HyperX SAVAGE EXO review: Fast read performance that’s perfect for gaming

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As time goes on, portable memory options are becoming more compact and more affordable. While portable SSDs can be used with most computer systems, our HyperX SAVAGE EXO review takes a look at a portable SSD with a focus on gaming — and for good reason. Read on to see what we thought of this slim and sleek new drive from Kingston.

Specifications

The HyperX SAVAGE EXO portable SSD has the following features and specifications: 

  • Lightning-quick transfer speeds
  • Simple connectivity for Windows and Mac
  • Compatible with XBOX One and PS4 via USB 3.1 Gen 2
  • Light, portable, and compact
  • Interface: USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type C
  • Capacities: 480GB, 960GB
  • NAND: 3D TLC
  • Sequential Read/Write: up to 500/480MB/s
  • Power Consumption: 5v 900mA
  • Operating temperature: 0°C~70°C
  • Storage temperature: -40°C~85°C
  • Vibration operating: 2.17G Peak (7–800Hz)
  • Vibration non-operating: 20G Peak (10–2000Hz)
  • Life expectancy: 1 million hours MTBF
  • Dimensions: 4.87 x 1.91 x 0.4″ (123.82 x 48.61 x 10.24mm)
  • Weight: 1.97oz (56g)
  • Warranty/support: Limited 3-year warranty with free technical support

What’s in the box

  • HyperX SAVAGE EXO portable SSD
  • USB-C to USB-C transfer cable
  • USB-A to USB-C transfer cable
  • HyperX sticker
HyperX-SAVAGE-EXO-review-02
What’s in the box…

Design

Most portable drives feature a standard rectangular shape with ports one one end and possibly some LEDs situated somewhere on the drive enclosure. While the HyperX SAVAGE EXO is still rectangular in shape, it’s super slim (just under 1/2″ in thickness) and has some nice angular accents and corners to it.

HyperX-SAVAGE-EXO-review-07
The HyperX SAVAGE EXO portable SSD.

The top and bottom plates are greyish silver in color while the front looks like a black cap that extends onto the top with the HyperX logo printed on it in white. The opposite end is also capped in black and has a USB Type-C port with an LED light beside it.

The slim design is fantastic and it’s easy to slip into a pocket or spare pouch in your bag or backpack for taking it on the go.

Performance

According to the company’s specifications, the drive features a write speed of up to 500 MB/s and a read speed of up to 480MB/s. We ran a few speed tests on a laptop using a couple of different programs to test these claims out. 

During our write speed tests, we couldn’t get the drive to come anywhere near the claimed up to 500MB/s. Instead, we averaged between the 150 to 200 MB/s mark depending on block size and test app used.

With poorer than expected write speeds, we didn’t have much hope for read speeds but fortunately our fears were quickly dissipated. During our read speed tests,  we were able to get just under 500MB/s consistently — which is good news for gaming as you’ll see in a moment.

Tested numbers aside, while used on a PC with a Lightroom catalog and images on the external SSD drive, performance was indeed snappier than the onboard hybrid SSD drive on our test laptop, especially when it came to reading the catalog and displaying the images on the drive. Importing new images from an SD card to the SSD drive was also quicker but, as our testing showed, there are probably faster drives out there in the write speed department.

Gaming. HyperX is Kingston’s gaming brand and the product page specifically mentions gaming and the PS4/Xbox One consoles. Using the USB-C to USB-A cable, we hooked this drive up to our Xbox One X and tested load times between the internal hard drive and the HyperX SAVAGE EXO drive. With Forza Horizon 4 as our primary test game, as it takes a whopping 3 minutes and 42 seconds to fully load to the playable state from the Xbox internal hard drive. When moved over to the HyperX SAVAGE EXO, that time was cut down to about 1 minute and 25 seconds which is a huge time savings. Even loading after events and when fast travelling seemed much quicker, allowing you to game more and wait less.

Due to the lack of write speeds based on the specifications, this drive scored on the lower end for performance. While we would have liked to see better write performance out of this drive, if you’re looking to get a portable SSD drive for gaming, the SAVAGE EXO will definitely suit your needs with its read speeds.

Price/Value

The HyperX SAVAGE EXO has an MSRP of $127.99USD while the larger 960GB version will set you back $249.99. By comparison, comparable 500GB portable SSDs run in the $125+ range while 1TB start around the $250 range. Given these prices, the HyperX SAVAGE EXO is reasonably priced. If you’re planning on using this exclusively for gaming, such as an external drive for your PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, you’ll be fine with this drive.

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The HyperX SAVAGE EXO can connect to both USB-C and USB-A ports with the included cables.

Wrap-up

The HyperX SAVAGE EXO portable SSD offers fantastic read speeds, making it a great choice as an external drive for console gaming. However, its write speeds are somewhat lacking if you plan on using this drive for other activities than gaming.

*We were sent a sample of the HyperX SAVAGE EXO portable SSD for the purposes of this review.

Last Updated on February 3, 2021.

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