Kingston A2000 (SA2000M8/1000G) SSD NVMe PCIe M.2 2280, 1 TB Review

Overview The Kingston A2000 (SA2000M8/1000G) is a budget-friendly NVMe SSD designed to provide decent speeds for general use without breaking the bank. It is available in various capacities, including 250GB, 500GB, and 1TB, making it an excellent choice for users looking to upgrade from a traditional hard drive.

Performance The A2000 series uses 3D-NAND TLC from Micron (96 Layer) and is powered by the Silicon Motion SM2263ENG controller. This combination delivers read and write speeds of up to 2200/2000 MB/s, which is impressive for its price range. While it may not match the performance of high-end NVMe SSDs, it offers more than sufficient speed for everyday tasks like browsing, office work, and streaming media.

Pros

• Affordability: The A2000 series is priced competitively, making it an attractive option for those on a budget.
• Decent Speeds: It provides respectable read and write speeds, making it suitable for general use.
• Reliability: Known for its reliability and durability, the A2000 series is a good choice for users who need a reliable storage solution.
• Compatibility: It is available in various capacities, including 250GB, 500GB, and 1TB, making it versatile for different user needs.

Cons

• Power Saving Issues: Some users have reported issues with power saving (APST) on certain firmware versions, which can lead to device unavailability until a system reset.
• Lower Endurance: Compared to high-endurance SSDs, the A2000 series has lower TBW (Total Bytes Written) ratings, which might be a concern for heavy users.
• Limited Gaming Performance: While it can handle general use tasks well, it may not provide the best performance for gaming or resource-intensive applications.

Verdict The Kingston A2000 (SA2000M8/1000G) is an excellent choice for users who want to upgrade their storage without significant investment. It offers decent speeds, reliability, and affordability, making it a solid option for everyday tasks. However, users requiring high-endurance or gaming performance might need to consider other options.

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