We tried: Kingston DT Elite USB 3.0 - speed, cheaper

There are at least as many types of flash drives today as there are stars in the sky, or maybe even more. These pocket containers have been a part of our lives for many years, and today their presence is as natural as carrying a ballpoint pen in our bag in case of need. These products are our faithful companions as long as they serve, but this time usually does not mean more than a few years. On the one hand, because the flash memory of USB drives is not eternal, and on the other hand, pocket keys are not avoided by the frantic pace of development that characterizes the IT market.

Of course, the question can be asked: What the heck can be improved on a flash drive? Well, obviously not a thousand things, but there are a few things that basically determine the success and viability of a USB key. When buying such a device, we usually plan first how much capacity we want. I still live clearly in my memories when one of my best teachers in vocational high school came in for a computer science class, it was about data storage, HDD, FDD and optical drives. Then he said he has a stuff that is the future. He reached into the pocket of his suit and pulled out a 64 MB, sophisticated-looking flash drive. That's when I first saw such a drive… 64 MB is now ridiculous, as currently the upper limit is 256 GB (to my knowledge, the Kingston DataTraveler 300 was the first), so the flash storage is now there to easily replace an external hard drive, the much smaller, lighter and consumes less, possibly faster.

Then the design can be developed and improved. Better use of materials, more durable housing, more pleasant shapes, fashionable colors and motifs. Someone’s full black, someone’s Hello Kitty painting beats the heart. Then you can even expand the range of services, application of various software, archiving program, security and encryption application, etc. There are also hybrid hardware solutions when the flash storage is integrated with another device such as a WiFi / Bluetooth module or a 3G modem. The device may not include the flash drive itself, but memory cards can accept it and thus become a “flash drive”. Last but not least, the lifespan and reliability of the storage, as we want to know our data is relatively secure, even if we need to be aware, the flash drive is not a safe and will not last forever.

Still, usually the second most important consideration is storage speed after unit speed. The size multiplied and the pace also increased, but for a long time this was hampered by the USB 2.0 standard, which strangled pocket keys around 30-35 MB / s. A solution was needed, and this solution was the release of USB 3.0, which offers a basic maximum transfer speed of 5 GB / s, which means that flash storage will be enough for a while. The road opened up and faster and faster USB 3.0 units appeared, the king, i.e. the Kingston HyperX USB 3.0 flash drive, we also introduced and tested. However, there was a problem: it is not enough if the flash drive is USB 3.0, the motherboard must also have such a port. This has made it very difficult to spread, especially at home, but as time has passed, the situation has gradually improved, and since USB 3.0 is now available on almost the cheapest motherboards, there is more space for products that can take advantage of this.

There was another problem, the price of flash drives, which are already beating hard disks and almost chasing SSDs, was quite high, and this can practically be said even today, especially compared to the Hungarian man's wallet. Some manufacturers have realized it is not enough to offer only high-end and lightning-fast USB 3.0 products because few will be able to buy it. There’s also a need for the mid-range, which doesn’t offer as many features and SSD-level speeds, but is several times faster than USB 2.0 and maximizes capacity in terms of average needs, and is much more affordable so more people can afford it. Of course, these manufacturers include Kingston, which, in addition to developing and manufacturing RAMs, is also a leader in the world of flash drives and SSDs. Now attacking the market with Kingston DataTraveler Elite USB 3.0, let’s see how effective the new weapon is!

It is no coincidence that the unusually long introduction, somehow, had to be introduced to the product. Our goal has already been set, it is a mid-range USB 3.0 flash drive that tries to open the door to the world of speed with its price. It is a standard-sized drive, about 7 inches long, 2 inches wide, and 1 inch thick. The housing of the unit is made of plastic, but also of that higher quality variety. The shape is a rounded rectangle with grooves, lines, DataTraveler Elite 3.0 inscription, and a tab suitable for stringing at the end of the housing.

Black, white, and graphite also form a good mixture, although judging this is always subjective. Diplomatically, we would say the DT Elite 3.0 represents the usual Kingston design and quality. The cap-free design favors those who often leave the small lid and / or suggest constant snaps (I can understand them). Here, the USB 3.0 connector is hidden in the housing itself and can be pushed out of the slot with a slider, then ready to use.

The product will be placed on store shelves in standard Kingston paper-plastic packaging, we will find it if you look for it. Essentially, that’s all that can be said about its exterior, it doesn’t include software and various extra features. Available in three sizes, the smallest is 16GB (slowly this is considered to be the bottom of the production size), the middle is 32GB and the largest is 64GB - the latter came to us.

According to the factory data, the speed of the drives is not related to the size, so the keys are capable of the same speed, which is the standard 2.0 MB / s read and write at 30 MB / s for USB 25 and 3.0 MB / s for USB 70. read and write at 30 MB / s. This is much less than, say, the 225/135 MB / s values ​​for the HyperX pen, but let’s not forget, this is now a mid-range device that we hope will be reflected in the purchase price. Also keep in mind that this 70/30 value is virtually equivalent to a few years old notebook hard drive speed. Here is a summary of the features, then the tests!

 Properties:

• Good design, sophisticated look: a combination of three colors: white, black, graphite
• Convenient: cap-free design with slider
• Customizable: Co-Logo program available
• Warranty: 5 year full warranty, free technical advice

Specification:

• Capacity: 16 GB, 32 GB, 64 GB
• Speed: USB 3.0 = 70 MB / s read, 30 MB / s write; USB 2.0 = 30 MB / s read, 25 MB / s write
• Dimensions: 69,05 mm × 21,6 mm × 11,1 mm
• Operating temperature range: 0 ° to 60 ° C
• Storage temperature range: -20 ° to 85 ° C
• Operating system support: Windows 7 (SP1), Windows Vista (SP1, SP2), Windows XP (SP3), Mac OS X v. 10.5x (USB 2.0 support only), Linux v. 2.6.x +

Reviews

Crystal DiskMark

AIDA64 mass storage speed measurement and HD Tach Long Bench

HD Tune 5.00 measurements

Opinion

Kingston didn’t speak into the air when he talked about the speed of the DataTraveler Elite 3.0, the factory can achieve the factory-specified values, but at least always stay close to it. DT Elite 3.0 provides more than double for an older unit in terms of reading, the situation is not so good in writing, as it can only benefit from 5-6 MB / s of the faster interface, this is a bit unfortunate and can be described as a negative. This is offset by the fact that we still get a USB 3.0 unit, with a good look, large enough capacities, and presumably high reliability, long life, I think “anything” is not usually guaranteed by a manufacturer for 5 years. Of course, the last word is said by the prices.

DataTraveler Elite 3.0 is already around 6-7 forints, which means that it costs only 000-2 forints more than a traditional USB 3 000 GB unit. The price of the 2.0 GB model jumps to 16-32 forints, here the difference is more significant compared to a 16 GB unit in the field, while the 17 GB model rubs 000 forints from below, depending on the location. None of this is a bad offer, but in the case of the 32 and 64 GB units, it is worth considering the DataTraveler Ultimate USB 30 (Gen000), which is a few thousand forints more expensive, but with 32 MB / s read and 64 MB / s offers write speed. Overall, Kingston DataTraveler Elite 3.0 is a well-executed product, which we can offer for purchase in Hungary, especially in the 2 GB version, based on the current prices!

Kingston DT Elite USB 3.0

The Kingston DataTraveler Elite USB 3.0 64 GB pendrive a ot From Kingston's domestic office we got it for testing, thank you!

Gábor Pintér (gabi123)