Kingston HyperX 3K 240GB SSD review
Testing
The Kingston HyperX 3K 240GB contains 256GB of flash memory, 16GB is used for overprovisioning and after formating you're left with 223GB of usable space. Testing was performed on a ASUS P9X79 Pro based system with Intel Core i7-3820 CPU and 16GB DDR3-1600.
ATTO
Our first benchmark is ATTO, this tool is mainly used to verify the maximum read and write speeds as advertised on the box. These values do not tell the complete story when it comes to SSD performance but they're easy to understand and are widely used by storage makers. ATTO reveals the HyperX 3K is a very strong performer, the write speed is even higher than the advertised value of 510MB/s. Given the fact that ATTO uses compressible data, it's no surprise that the HyperX 3K scores well in this tests because SandForce-based SSDs do really well with compressible data.
CrystalDiskMark
Our next test is CrystalDiskMark, we configure this benchmark to use random data to see how well the SSDs can handle incompressible data. We provide the 4K read and write figures to illustrate how the disks handle smaller file sizes, as the read/write speeds for small files are much lower than those for very large files. Even in this test the HyperX 3K scores very well.
Anvil Storage Utilities
Our final test is Anvil Storage Utilities, we use this test to determine the IOPS with 4k block sizes. As in the previous tests, the HyperX 3K delivers amazing scores, the 4k write IOPS performance even far exceeds the figure from the specification sheet!
Conclusion
The Kingston HyperX 3K SSD delivers impressive performance at an excellent price point. It's the fastest SATA 6Gbps SSD I've tested to date and I have no problem recommending it. The HyperX 3K is a very nice alternative to the original, more expensive HyperX with 5000 p/e cycles. Even with only 3000 p/e cycles this disk should easily last you more than 8 years, a lifecycle that well outlasts the rate at which other computer components are typically upgraded.
The HyperX 3K 240GB was launched in April 2012 for $329.99 and a little more than a half year later its price has already dropped to $209.99! Pricing drops an additional $10 if you don't require the Upgrade Bundle, which provides quite a lot of value for its small price. In Europe pricing for the 240GB stand-alone edition starts around 155EUR.
The Good Stuff
The Bad Stuff
DV Hardware awards the Kingston HyperX 3K SSD with a 9.5/10 and our Editor's Choice award.
Added: November 27th 2012
Product reviewed: Kingston HyperX 3K 240GB SSD
Reviewer: Thomas De Maesschalck
Score: 9.5/10
Page: 3/3