USB flash drives tend to be somewhat dull devices. People use them for quick data transfers, and they want them as cheap as possible. Therefore, the quality of most devices of this type is rather low, and their durability is not something to brag about. Kingston is one of the few manufacturers that keep investing in this niche and trying to deliver high-quality products at a reasonable price. We recently received for testing the Kingston DataTraveler Elite G2. It is a flash drive made of zinc which impressed us with its build quality. If you want to know how fast it is and whether it is a good choice for you, read this review:

What is the Kingston DataTraveler Elite G2 good at?

This USB memory stick is a good choice for:

• Users who want a modern USB memory stick with support for USB 3.1
• People who want a fast flash drive
• Users who want a durable memory stick

Pros and cons

Kingston DataTraveler Elite G2 has the following strengths:

• Solid build quality and a case made of zinc
• Read and write speeds that are faster than promised in the official specifications
• Compatibility with all modern operating systems

The only downside that we could find is the pricing. You can find cheaper alternatives. However, most of them do not offer similar build quality.

Verdict

Kingston DataTraveler Elite G2 provides everything you expect from a modern USB flash drive: It is available in storage up to 128GB, it is built from durable materials, it has a 5-year warranty and speeds that are faster than what Kingston promises. There are slightly cheaper alternatives, but most of them don't seem to offer the same build quality. If you don't mind paying a bit extra, Kingston DataTraveler Elite G2 is a flash drive that you will not regret purchasing.

Unboxing and hardware specifications

The packaging for the Kingston DataTraveler Elite G2 memory stick is as simple as it gets: all you get is the flash drive itself and a piece of cardboard that shows its most important characteristics and features.

When you unpack it, you can see and feel the metal casing made of zinc. It is shock and water-resistant, and it feels tough and durable. However, it is not clear what water-resistance standard it meets. Most probably it is safe to assume that it can resist a casual spill or a bit of rain, but not much more than that. The cap of the Kingston DataTraveler Elite G2 is removable so that you can plug the memory stick into USB ports and devices.

Kingston DataTraveler Elite G2 is a USB 3.1 flash drive that also works with older USB 2.0 devices. It is available in three storage variants: 32 GB, 64 GB, and 128 GB. We received the 128GB variant for testing. The specifications of this device are 180 MB/second for the read speed and 50 or 70 MB/s for the write speed, depending on the storage variant. The slowest of the bunch is the 32GB variant, while the fastest are the 64 GB and the 128 GB storage variants.

The dimensions of this device are standard for a memory stick: 2.3 x 0.7 x 0.4 inches or 59.37mm x 18.98mm x 10.8mm in length, width, and height. The weight is also small, at 1.55 ounces or 44 grams.

Kingston DataTraveler Elite G2 is compatible with all modern operating systems, from Windows to Mac OS X, to Linux and Chrome OS. It can be used in temperatures that range from 32 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit or 0 to 60 degrees Celsius. Also, it can be stored safely in temperatures that vary from -4 to 185 Fahrenheit or -20 to 85 degrees Celsius.

To make your experience even better, Kingston provides a 5-year warranty with free technical support.

If you want to verify the official specifications of this product, you should go to this page: Kingston DataTraveler Elite G2.

Kingston DataTraveler Elite G2: user experience and performance in benchmarks

There is not much to say about the user experience offered by Kingston DataTraveler Elite G2. It is a simple device that works as you expect. We plugged it into systems with Windows and Ubuntu Linux, and it was immediately detected by both operating systems. For the 128 GB variant, Windows reported a total storage space of 115 GB, as you can see below.

The LED on top of the Kingston DataTraveler Elite G2 is useful to show you when data is being read or written so that you do not remove it at the wrong time. If you want to learn more about this subject, you should read this tutorial: How to safely remove hardware in Windows, so that you don't lose your data.

To measure the speed offered by Kingston DataTraveler Elite G2, we first transferred a 27 GB file from a Lenovo Legion Y520 to the memory stick and back. Windows 10 reported an average write speed on the Kingston DataTraveler Elite G2 of 88 MB/second. This is higher than the promised 70 MB/s in the official specifications of this product.

When reading the same file from the Kingston DataTraveler Elite G2, Windows 10 reported a read speed of 309 MB/second. Again, this is higher than the 180 MB/second promised by Kingston, which is excellent news.

We also used CrystalDiskMark to get some data from a benchmark. Again, the sequential reads and writes were higher than what Kingston promised. However, values for other types of reading and writing operations were smaller.

Overall, we are pleased by the build quality of the Kingston DataTraveler Elite G2, its speed, and performance.

What is your opinion about the Kingston DataTraveler Elite G2?

Now you know our opinion about the Kingston DataTraveler Elite G2 USB 3.1 flash drive and how it performed in our testing. Before closing this review, let us know what you think about this device. Are you interested in buying it? If you already have it, what is your experience with it? Comment below and let's discuss.