Kingston HyperX 3K 120GB SSD Review

[section_title title=”Conclusion”]Conclusion

The Kingston HyperX 3K SSDs have been stalwarts in comparison to other brands but what makes them so popular?  Is it the solid reliable performance?  Is it the sleek premium aesthetic or is it the price?  I’m sure you have already made your mind up but it’s now time for my opinion…

Starting with the performance, it was a pretty mixed affair with feelings of admiration and disappointment all rolled into one.  Now it has to be remembered here that the 3K drive is over 2 years old and that really has to be taken into consideration here as for a drive of its age, it performs superbly when put up against other drives in the same class.  The only disappointing thing really is the read/write speeds don’t seem to really live up to expectations when using uncompressed data; the drive is superb in best case scenario terms of using compressed data.  The one saving grace here is how close it is to the latest drives so I really have to applaud Kingston for making a sustainable drive.

The design and general aesthetic of the 3K SSD is very nice and I love the contrasting light and dark silver colour scheme complimented by the black accents and trim.  One interesting thing is that the top plate is made of metal which adds weight to the drive and also makes the drive feel more “premium”.  Compared to some of the latest SSDs which feel feather light and made from full plastic, it’s nice to see a drive like this stand the test of time; albeit it is only just over 2 years old.

Now when this drive was launched around 2 years ago, the price was around £95 which nowadays would buy you the 240GB variant; this is testament to various price wars and general price cuts around the board.  The 3K 120GB variant can be currently had for around £60 from Amazon which in comparison to some other 120/128GB SSDs on the market is around average; it certainly isn’t the cheapest which is a little disappointing but it still remains very popular.

Whether you are looking for an SSD for an OS drive, games drive or whatever your requirements, then the Kingston 3K 120GB SSD should certainly be on your list if you are looking for a drive which has impeccable build quality and decent/stable performance.  It is easy to see why Kingston’s 3K drive remains popular but it does show its age a little so I am happy to award the 3K 120GB our silver award.

Big thanks to Kingston for sending the 3K in for review and I look forward to seeing more from Kingston in the future.