Kingston 4TB SSD PCIe NVMe M.2
The Phison E18 controller and 3D TLC NAND deliver 7000 MB/s sequential reads and writes, plus 1000K random IOPS, making this 4TB PCIe 4.0 drive a top-tier performer. Its 3200 TBW endurance and 5-year warranty offer long-term reliability, while the low-profile graphene aluminium heat spreader keeps thermals in check without adding bulk. Best for workstation users who need maximum sustained throughput for large file transfers, video editing, or heavy multitasking.
Snapshot
The 30-Second Version
The Kingston KC3000 4TB is a top-tier PCIe 4.0 drive with 7000 MB/s speeds and excellent endurance. It's in the 94th percentile for random performance, making it a workstation beast. It's pricey, but worth it if you need the capacity and speed.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Blazing 7000 MB/s read and write speeds 94th
- Huge 4TB capacity with 3200 TBW endurance 93rd
- Top-tier random performance for heavy workloads 93rd
- Includes a low-profile graphene heat spreader 88th
Cons
- Expensive, affordability is in the 10th percentile
- Social proof is thin with only 4 reviews
- Portable use is a weak spot at 21.3/100
- Heatsink may not fit all laptop M.2 slots
What owners think
The Word on the Street
The proof
Performance
Sequential speeds are 7000 MB/s read and write, which is basically the ceiling for PCIe 4.0. Random IOPS hit 1000K on both reads and writes, landing it in the 94th percentile overall. That means snappy boot times, fast game loads, and zero hesitation when you're moving huge files around. The Phison E18 controller is a proven performer, and the TLC NAND keeps things consistent under sustained loads. Endurance is also a standout at 3200 TBW, so you can hammer this drive daily without worrying about wearing it out.
Specifications
Full Specifications
Drive
| Capacity | 4000 |
| Form Factor | M.2 |
| Interface | PCIe |
| Protocol | NVMe |
| PCIe Generation | 4 |
| External | No |
Performance
| Sequential Read (MB/s) | 7000 |
| Sequential Write (MB/s) | 7000 |
| Random Read (IOPS) | 1000000 |
| Random Write (IOPS) | 1000000 |
Hardware
| NAND | TLC |
| Controller | Phison E18 |
Reliability
| Endurance (TBW) | 3200 |
| MTBF (hours) | 1800000 |
| Warranty (years) | 5 |
Features
| Heatsink | Yes |
vs Competition
Against the Samsung 9100 PRO, the KC3000 holds its own on speed but Samsung has a stronger brand reputation and more social proof. The Western Digital Black SN850X is a closer match on performance and often comes in cheaper, though the Kingston's endurance rating is higher. The Crucial T700 is a Gen5 drive, so it's faster on paper, but you'll need a Gen5 motherboard to take advantage of it. The Seagate FireCuda 530R is another solid Gen4 option, but the KC3000's random performance gives it an edge for workstation tasks.
| Spec | Kingston 4TB SSD | Samsung 9100 PRO | Western Digital WD_BLACK WDS800T2XHE | Crucial T710 | Seagate FireCuda 530R ZP4000GM3A073 | SanDisk WD_BLACK WDS800T1X0M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 4TB | 4TB | 8TB | 4TB | 4TB | 8TB |
| Form Factor | M.2 | M.2 2280 | M.2 2280 | M.2 2280 | M.2 | M.2 2280 |
| Interface | PCIe | PCIe 5.0 x4 | PCIe 4.0 | PCIe 5.0 x4 | PCIe 4.0 x4 | PCIe 5.0 x4 |
| Seq Read | 7,000 MB/s | 14,800 MB/s | 7,200 MB/s | 14,500 MB/s | 7,400 MB/s | 14,900 MB/s |
| Nand Type | TLC | TLC | TLC | TLC | TLC | TLC |
| Dram Cache | - | true | true | false | false | true |
| Endurance | 3200 TBW | 2400 TBW | 4800 TBW | 2400 TBW | 5050 TBW | 4800 TBW |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | Speed | Random | Feature | Capacity | Endurance | Social Proof | Affordability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kingston 4TB SSD | 88.4 | 94.3 | 77.8 | 92.5 | 92.7 | 24.6 | 11.1 |
| Samsung 9100 PRO Compare | 99.2 | 99.8 | 99.7 | 92.5 | 85.8 | 99.6 | 5.6 |
| Western Digital WD_BLACK WDS800T2XHE Compare | 87.7 | 96.5 | 93.9 | 98 | 87.9 | 95.3 | 4.1 |
| Crucial T710 Compare | 99.1 | 99.1 | 85.3 | 92.5 | 85.8 | 77.6 | 10.1 |
| Seagate FireCuda 530R ZP4000GM3A073 Compare | 92.8 | 96.8 | 77.8 | 92.5 | 95.5 | 77.6 | 7.7 |
| SanDisk WD_BLACK WDS800T1X0M Compare | 99.1 | 99.3 | 97.5 | 98 | 80.8 | 45.5 | 3.6 |
Price
Value & Pricing
Pricing is all over the place depending on where you shop. In the US, you'll see it listed between $746 and $970, with Newegg offering the lower end of that range. In Canada, the spread is even wider at CAD 970 to CAD 1,370, and Memory Express has the best deal there. For a 4TB Gen4 drive with this level of endurance, the lower end of those ranges is actually reasonable. But at the top end, you're paying a premium that's hard to justify unless you absolutely need the capacity and speed right now.
Amazon 1 offer From €716
We started tracking prices for this product on Nov 14, 2026. The chart appears once we have more data.
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Overview
The Kingston KC3000 is a 4TB PCIe 4.0 drive that hits 7000 MB/s on both reads and writes. That's the headline. It's built on a Phison E18 controller with TLC NAND, and Kingston backs it with a 3200 TBW endurance rating and a 5-year warranty. For a big, fast work drive, those are serious numbers.
Our database puts this thing in the 94th percentile for random performance and 93rd for endurance. It's a workstation monster. The catch? Affordability sits at the 10th percentile, so you're paying for all that speed and capacity. If you need 4TB of top-tier Gen4 storage, this is one of the best options out there.
Common Questions
Q: Does the KC3000 work in a PCIe 3.0 slot?
Yes, it's backward compatible. You'll be limited to PCIe 3.0 speeds, but one reviewer copied a 44GB file in under 20 seconds on an older Z170 board, so it's still plenty fast.
Q: Is the heatsink removable?
The graphene aluminium heat spreader is low-profile and designed to stay on. It should fit most desktops, but check your laptop's clearance if space is tight.
Q: How does the endurance compare to other 4TB drives?
At 3200 TBW, the KC3000 is in the 93rd percentile for endurance. That's better than most competitors, so it's a great choice for heavy write workloads.
Who Should Skip This
If you're just gaming or doing light productivity work, save your money and get a 2TB drive. The price premium for 4TB is steep, and you likely won't notice the difference. Also skip this if you need a portable drive, since it scores just 21.3/100 for portable use.
Verdict
If you're building a high-end workstation or gaming rig and need 4TB of fast, reliable storage, the KC3000 is an easy recommendation. It's one of the best Gen4 drives we've tested for random performance and endurance. Just make sure you're getting it at a good price, because the premium over smaller drives is significant.
Usage Scores
- Overall86.8
- Budget69.6
- Gaming84.6
- Laptop72.2
- Console83.3
- Portable21.3
- Workstation88.5