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The A2000's AES 256-bit hardware encryption helps keep your data secure and safe from prying eyes. Not only is the drive secure, but it is also impressively fast.
Opting for Silicon Motion’s SM2263EN and pairing it with Micron’s 96L TLC proved to be a wise decision for Kingston. Time and time again, the A2000 delivered speeds that were significantly better than an HDD, and some of its SSD competitors, too.
Compared to the WD Black HDD, the A2000 scored an average bandwidth that was 47 times greater in PCMark 8, 13 times higher in SPECworkstation 3, and was five to seven times faster during file transfers. If you aren’t been convinced yet, these scores should provide enough reason to upgrade to an A2000 or similar if you haven’t done so already.
Best of all, the A2000 ranked as the fastest SSD in the group when loading Final Fantasy's game scenes, making it a great value for gamers. But if you care about aesthetics, it may stick out like a sore thumb if you don’t place it under a heatsink. That is not to say it needs one, however. During our tests, the A2000's temperatures were well-managed. Even when running multiple 50-100GB transfers simultaneously, temps stayed below 60C with little airflow in our 25C environment.
Kingston’s A2000 is a well-rounded NVMe SSD overall. Whether you are a business class user, prosumer, or just someone looking to outfit their new build with some speedy storage, the A2000 is a great choice. With competitive pricing, high endurance and five-year warranty to match, the drive ranks among the top value picks.
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Sean is a Contributing Editor at Tom’s Hardware US, covering storage hardware.