KingSpec SSD

6600 MB/s read and write speeds make this one of the fastest 2242 drives we've seen, landing in the 78th percentile for speed. But capacity is small at 512GB and endurance is mediocre. It's a niche pick for laptops that can't fit a full-size 2280 drive.

The headline number is 6600 MB/s read and 6600 MB/s write, which puts this drive well above average in our speed rankings. That's PCIe 4.0 territory, and it's roughly double what you'd get from a PCIe 3.0 drive. For a 2242 stick, that's genuinely impressive. Most drives this size are stuck in the SATA or PCIe 3.0 era, so seeing Gen4 speeds here is a nice surprise.

The TLC NAND helps keep sustained writes from cratering the way QLC drives tend to, though endurance is still a weak spot at the 41st percentile. The included heatsink is a nice touch for a drive this compact, especially in tight laptop bays where airflow is basically a myth. Just don't expect this to hang with the big 2280 Gen4 drives in heavy sustained workloads, it's fast, but it's not a workstation monster.

Stacked against the Samsung 990 PRO, Western Digital WD_BLACK SN7100, Crucial T710, ADATA GAMMIX S70 Blade, and SanDisk Optimus GX PRO 850X, the KingSpec XG7000 is the only 2242 drive in the bunch. The Samsung 990 PRO and WD_BLACK SN7100 both offer higher capacities and better endurance, but they're 2280 sticks that won't fit in a 2242 slot. The Crucial T710 and ADATA GAMMIX S70 Blade are also 2280 drives with stronger all-around scores. The SanDisk Optimus GX PRO 850X is another 2280 option with better endurance. So the KingSpec isn't really competing on raw performance, it's competing on fit. If your laptop only takes 2242 drives, this is one of the few Gen4 options available.

At USD 110 for 512GB, you're paying about 21 cents per gigabyte. That's not terrible for a niche 2242 Gen4 drive, but it's not a bargain either. The CAD 136 listing in Canada works out to a similar story. For that money, you can get a 1TB 2280 Gen4 drive from a bigger brand if your machine has the room. The value here is really about the form factor, if you need 2242, you're paying a premium for the size, not the capacity.

The KingSpec XG7000 512GB in the 2242 form factor posts a 6600 MB/s read and 6600 MB/s write on paper, which lands it in the 78th percentile for speed in our database. That's a strong showing for a drive this small, and it means this thing will chew through game loads and file transfers without breaking a sweat. The 2242 size is the real story here though, it's built for laptops and ultrabooks that can't fit a full 2280 stick.

But the numbers get less rosy once you look past raw speed. Capacity sits at just the 33rd percentile, and endurance is even lower at the 41st. A 3-year warranty and TLC NAND are fine, but this is a drive aimed at a very specific niche: small form factor machines that need a speed bump. If you've got a standard M.2 slot, there are better options for the money.

If you have a standard 2280 M.2 slot, skip this drive. The 512GB capacity is small, endurance is below average at the 41st percentile, and the portable score of 15/100 is a real letdown. For the same USD 110, you can get a 1TB 2280 Gen4 drive from a bigger brand with better endurance and more storage. This drive only makes sense if your machine physically cannot fit anything larger than 2242.

The KingSpec XG7000 512GB is a solid choice if you're stuck with a 2242 slot and want Gen4 speeds. The 6600 MB/s read and write numbers are legitimately good for this form factor, and the TLC NAND plus heatsink are nice touches. But the 512GB capacity and mediocre endurance scores mean this isn't a drive for everyone. If you've got a standard 2280 slot, skip this and get a bigger, more durable drive for the same money.