I tested this compact SSD and it’s fast, durable and feature decent drive management software - for PC at least

Kioxia Exceria Plus G2: 30-second review

As there are plenty of great portable SSD options out there, it's pretty difficult for any individual model to stand out, and instead, for any portable SSD to be worth consideration, it needs to have a few key features, fast, compact and tough being just a few that I use to measure how good an SSD is. There's no doubt the Kioxia Exceria Plus G2 manages to tick many of these requirement. Sure enough it's compact, has a huge capacity of 2TB, decent transfer rates up to 1050MB/s, and is durable with military-grade drop testing that proves it's going to withstand more than a few knocks if you carry it in a pocket or backpack as I did through this test.

For the most part, the drive is quite exceptional and does exactly what you want it to do: transfer files quickly and easily from your laptop, phone or computer over to this portable storage — ready to transfer or archive for future use.

The design, feature set and cost are well balanced, which means that if you have large files such as video or image files that you need to transfer from one location to another, and you don't want to use an online service, then the durability of this small drive is ideal for posting through the mail.

A feature that really stands out to ensure security, is that Kioxia has included their free SSD Utility Management Software, which enables you to protect the drive so that if it falls into the wrong hands, the only way to access the data is with a password. This security feature is a neat solution. However, it is unfortunately only compatible with PC systems, which limits flexibility.

However, security software aside, it has full compatibility with pretty much any other device or operating system able to accept external drives, and as it utilises the USB 3.2 Gen 2 interface, which means that on almost all devices, you're going to see close to those maximum transfer rates.

My one quibble with the Exceria Plus G2 is part of the design: both the top and bottom of the drive are convex. Over the years, I've used many of the best portable SSDs, and one of the great things about them is that you can attach Velcro to the surface of the drive and then attach that to the back of your laptop monitor just to keep things neat.

Here, as there is that slight convex design, Velcro actually sits almost level with the curvature, and while this isn't ideal it actually didn't seem to impact its ability to attach. However, if you were securing it more permanently using just double-sided tape, then you might have a little more of an issue.

Overall, the durability and design are nice and solid, and the performance absolutely met the quoted transfer speed. Whilst this drive might not be waterproof, considering the price, it manages to balance out all those specifications nicely, making it a great option for anyone looking for a large capacity and fast portable SSD.

Kioxia Exceria Plus G2: Price & availability

Around the $130 / £130 price mark, the Kioxia Exceria Plus G2 hits the average price point for a 2TB portable SSD.

Considering the durability and the fact that it also ships with some free security software — albeit just for Windows operating systems — that price tag certainly makes this drive extremely competitive.

When you then see the performance and the fact that it's so durable and can maintain transfer rates for sustained periods of time, it all balances out to great value.

• Score: 4/5

Kioxia Exceria Plus G2: Design & build

As the Exceria Plus G2 is removed from the box, the one thing that was instantly apparent was the design — it's really nice and small, and I really liked the tactile feel of the aluminium casing, helping to reinforce the high-quality feel. It was also reassuring to know that this casing and the drive itself have been through the MIL-STD-810H drop testing procedure, which essentially means it will stand up to pretty much any type of day-to-day use, and a little bit more than most other portable SSDS.

As part of the design, the aluminium casing will also help to dissipate heat from the 2TB SSD inside, which means that if you do need to use this storage for heavier tasks such as editing full HD or 4K video, then that should be possible while out in the field as long as you don't push it to hard. Although you might see a slight dip in performance due to thermal throttling, the aluminium casing through the test did seem to do a great job at keeping the inner works cool.

One of the slightly odd aspects of the design, as previously mentioned, is that both the top and bottom of the casing are slightly convex. At first, I was concerned that this would prevent me from putting a Velcro sticker on the back to attach it to my monitor, but in practice, the curve is minimal, so even a standard sticky-back label or Velcro pad will still work fine. The other point here is that, although it's convex, it's only marginally so, so if you need to label your SSD, small labels will also attach neatly.

Looking around the body of the portable SSD, and I'm really impressed by how simple and clean it is. You have the nicely curved edges, and the convex top and bottom that just give it a really nice tactile feel. When it comes to ports, there's a single USB Type-C — this is USB 3.2 Gen 2, which offers decent transfer rates. It doesn't break records, but it does mean it has maximum compatibility across a multitude of devices.

When it comes to size and weight, it's nice and compact, measuring 72 x 40 x 11.8 mm and weighing just 42g without the cable. In the box, along with the SSD, are two cables: one USB Type-C to Type-C and one USB Type-C to Type-A, again reinforcing compatibility across different systems.

One of the small but very welcome features of this drive is a status light next to the USB port. It glows green when powered and flashes to indicate the drive is in use, just enough to show activity is happening.

• Design & build: 3.5/5

Kioxia Exceria Plus G2: Features

One of the main appeals of portable SSDS is their compact size and wide compatibility. When it comes to use with other electronics, this drive has far more compatibility than many more advanced or expensive models. This is thanks to the USB 3.2 Gen 2 interface, which, while not the fastest, offers maximum compatibility — meaning that alongside your Windows or Mac computer, it can also be used with ios devices, iPad, Android, PS4 and Xbox — essentially almost any device that allows external storage.

