A USB flash drive that packs the performance of an NVMe SSD.
Who needs an external solid state drive when you’ve got something like the Kingston DataTraveler Max 1TB USB flash drive. This 1TB removable storage device may be small in size but it promises to deliver some spectacular performance thanks to a combination of high speed USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C connector and fast TLC flash memory from Micron TLC. Kingston’s speed champion is fast enough to compete with many far bigger portable SSDs that usually require an additional cable to connect and while it is not the cheapest of the lot, its portability combined with its simplicity of use should propel it high on the list of those who want a capable, fast external storage option. There are other, slower or far bigger options available like the 1TB HP x796w that comes with the more universally accepted USB Type-A connector but it is likely to be far, far slower and is only about 15% cheaper. It doesn’t come with any software bundle though which is something we’d like more vendors to consider as it offers an option to customers to get protection for their data out of the box. All in all though, the Kingston DataTraveler Max is a stellar example of a vendor striking the right balance in a very competitive market that many thought had gone stale. The Kingston DataTraveler Max comes in 256GB,512GB and 1TB models. The latter is by far the best value for money of the three and can be had for just under $166 (currently on preorder at US retailer B&H). At 83mm x 22mm x 10mm with a weight of only 12.5g, this is a bigger-than-expected USB flash drive but is still far more compact than any portable SSD on the market and that includes the now-defunct Ravpower Mini.
