makes the NV3 SSD suitable for a variety of use cases. Whether you need a smaller capacity for a boot drive or higher storage for larger media projects, Kingston provides enough variety to accommodate both casual and heavy users.
Endurance and Reliability
Endurance is a critical factor when choosing an SSD, and the Kingston NV3 SSD offers solid reliability for its class. The drive comes with a TBW (Total Bytes Written) rating that varies based on the capacity, ensuring that it can handle a significant amount of data writing over its lifespan.
The NV3 also includes support for various NAND Flash technologies that improve data integrity and longevity, such as bad block management, wear-leveling, and over-provisioning. These features help ensure that the SSD maintains performance and stability over time, even under heavy use.
Thermal Performance
Though the Kingston NV3 doesn’t come with a heatsink, its thermal performance is solid, especially for general use. The drive remains cool during everyday tasks like web browsing, office work, and light gaming. Even during more intensive activities like video editing or extended gaming sessions, the NV3 manages to maintain consistent performance without experiencing thermal throttling.
For users who intend to push the drive harder, particularly in systems with poor airflow, an aftermarket heatsink could be a worthwhile addition. However, for most average users, the thermal design of the NV3 will be sufficient.
Software and Additional Features
Kingston provides its SSD Manager software, which allows users to monitor the health of the drive, check firmware updates, and manage other features like secure erase. While it lacks some of the advanced tools seen in more premium SSDs, Kingston SSD Manager is user-friendly and offers enough functionality for most users.
As usual, it also comes with Acronis true Image which allows for Easy disk cloning and full image backup and this is especially useful if you are migrating from the older HDD or SSD to the new Kingston NV3 NVME SSD.
One notable feature is the NVMe 1.4 support, which enhances performance and efficiency compared to previous versions. The NV3 SSD also supports S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology), which helps detect potential issues before they lead to drive failure, further ensuring reliability over time.
Price and Value
One of the standout features of the Kingston NV3 SSD is its price. It offers impressive performance for a PCIe Gen 3 drive at a price point that undercuts many competitors in the market. For users upgrading from a hard drive or older SATA SSD, the NV3 provides a significant performance boost without requiring a major financial investment.
Given its competitive pricing and solid performance, the NV3 is an excellent value proposition for budget-conscious consumers looking to upgrade their storage solution without sacrificing speed or reliability.
Technical Specifications
| Form factor | M.2 2280 |
| Interface | PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe |
| Capacities | 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB |
| Sequential read/write | 500GB – 5,000/3,000MB/s 1TB – 6,000/4,000MB/s 2TB – 4TB – 6,000/5,000MB/s |
| NAND | 3D |
| Endurance (total bytes written) | 500GB – 160TB 1TB – 320TB 2TB – 640TB 4TB – 1280TB |
| Storage temperature | -40°C~85°C |
| Operating temperature | 0°C~70°C |
| Dimensions | 22mm x 80mm x 2.3mm |
| Weight | 7g (all capacities) |
| Vibration non-operating | 20G (10-1000Hz) |
| MTBF | 2,000,000 hours |
| Warranty/Support | Limited 3-year warranty with free technical support |
Verdict & Conclusion
The Kingston NV3 SSD strikes an excellent balance between performance, affordability, and reliability. With fast read and write speeds, a variety of storage capacities, and a solid build quality, the NV3 is an ideal choice for users seeking an affordable upgrade to their storage, whether for gaming, content creation, or general use.
While it doesn’t compete with the latest higher end PCIe Gen 4 drives in raw speed, the NV3 offers more than enough performance for most users, making it one of the best value options in the market in 2024. For those looking for a reliable, cost-effective SSD, the Kingston NV3 is one of the challenging contender in the storage scene.
Pricing & Availability
The Kingston NV2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD is now available widely nationwide and online channels with capacities 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB and carries a 3 year local warranty. Price starts from RM274 for 250GB, RM431 for 1TB and RM766 for 2TB storage. CLICK HERE to find out about Kingston NV2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD
Special Thanks to Kingston on providing us the review unit.