Kingston unveils flash drive-like Dual Portable SSD with fast transfer speeds

Kingston has launched a new compact storage drive, the Dual Portable SSD. As the name suggests, it features a dual interface design, coming with a USB-A connector on one end and a USB-C on the other. This makes the flash drive-like SSD broadly compatible, and the company states that it works with Android, iOS, and iPadOS devices as well.

Regarding the speed, the Dual Portable SSD is rated for USB 3.2 Gen 2 speeds. For those looking for specifics, per Kingston, this compact drive can offer a read speed of up to 950 MB/s, while the write speed can reach 1,050 MB/s.

The company is offering the dual interface drive in three storage options: 512 GB, 1 TB, and 2 TB. They all house 3D NAND dies, and it seems all of them are rated for the same transfer speed.

Now, while the Kingston Dual Portable SSD has a small housing, this isn't a new concept. Brands like Transcend have offers similar external solid-state drive options (Transcend's 512 GB 2-in-1 external SSD curr. $53.99 on Amazon). There are smaller options available as well, such as the recently launched Sandisk Extreme Fit USB-C flash drive.

Of course, the offering from Sandisk is rated for USB 3.2 Gen 1 speeds, which is a slower standard than the drive that Kingston or Transcend is offering. Nonetheless, Kingston has put a starting price tag of $97 for its new Dual Portable SSD, which is for the base model with 512 GB of storage.

As for the 1 TB option, it costs $144, while the 2 TB one costs $239. More information about the Dual Portable SSD and its availability can be found on the official website.