The Good

 

Kingston's SSDNow V 40GB does provide an interesting choice for consumers, which are being prompted to consider it as a solution for their desktop PC, more specifically as a replacement for their main OS partition. While there are many low-capacity or low-priced storage solutions already available on the market, the performance specifications and speed of the new Kingston SSD do make it a noteworthy alternative. Performance is everything you'd expect it to be, that is if you don't plan on using the drive as the main storage solution for a small, portable computer system The bundle is what you should go for with the drive, as the price difference isn't that significant to give up on the aforementioned software and tools.

 

The Bad

 

We haven't talked much about the pricing of the new drive, but this is basically where we've got our mixed feelings. It will go on sale for an MSRP of US$123 with the included bundle, while the standalone offering is US$117. That said, the Kingston SSDNow V-series 64GB MLC-based SSD with desktop bundle is currently available at Newegg for US$158.99 and will provide you with increased storage capacity but with a lower read speed of 100MB/s and write speed of 80MB/s. The bundle is pretty much the same for both drives, but the 64GB model appears to provide a better alternative.

 

It's up to you to choose between a higher-capacity SSD for approximately US$30 more and a 40GB model that offers an impressive read speed, optimized to become your new OS partition. The choice would be easier if the price tag for the 40GB went a bit lower, somewhere in the US$100 range.

 

Overall impressions

 

Kingston's new SSD does look to provide computer enthusiasts with a rather interesting choice when looking for a desktop storage solution. The drive's overall performance is impressive, but it's certainly not a choice for those looking to expand their system's storage capacity with a faster drive. Pricing isn't really that bad, but with the 64GB costing nearly as much as the 40GB model, the choice is rather difficult. As for availability, Kingston claims that the SSDNow 40GB SSD will come on the 9th of November.

 

 

Sales package:

Kingston SSDNow 40GB SSD

3.5-Inch brackets and mounting screws

SATA power and cable

Hard drive cloning software

Installation Guide (CD)