US201 Portable External USSD

(This review is for the KingSpec MemoStone 256GB External USB-C SSD.)This is a fast, well-designed, reasonably-priced, external SSD for computers, tablets, and phones.Making it resemble a game controller may appeal to some; I like the metal case that gives it a sturdy feel and also protects the Type A and C USB connectors. There is a slight detent in the USB-C end cover that helps keep it closed. On the USB-A end, a magnet is used instead of a detent, for some reason. A lanyard hole can be found on the blue (USB-C) end cover.A CrystalDisk speed chart is attached.The drive does get hot during use, but not unreasonably so.

For a switch themed thumb drive, this performs well enough for daily tasks and just looks cool doing it. The fact that it includes USB-C and USB-A makes it very versatile for connecting to any device, basically. The casing it made of metal, so it feels more durable than some of the throwaway plastic ones Ive had before.Overall I think this is a good buy !

This drive is so fast it made my old hard drive cry. I plugged it in, and files flew like they were escaping a burning building; basically warp speed for spreadsheets and cat videos. The dual USB-A/C setup means it plays nice with everything from my dusty laptop to my fancy phone, and the metal casing feels like it could survive a drop from orbit. If storage had a superhero, this would be its cape.

The KingSpec MemoStone is a portable USB SSD for transferring large files. According to its packaging, it has a 256GB capacity, supports the USB 3.2 Gen2 standard, and promises read speeds up to 1030 MB/s. Its key feature is a dual-ended design with both Type-C and Type-A plugs integrated directly into the device, allowing me to connect it to either port type without an adapter. I appreciate its design, which has the fun look of a famous handheld gaming console, and its casing is made of zinc alloy.My initial test was on my desktop using the USB-A plug into a USB 3.0 port. The drive was recognized immediately without drivers. However, when I ran CrystalDiskMark, the sequential read speed was only around 41 MB/s, and the write speed was about 38 MB/s. This was far from the advertised 1030 MB/s. I repeated the test several times with consistent results, so the low performance was not a fluke.To investigate, I used a different computer with another operating system. First, I verified the drive's true capacity with the f3probe command, which confirmed it is a genuine 256 GB drive with no capacity fraud. I then used a different benchmarking tool, which showed significantly better results: average read speeds of 453 MB/s and write speeds of 440 MB/s. This led me to conclude the initial abysmal speeds were caused by a driver or configuration issue on my first desktop.After a Windows update, I ran the CrystalDiskMark test again. The sequential read and write speeds increased after installation of KB5064081. I got a read speed of 1056.32 MB/s and a write speed of 964.34 MB/s.In a practical test, I copied a 5GB video file from the drive to my computer's internal hard drive. It took about two minutes, which is reasonably fast for a USB 3.0 connection. Copying the same file from my computer to the drive took slightly longer. Throughout the process, the transfer was stable with no freezing or dropped connections. I also left the drive plugged in overnight and it remained perfectly stable.The drive is commendably small, measuring 2-7/8 inches long, 3/4 inches wide, and just over 1/4 inch thick. Its compact size made it easy to carry on a work trip without taking up space. Since most of my devices have Type-C ports, I rarely used the USB-A plug, but I kept it stored with the drive. I did not notice any overheating, even after extended transfer sessions.The box lists compatibility with Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and HarmonyOS. I personally used it on a Windows 11 laptop and a Linux rig, where it worked flawlessly without requiring formatting - it came pre-formatted in the universal exFAT file system. I can confirm that the drive performs as expected and mounts securely when the host system has the correct drivers installed. Overall, it represents good value for me.

its very convenient with dual usba and usbc inputs. I confirmed it is functional and compatible with usb3, and has 256 gb free space. Construction is solid, with a metal casing.however I could not confirm the claim of 1000 mbs read and write speed, since my computer uses usb 3.0, and this was designed for the far superior usb 3.2 gen 2. I was getting about 100 mbs read and write, which is typical of external disk drives I use. So i cannot confirm manufacturer speed claims, but it definitely met usb3.0 speeds.I believe the value is very good, even if it is only usb 3.0. I would buy it. If the speeds are indeed at usb 3.2 gen 2, then it would be an excellent value. But Other reviewers here claimed 400-500 mbs using usb 3.2 gen2, which would be more like usb 3.1 gen 2, and so half the advertised speed. If this is true, then usb 3.2 gen2 users may be less interested.