Kingston XS1000 1TB Portable SSD USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 External Drive, Red

A full terabyte gives you room for large photo libraries, hours of video footage, game installers and complete project folders on a single drive. Instead of juggling several smaller USB sticks, you can keep your working files, archives and backups together in one place. That makes the XS1000 practical both as an everyday carry drive and as a dedicated backup target for a laptop or desktop computer.

Kingston rates the XS1000 at up to 1050 MB/s for reading data, so opening large files, copying footage back to your computer or browsing a big media library feels quick. Real-world speeds depend on the host device, its USB port and the type of files being moved, but on a compatible USB 3.2 Gen 2 port the drive is designed to make full use of the available bandwidth.

Saving data is almost as fast as reading it, with a rated write speed of up to 1000 MB/s. That matters when offloading camera cards, exporting edited video or running regular backups, as large batches of files land on the drive in far less time than with a traditional hard drive or a basic flash drive. Less time waiting means more time working on the files themselves.

The drive connects via a USB Type-C port and uses the USB 3.2 Gen 2 standard, also known as USB 3.1 Gen 2. This is the interface that delivers its top transfer speeds. USB-C is widely found on modern laptops, tablets and many smartphones, which keeps connections simple. When plugged into an older or slower USB port, the drive will be limited to the speed that port supports.

Weighing just 44.8 g, the XS1000 slips easily into a pocket, laptop bag or camera case without adding noticeable bulk. As a solid-state drive it has no moving parts, unlike a mechanical hard disk. The red finish also makes it easy to spot on a busy desk or inside a crowded bag, so it is less likely to be left behind.

This external SSD suits photographers and videographers who offload large files on the go, students and office workers who carry projects between devices, and anyone who wants fast, compact backup storage. Its combination of 1TB capacity, near 1000 MB/s performance and a lightweight body makes it a sensible upgrade for users moving on from slow USB sticks or bulky external hard drives.