Kingston HyperX Savage in the test: USB flash drive with 128 GB loves movies, but shuns Games

Kingston promises for the USB stick HyperX Savage transfer rates of 350 MB / s read and 250MB / s write. Thus, the new top model of the manufacturer positioned before the fast Extreme Pro Sandisk. In the test shows: If large files are written, even Samsung is external SSD Portable T1 overtaken. However, even then.

On a new interface standard which is not, however, because behind the advertised USB 3.1 Generation 1 infected USB 3.0 with up to 5 Gbit / s. Only the name USB 3.1 Gen 2 indicates that twice as high bandwidth of up to 10 Gbit / s. USB 3.0 was quite simply renamed 3.1 Gen 1 in USB.

The HyperX Savage there are for the time being in three capacities: 64, 128 and 256 GB. Prices range from 40, 80, respectively 120 Euro. Because the smallest version has fewer chips, its speed drops when sequential writing with 180 MB / s of less than the larger models. The DataTraveler HyperX 3.0 predecessor but is beaten by this model, at least on paper.

Old and new generation in comparison

Compared to the also around 80 euros expensive 128GB SanDisk Extreme Pro Stick the HyperX Savage is the sequential read in front. Can compare the stick must be well with Samsung's Portable SSD T1, which is from 110 euros, per gigabyte to have currently with 250 gigabytes of capacity even cheaper.

Kingston HyperX Savage 128 GB

The test object with 128GB brings with dimensions of 76.3 × 23.5 × 12.2 mm approximately 26 grams on the scale. The series is offered with a warranty period of five years. The housing of rubberized plastic is enclosed by a red "X" made ​​of metal - the hallmark of HyperX product family. The USB-A connector is behind a cover at one end of the stick, at the other end there is an eyelet for attaching to your key ring. A blue LED indicator reports file accesses by blinking.

No details about the technology

There is no information from Kingston to technical base of the USB stick, and because it can be assumed that opening the damaged hardware, memory controller and thus remain unknown.

Without the following test results anticipate: There apparently is no SSD controller like the SanDisk Extreme Pro 128GB for use. To what extent this becomes apparent, showing the following pages.

Test Description

First, initial tests were performed on a current platform with Skylake CPU (Core i7-6700K) and Z170 mainboard (Asus Z170-Deluxe), including USB 3.1 (ASMedia) performed. As described above, the Kingston HyperX Savage works effectively even with USB 3.0; the abbreviation USB 3.1 does not matter in this form. While the Samsung Portable SSD T1 significantly drops the Kingston flash drive while writing games files behind, prevails in the video files in about a tie - an indication of the high sequential transfer rates of HyperX Savage.

File Transfer Steam

In minutes, seconds

·         109 GB Steam games letter:

·         Samsung Portable T1 SSD

·         Kingston HyperX 128 GB

File Transfer Video

In minutes, seconds

·         3 x 10GB Video letter:

·         Kingston HyperX 128 GB

·         Samsung Portable T1 SSD

To have additional comparison values ​​that were the same test conditions as in the test of the Samsung Portable SSD T1 created what is results with the SanDisk Extreme Pro 128GB journeymen and an external hard drive. Instead of Plextor M6E Black 256GB came Samsung SSD 950 Pro 512GB as system drive and data source used. However, since not fast PCIe SSD, but the USB port is the limiting factor, the change has no effect on the performance - for safety, this has been cross-checked. Reading With transfer rates of up to 2,500 MB / s and 1,500 MB / s writing supplies the 950 Pro more than sufficient reserves for all USB drives.

In addition to the benchmarks AS SSD Benchmark 1.7.4739.38088 and CrystalDiskMark 3.0.3b transfer performance was examined in practice.

·         Reading Test: File Transfer from Kingston HyperX Savage (USB 3.0) to Samsung SSD 950 Pro (PCIe)

·         Write Test: File Transfer from Samsung SSD 950 Pro (PCIe) to Kingston HyperX Savage (USB 3.0)

As previously with exFAT tested partition. The Windows write cache was left "turned off" by default: When changing the cache memory is usually disabled for fast removal of the drive.