PNY CS3250 1TB
Score: 100/100
Kingston SPSD
Score: 95/100Rankings
The PNY CS3250 1TB Gen5 NVMe SSD delivers near-theoretical PCIe 5.0 speeds with integrated DRAM, a large pSLC cache, and strong endurance, making it ideal for gamers, content creators, and AI workloads. Its lack of an included heatsink and the typical gap between advertised and real-world performance are the main trade-offs.
The Kingston 1TB Dual USB-A/C Portable SSD offers USB 3.2 Gen 2 speeds up to 1,050 MB/s read and 950 MB/s write in a 13 g, thumb-drive-sized package with dual connectors, though sustained writes throttle and durability are limited.
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
1,000 GBbest | 1,000 GBbest | |
14,900 MB/sbest | 1,050 MB/s | |
13,500 MB/sbest | 950 MB/s | |
700 TBWbest | — | |
5 yearsbest | 5 yearsbest | |
1,500,000 hoursbest | — | |
| ↓ lower better | 10 gbest | 13 g |
| ↓ lower better | 0 °Cbest | 0 °Cbest |
Click an attribute name to sort · Green = best, red = worst (relative to this comparison)
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
Performance(3) | ||
Sequential Read Speed (MB/s) | 14900 MB/s | 1050 MB/s |
Sequential Write Speed (MB/s) | 13500 MB/s | 950 MB/s |
Interface | PCIe Gen5 x4 | USB 3.2 Gen 2 |
Storage(2) | ||
Form Factor | M.2 2280 | Portable |
NAND Type | TLC | 3D QLC |
Power & Energy(1) | ||
Operating Temp (Max) (°C) | 70 °C | 60 °C |
Design & Build(2) | ||
Weight (g) | 10 g | 13 g |
Thickness (mm) | 4 mm | 8.6 mm |
Products in the top-left offer the best value (high score, low price).
Professional reviewers consider the PNY CS3250 a flagship-class Gen5 SSD that delivers near-top speeds, solid endurance, and useful security features, though they note that real-world performance typically trails the advertised peak and the lack of an included heatsink may limit sustained workloads.
Everyday users praise the drive's lightning-fast boot and load times, its impact on 4K video editing, and the ease of installing it as a PS5 expansion, while common concerns revolve around BIOS configuration, thermal throttling without a heatsink, and the usual discrepancy between advertised and actual usable capacity.
Professional reviewers commend the Kingston Dual Portable SSD for its clever dual-connector design, near-spec USB 3.2 Gen 2 speeds, and solid metal construction, calling it a convenient, high-performance alternative to traditional flash drives. However, they note practical drawbacks such as port blocking, fragile caps, lack of environmental sealing, and thermal throttling under sustained load.
Everyday users appreciate the drive's universal compatibility, lightning-fast transfers, and pocket-friendly size, often highlighting how it eliminates the need for cables. Common complaints revolve around the device's tendency to block neighboring ports, the easy loss of protective caps, heat buildup with speed throttling, and the absence of a tether or keychain loop.
“Finally, a drive that works on both my old desktop and new MacBook without hunting for cables.”
“Transferred a 50GB video project in under a minute-way faster than my old flash drive.”
“It blocked my second USB port and headphone jack on my laptop.”
