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In our last week’s SSD of the Week we covered ADATA’s SP610, a great performing SSD featuring a SM2246EN controller. For this week’s SSD of the Week we have found some great deals on Kingston’s SSDNow V300 SSDs. Currently the 120GB, 240GB, and 480GB models are on sale for low prices of just $52.99, $84.99, and 184.99!
The Kingston SSDNow V300 is an entry level drive aimed towards those making their first step into the SSD arena or for those who are in need of a faster drive but are limited on funds. While there are no exciting features that come with it, it offers boot and application loading speeds that are much faster than traditional hard drives.
By utilizing a SandForce SF-2281 controller, sequential performance numbers are rated at up to 450MB/s for both read and write. But, sequential speeds aren’t the main reason why SSDs put new life into a system, it is really due to access times. Based on our review testing, the Kingston SSDNow V300’s access times are in the 0.1-0.3ms range, while in comparison a standard 7200rpm HDD’s access times are in the 12-16ms range! In terms of IOPS, the SSDNow V300 is rated for up to 85K read and 65K write. For more understanding be sure to check out our learning to run with flash article on performance numbers and what they mean here.
The bare bones drive package comes with just the 7mm 2.5″ form factor SSD with a plastic adapter to fit in 9.5mm system. There are also SKUs that include a desktop SSD migration kit for an even easier upgrade experience. They come with a SATA data and power cable, 2.5″ to 3.5″ brackets, a migration video, as well as another DVD that has a step by step guide along with the Acronis True Image HD Cloning Software.
To top everything off Kingston’s SSDNow V300 comes with a 3 year warranty and free technical support. Having dealt with their customer service multiple times in the past, we can easily say if an issue is to arise, Kingston’s assistance is up there with the best of companies.
So, if you are just now finally looking to hop on the SSD bandwagon or are looking for a cheap SSD to upgrade a family member’s or friend’s PC on the low, be sure to…
No, just no.
V300 with that NAND switch fiasko shouldnt be on any recommending list.
This one for just a few bucks more looks like a much better deal, if you’re after 120GB ssd
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/transcend-ssd370-64gb-internal-sata-iii-solid-state-drive-for-laptops-multi/7628265.p?id=1219281536121&ref=199&loc=8BacdVP0GFs&acampID=1&siteID=8BacdVP0GFs-3XB8PeQnK4fb88xRAzinsw
Hell, corsair ls was 39.99$ just a few days ago (with mailin rebate).
Crucial has the MX100 512gb for $175 on Amazon right now and it will spank the pants off this switch a roo garbage.
Considering the historical issues with the V300 drive this seems to be more of an advertisement than a review.
This is not a review but a recommendation based on our experience. All have differing opinions and thats whats great about democracy. This SSD did great sales over the Christmas period, and to date, outsells every other ‘complete’ migration package by lengths. The ‘consumer’ reviews are very positive. It is those who have an intricate knowledge of SSDs that don’t like this and only because of something they didn’t like; this is not reflective of this SSD for the consumer whatsoever.
My that bag of cash Kingston is giving you must be heavy.
That’s a terrible reason to be okay with the bullshit Kingston pulled with this SSD.
They essentially said they were selling caviar while piling the consumers plate full of dog crap, and you’re saying that’s okay because the consumer doesn’t know better? You’re okay that they did great sales at the expense of massively misleading consumers??
I honestly cannot believe you are seriously trying to say this is okay.
If Nvidia started selling gtx 760s rebranded as 780s, in your opinion that would be okay, just as long as the mislead public were happy with what they got and remained blissfully unaware of the performance discrepancies between what they bought and what thought they were buying?
There is a huge difference between a product and a component within a product, and more specifically, a consumer product that does not have a set material spec or BOM as would enterprise SSDs. The drive lives up to everything they say about it, regardless of whether it has one memory or another. We are not trying to say this is ok. We are saying that this is business and done in every corner of every industry, and just because a few guys don’t like it and become vocal, doesn’t make it illegal in any way. Now was it right? If it was wrong, find a way to establish that and bring it to the table. You have no idea when and if NVidia switches internal components in their cards so that arguments it moot I am afraid.
The ONLY reason this is even an argument is because one day, one of us reviewers decided to pop open and start examining the inside of an SSD. If it weren’t for that, you would probably never see a SSD ripped open today, much like many other peripherals. It then wouldn’t be at issue at all would it? Let’s be fortunate that SSDs are looked at with a magnifying glass and, if you don’t like something, move on to the next drive.
So say you just bought a new truck. Brand spanking new F-350 with the top of the line Triton V-10 option.
You would be completely okay with Ford charging you the 55 grand for that model, and wouldn’t complain at all if they delivered it with the baseline v8, because they both get 23 highway mpg? So because they both meet a single certain performance metric, the fact they are wildly different on a hundred other metric, what? Simply doesn’t matter?
Kingston built an SSD with certain parts, submitted it for reviews, got great reviews because of the parts and supplies that were used, then when it was actually shipped, they built it with inferior part to dupe unwitting customers.
That’s all there is to it. Nothing about it is justified or okay. If you want to support a company that does that, by all means, that’s your choice.
The difference of course is that we are speaking of a component and NOT the entire SSD. Pick a component NOT built by Ford in that truck and tell me if you give a crap about that component, so long as the specs DONT change. This is the problem everyone is having; they think that every company is set in a bill of materials for a consumer drive when they are not. They choose to exploit only those that they don’t like, where others have done the same pretty much unscathed.
The performance metric of this drive did not change. The reason for that is because the standard for arriving at these specs is to use programs like ATTO where only compressible data is used for the test. This is the problem and it is systemic; it is not the fault of one manufacturer that follows the pattern. So long as they meet specs, it doesn’t matter what they use. If you dont like this, you have the option to buy an enterprise drive where the materials are guaranteed and listed.
Don’t buy this. https://www.anandtech.com/show/7763/an-update-to-kingston-ssdnow-v300-a-switch-to-slower-micron-nand
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