Kingston HyperX Max 3.0 (128 GB)
The HyperX Max 3.0 is, like the Enyo from OCZ, not a thumb drive, since it is the size of a pack of cigarettes. It delivers strong performance and decent capacity. The 128 GB model we tested sells for around $300, which is high, but appropriate when we look at the product’s horsepower. Kingston offers a three-year warranty.
The drive is not a blasé black, white, or grey, but rather housed in a metallic blue, which is visually pleasing. The drive connects via USB cable, which of course you must not forget to bring with you. One USB 3.0 cable is included.
On its product overview page, Kingston promises a read speed of up to 195 MB/s and a write rate of up to 160 MB/s, both sequentially. Our measurements showed 193-185 MB/s read speeds and 189-177 MB/s writes. The HyperX Max 3.0 is unbeatable in the combined reading/writing category, achieving 101.1 MB/s. This is faster than any of the competitors in this shootout, and an advantage if you want to create a system backup while copying music from the HyperX Max 3.0 to the computer. There are hardly any delays compared with other products in this test, which all demonstrate combined data rates between 8 and 30 MB/s. However, the HyperX Max’s I/O performance is merely average.
Kingston barely misses our recommendation. In a direct comparison, we prefer the OCZ Enyo, which simply surpasses the HyperX Max 3.0, especially when writing. This is the deciding factor when it comes to efficient transfers when you need to take larger amounts of data with you and you’re in a hurry. Otherwise, Kingston’s drive doesn’t have any significant weaknesses.