The small size means you can take it anywhere, and the tough aluminium exterior gives it a good, robust feel. This is backed up by shockproof military standard drop-test certification, proving just how rugged this small drive is. However, it's worth noting that it is only drop-proof, not water- or dustproof, so that's something to be mindful of if you're using this in the field. The protection is more about safeguarding it in a bag or pocket rather than in muddy or wet outdoor conditions.

One feature I particularly liked is that it ships with Kioxia SSD Utility Management Software. While it's only available for Windows (not Mac or Linux), it's comprehensive and, most importantly, enables password protection. So if you're out and about and lose the drive, you can be confident the data remains secure.

When it comes to the technology inside, despite its compact size, it houses a large 2TB SSD. Other capacities include 500GB and 1TB versions. It uses Bics FLASH 3d flash memory — a vertically stacked cell structure that the company states delivers an enhanced storage experience. In testing, the drive hit expected transfer rates and coped well even under heavier tasks like editing 4K video from a Canon EOS R5C — handling demands without issue.

• Features: 4.5/5

Kioxia Exceria Plus G2: Performance

From the outset, one of the things I really like about this small and compact portable SSD is just how compatible it is. Because it utilises the USB 3.2 Gen 2 interface, it has maximum compatibility, meaning it will work with almost any desktop, laptop or portable device that has a USB connection. Even with older PCS or Macs, this storage will work perfectly well, though you won't reach the maximum transfer rate.

When I tested this drive, I used it with a MacBook Pro M1 Max 16-inch, an Asus ProArt P16, and a desktop machine featuring an Asus Prime Z890-P motherboard. For each of these machines, the quality of the speed achieved was exceptionally good. While it didn't quite hit the top performance figures quoted by Kioxia, the transfer rates recorded across all benchmarking software on all devices was still good.

Testing on the Asus Prime Z890 setup, the SSD achieved a read speed of 1031MB/s and a write speed of 973MB/s using CrystalDiskMark, not far off the quoted maximum.

Many portable SSDS can hit this level of performance, but what helps the KIOXIA Exceria Plus G2 stand out is its ability to sustain these speeds over time. I left AJA System Test Lite running for an hour, and while the drive did warm up, the actual data transfer rates remained consistent throughout.

In real-world tests, I first used the drive to back up a Final Cut Pro X project. It transfers files quickly, with the bulk of larger video files moving quickly and smaller images, graphics, and audio files also transferring at a decent speed. Then, creating a project in Premiere Pro on the Asus ProArt P16, the speed again stood out. I was able to edit a 4K video shot on a Canon EOS R5C with ease. Even when applying effects and saving backups, the drive handled the workload without issue.

Across tests on both Mac and PC systems, and using Final Cut Pro X, Premiere Pro, and Lightroom Classic, the drive proved exceptionally capable. With 2TB of storage, there were no concerns about capacity.

While this might not be the fastest portable SSD available, it's certainly one of the most compatible. What really impressed me was its consistency — some high-performance drives are slower to mount or initialise, but this one always appeared quickly on the desktop.

A key feature is the software security option, available via KIOXIA's website for Windows. The SSD Utility Management Software gives a good summary of the drive, showing data usage, partitions, and drive health, and enables firmware updates. I've seen similar software from OWC, and like theirs, this one can enhance both performance and reliability.

Monitoring features, such as temperature tracking, are useful if you're running high-performance applications. There's also standard password protection. Often, bundled SSD software feels like an afterthought, but here KIOXIA have matched the quality of premium tools — offering something genuinely helpful for maintaining the health and security of your drive.

As a final test of durability, I dropped the drive from about a meter onto concrete and wood floors, and it continued to work without issue. The aluminium casing proved to be protective, though I will say that it all felt slightly lighter-weight than I would usually prefer. Still, across all tests, it proved robust enough.

Overall, the price, performance, and consistency justify the cost, which places it in the same bracket as a more well-known portable SSDs of the same capacity. The USB 3.2 specification, wide compatibility, and decent build all make it a very solid option.

• Performance: 4.5/5

Should you buy the Kioxia Exceria Plus G2?

One of the challenges for any manufacturer is making their product stand out, especially in such a crowded market, and even more so when you're not one of the best-known names. While Kioxia has a good reputation, it's not as recognisable as brands like Lexar, SanDisk, LaCie or OWC, all of which produce high-capacity, high-speed SSDS.

What KIOXIA have managed to do here is deliver something very well-balanced. While the price point is in line with the major competition, they've added value through a strong all metal casing and excellent SSD utility management software.

I do have some reservations about the build quality. It looks and feels good, but there's a slight tinniness to the casing when tapped, which gave me minor concern — though this may be unfounded. In terms of speed and performance, it didn't quite reach the maximum stated values, but it came close, and more importantly, it maintained consistent performance during sustained use.

The drive also handled being dropped, carried around in a backpack, and general field use without needing special care. By the end of testing, I really liked this portable SSD. There are a few design quirks — I'm not completely sold on the convex design, especially as I like to Velcro my SSDS to the back of my monitor. I'm also cautious about any device that feels a little too lightweight, and the slight tinny resonance is something I noticed. But overall, it still feels solid, and the military drop certification is reassuring.

Ultimately, this drive offers a good balance of performance, capacity and durability, making it a solid choice for business or creative users. What really makes it stand out is the SSD Utility Management Software — if it were also available for Mac, this would likely be one of my top picks for a portable SSD.

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