Kingston KC3000 512GB vs Lexar NM790 512GB
Lexar NM790 512GB is at least the equal of the other on every measure that decides this, and ahead on at least one.
| Specification | KingstonKC3000 512GB | LexarNM790 512GB |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity (GB) | 512 | 512 |
| Sequential read (MB/s) | 7000 | 7200better |
| Sequential write (MB/s) | 3900 | 4400better |
| Current best price | 128,99 €at Amazon.de · captured 2026-09-13 | 99,99 €betterat Amazon.de · captured 2026-09-13 |
| Price per TB | 251,93 € | 195,29 €better |
| Endurance (TBW) | 400 | 500better |
| Warranty (years) | 5 | 5 |
| DRAM cache | Yes | No |
| NAND type | tlc | tlc |
| Controller | Phison E18 | Maxio MAP1602 |
How these two compare
Sequential throughput
Kingston KC3000 512GB states 7000 MB/s read and 3900 MB/s write; Lexar NM790 512GB states 7200 MB/s read and 4400 MB/s write, both over PCIe. Sequential numbers like these describe large sustained transfers; the responsiveness you notice day to day tracks random access more closely than the peak figures do.
Random access
Kingston KC3000 512GB is rated 450.000 IOPS random read and 900.000 random write; Lexar NM790 512GB, 800.000 and 800.000. Random 4K access — many small, scattered operations — is what a drive does booting, launching apps and juggling everyday tasks, and it tracks that feel far more closely than the sequential figures above.
Price
Kingston KC3000 512GB is 128,99 € (251,93 € per TB); Lexar NM790 512GB is 99,99 € (195,29 € per TB).
Endurance
Kingston KC3000 512GB is rated for 400 TBW and Lexar NM790 512GB for 500 TBW — the total the maker warrants you can write over the drive's life. A typical desktop writes only a few terabytes a year, so either rating is many years of headroom; the figure matters mainly as a relative signal of how hard each is built to be driven.
DRAM cache
On the cache question: Kingston KC3000 512GB carries a DRAM cache, and Lexar NM790 512GB is DRAM-less. The DRAM keeps the flash-translation table close, sparing a lookup on nearly every access; a drive without it leans on host memory or its own flash, which usually shows as slower sustained random writes rather than in the headline sequential numbers.
NAND, controller and warranty
On the flash itself: Kingston KC3000 512GB uses TLC, and Lexar NM790 512GB uses TLC. NAND tiers count bits per cell — more bits pack more capacity into the same silicon but shorten write endurance and slow sustained writes, which is why QLC sits below TLC on lasting performance even when the sequential numbers match. Controller: Kingston KC3000 512GB uses the Phison E18 and Lexar NM790 512GB uses the Maxio MAP1602. The controller runs wear-levelling, error correction and the mapping table, so it shapes sustained and random behaviour as much as the flash does — though the model name alone predicts little without testing. Kingston KC3000 512GB carries a 5-year warranty and Lexar NM790 512GB carries a 5-year warranty — the length the maker will stand behind the drive, and usually a proxy for the endurance it is rated to.
Which to buy
Against the other, Lexar NM790 512GB is even or ahead on every tracked measure and behind on none, which is the one case where the choice needs no compromise.
Common questions about this pair
- Which is faster, Kingston KC3000 512GB or Lexar NM790 512GB?
- Kingston KC3000 512GB states 7000 MB/s read and 3900 MB/s write; Lexar NM790 512GB states 7200 MB/s read and 4400 MB/s write, both over PCIe. Sequential numbers like these describe large sustained transfers; the responsiveness you notice day to day tracks random access more closely than the peak figures do.
- How do Kingston KC3000 512GB and Lexar NM790 512GB compare on random access?
- Kingston KC3000 512GB is rated 450.000 IOPS random read and 900.000 random write; Lexar NM790 512GB, 800.000 and 800.000. Random 4K access — many small, scattered operations — is what a drive does booting, launching apps and juggling everyday tasks, and it tracks that feel far more closely than the sequential figures above.
- Which costs less per terabyte, Kingston KC3000 512GB or Lexar NM790 512GB?
- Kingston KC3000 512GB is 128,99 € (251,93 € per TB); Lexar NM790 512GB is 99,99 € (195,29 € per TB).
- Should you buy Kingston KC3000 512GB or Lexar NM790 512GB?
- Against the other, Lexar NM790 512GB is even or ahead on every tracked measure and behind on none, which is the one case where the choice needs no compromise.