Kingston KC3000 1TB
PCIe 4.0 · 7000/7000 MB/s · 1TB
KIOXIA-EXCERIA PRO G2 SSD
PCIe 5.0 NVMe · 14,900 MB/s read · PassMark #6
KIOXIA-EXCERIA PRO G2 SSD takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, Kingston KC3000 1TB lands at 86 and KIOXIA-EXCERIA PRO G2 SSD at 87. That puts KIOXIA-EXCERIA PRO G2 SSD ahead by 1 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick Kingston KC3000 1TB if…
- ✓M.2 NVMe
- ✓Competitive per-GB cost
- ✓TBW scales with capacity
Pick KIOXIA-EXCERIA PRO G2 SSD if…
- ✓PassMark Disk Score top-20 (92,587) — sustained-write class-leading
- ✓Pro-tier controller and DRAM cache for sustained throughput
Winner by scenario
Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate testValue for money
Kingston KC3000 1TBSpecdex score per dollar at MSRP
Kingston KC3000 1TB more score per dollar ($90 vs $200).
Score breakdown
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | Kingston KC3000 1TB | KIOXIA-EXCERIA PRO G2 SSD |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 4.0 | PCIe 5.0 x4 NVMe 2.0d |
| Capacity | 1TB | — |
| Read/Write | 7000/7000 MB/s | — |
| Form factor | — | M.2 2280 |
| Sequential read | — | 14,900 MB/s |
| Sequential write | — | 13,400 MB/s |
| Random read | — | 2,300,000 IOPS |
| Random write | — | 1,950,000 IOPS |
| Controller | — | Silicon Motion SM2508 (8-channel) |
| NAND | — | 218-layer Kioxia BiCS8 3D TLC |
| DRAM | — | yes (only DRAM model in Kioxia Gen5 lineup) |
| Endurance | — | 1,200 TBW |
| Warranty | — | 5 years |
| PassMark Disk Score | — | 92,587 |
| PassMark rank | — | #6 of 100 consumer SSDs |
| Spec basis | — | 2TB reference SKU — TBW/IOPS vary by capacity |
Kingston KC3000 1TB
- +M.2 NVMe
- +Competitive per-GB cost
- +TBW scales with capacity
- −Thermals on Gen 5 drives
- −DRAM-less models slower under sustained load
- −Require heatsinks in many systems
KIOXIA-EXCERIA PRO G2 SSD
- +PassMark Disk Score top-20 (92,587) — sustained-write class-leading
- +Pro-tier controller and DRAM cache for sustained throughput
- −DRAM-less controllers on lower-tier variants may throttle under sustained writes
- −Pricing varies — confirm current retail before purchase
FAQ: Kingston KC3000 1TB vs KIOXIA-EXCERIA PRO G2 SSD
Which is better, Kingston KC3000 1TB or KIOXIA-EXCERIA PRO G2 SSD? +
KIOXIA-EXCERIA PRO G2 SSD scores 87 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 1. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is Kingston KC3000 1TB worth the price? +
At $90, Kingston KC3000 1TB delivers a Specdex score of 86 — strongest in read.
Is KIOXIA-EXCERIA PRO G2 SSD worth the price? +
At $200, KIOXIA-EXCERIA PRO G2 SSD delivers a Specdex score of 87 — strongest in passmark_disk.
Does Kingston KC3000 1TB or KIOXIA-EXCERIA PRO G2 SSD last longer? +
Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.
Which is the better value, Kingston KC3000 1TB or KIOXIA-EXCERIA PRO G2 SSD? +
Kingston KC3000 1TB — more score per dollar ($90 vs $200). Specdex score per dollar at MSRP.