Kingston launches KC600 SATA SSD

Believe it or not, there are people still running computers without a solid state drive. With prices so low nowadays, there is really no reason for your operating system to be installed on a mechanical hard drive. Seriously, folks, an SSD is one of the best -- and most cost effective -- upgrades you can make.

Today, Kingston unveils its new line of solid state drives. Called "KC600," the drives are designed for upgrades, as they feature a 2.5-inch form factor and SATA connectivity. In other words, it should be a simple drop-in when removing the old hard drive. Best of all, it is very affordable, with pricing starting under $50!

"KC600 is optimized for functional system responsiveness with incredible boot, loading and transfer times. It supports a full-security suite that includes AES-XTS 256-bit hardware-based encryption, TCG Opal 2.0 and eDrive, allowing users to protect and secure their data. KC600 will be available in capacities up to 2TB utilizing the latest 3D TLC NAND technology and has read/write speeds up to 550/520MB/s, respectively. It is offered as both a stand-alone SSD or as a bundle kit which provides everything needed for an easy desktop or notebook upgrade installation," says Kingston.

Justin Karasek, SSD business manager, explains "Kingston is excited to release our latest 2.5-inch SATA SSD with 3D TLC NAND. With full capacities up to 2TB, self-encryption and its impressive speeds, KC600 has exactly what consumers and corporate customers are looking for when they’re ready to upgrade their existing systems. Our optional bundle kit that includes an enclosure, cloning software and cables makes it easy for customers to install our new drive."

Kingston shares the following specifications.

• Form Factor: 2.5-inch
• Interface: SATA Rev. 3.0 (6Gb/s) – with backwards capability to SATA Rev 2.0 (3Gb/s)
• Capacities: 256GB, 512GB, 1024GB, 2048GB
• Controller: SMI SM2259
• NAND: 3D TLC
• Encrypted: AES-XTS 256-bit encryption
• Sequential Read/Write: 256GB — up to 550/500MB/s, 512GB–2048GB — up to 550/520MB/s
• Maximum 4K Read/Write: up to 90,000/80,000 IOPS
• Power Consumption: 0.06W Idle / 0.2W Avg / 1.3W (MAX) Read / 3.2W (MAX) Write
• Dimensions: 100.1mm x 69.85mm x 7mm
• Weight: 40g
• Operating temperature: 0°C~70°C
• Storage temperature: -40°C~85°C
• Vibration operating: 2.17G Peak (7-800Hz)
• Vibration non-operating: 20G Peak (10-2000Hz)
• Life expectancy: 1 million hours MTBF
• Warranty/support: Limited 5-year warranty with free technical support
• Total Bytes Written (TBW): 256GB — 150TB, 512GB — 300TB, 1024GB — 600TB, 2048GB — 1200TB

The Kingston KC600 256GB costs $44.20, while the price for the 512GB variant is $72.80. Both can be ordered here now. For a bit more money, you can opt for the upgrade kits, which come bundled with disk cloning software. The two larger capacities don't seem to be available yet, sadly, but they should hit stores soon.