The Kingston HyperX Predator PCIe SSD is a legacy PCIe Gen 2.0 x4 drive that was sold as an M.2 2280 module, with some versions bundled with a PCIe adapter card. Its published sequential speeds were notable for its era, and historical testing found a clearer benefit in large file transfers than in ordinary game loading. Whether one is worth buying now depends on the exact version, host compatibility, condition, and price.
What is the Kingston HyperX Predator PCIe SSD?
Kingston’s 2016-era datasheet identifies this product as the HyperX Predator PCIe SSD. It uses a Marvell 88SS9293 controller, MLC NAND, and a PCIe Gen 2.0 x4 interface. The storage module is M.2 2280; the product was also offered bundled with a half-height, half-length (HHHL) PCIe adapter.
Kingston listed three capacities and two configurations for each. The M.2-only model numbers end in P2; the adapter bundles add an H after P2. Check the label and included hardware rather than relying on a listing title.
| Capacity | M.2-only part number | HHHL-adapter part number | Kingston-published TBW |
|---|---|---|---|
| 240GB | SHPM2280P2/240G | SHPM2280P2H/240G | 415TB (1.6 DWPD) |
| 480GB | SHPM2280P2/480G | SHPM2280P2H/480G | 882TB (1.7 DWPD) |
| 960GB | SHPM2280P2/960G | SHPM2280P2H/960G | 1600TB (1.8 DWPD) |
TBW and DWPD are capacity-specific figures from Kingston’s datasheet; Kingston says its TBW ratings derive from the JEDEC Client Workload JESD219A. The same product-era sheet lists a three-year warranty and free technical support, but that does not establish coverage for a used unit today. Kingston also specifies an operating temperature range of 0°C to 70°C. Kingston HyperX Predator PCIe SSD datasheet (2016-era).
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- Fast start up, loading and file transfers
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- Multiple capacities with space for applications or a hard drive replacement
How fast is the HyperX Predator SSD?
Kingston published sequential read/write figures that vary by capacity and test data type. The following are manufacturer baseline/out-of-box claims, not results from a new test. ATTO uses compressible data; AS-SSD and CrystalDiskMark figures are for incompressible data.
| Capacity | ATTO read/write | AS-SSD / CrystalDiskMark read/write |
|---|---|---|
| 240GB | 1400 / 600MB/s | 1290 / 600MB/s |
| 480GB | 1400 / 1000MB/s | 1100 / 910MB/s |
| 960GB | 1350 / 1000MB/s | 1300 / 1000MB/s |
Kingston says these figures are based on PCIe 3.0/2.0 motherboards and warns that actual speed varies with host hardware, software, and usage. The datasheet also lists up to 120,000/78,000 random 4K read/write IOPS for 240GB, 117,000/70,000 for 480GB, and 111,000/72,000 for 960GB; those, too, are Kingston’s published specifications rather than independent measurements. The drive’s documented interface is PCIe Gen 2.0 x4, so its published throughput should be understood in that product and platform context. Kingston datasheet.
Rank #2
- Ideal for high speed, low power storage
- Gen 4x4 NVMe PCle performance
- Up to 5,000MB/s read, 3,000MB/s write
- Includes Acronis cloning software
- 5-year limited warranty
Does a faster PCIe SSD improve game load times?
Not necessarily by an amount a player will notice. In GamersNexus’ 2015 testing, the Predator reached a 1.342GB/s peak in a file-copy benchmark, and the reviewers highlighted large media-file transfers as a workload where its additional bandwidth could matter. In a Skyrim level-loading comparison, however, it showed no noticeable improvement over the SATA SSDs tested. The review also cautioned against treating synthetic gaming simulations as evidence of higher FPS.
Those results are historical measurements from the reviewers’ 2015 platform and workloads, not a current head-to-head ranking. They support a limited conclusion: large sequential transfers may make better use of this drive’s bandwidth than routine game loading, while the review does not establish an FPS benefit. GamersNexus’ 2015 HyperX Predator review.
Rank #3
- Blazing PCIe 5.0 Speeds – Reach up to 14,800MB/s read and 14,000MB/s write for ultra-fast load times and performance gains across games and demanding apps.
- Next-Gen Gaming & Content Creation – Designed for power users, hardcore gamers, and performance-driven builds demanding top-tier responsiveness.
- Advanced Thermal Design – SM2508 controller with 6nm lithography, low-power DDR4 cache, Buck IC, and 12-layer PCB for efficient cooling, stable power, and reliable performance.
- Easy Compatibility – M.2 2280 form factor fits seamlessly into desktops and motherboards with Gen 5x4 support for high-speed integration.
Does the HyperX Predator need an M.2 PCIe slot?
The M.2-only model needs a motherboard M.2 socket that supports PCIe signaling and is compatible with the drive. A physical M.2 connector alone does not prove that it supports the required protocol, or that the system can boot from the drive. Check the motherboard manual for socket signaling and boot support before buying.
The HHHL version places the M.2 module on a PCIe expansion card, letting it connect through an available PCIe slot instead of a motherboard M.2 socket. Kingston’s datasheet documents standard- and low-profile brackets for the adapter bundle. Confirm the exact part number, included bracket, open slot, and case clearance; the adapter changes how the drive connects but does not make every system compatible. Kingston datasheet.
Rank #4
- Blazing PCIe 5.0 Speeds – Reach up to 14,800MB/s read and 14,000MB/s write for ultra-fast load times and performance gains across games and demanding apps.
- Next-Gen Gaming & Content Creation – Designed for power users, hardcore gamers, and performance-driven builds demanding top-tier responsiveness.
- Advanced Thermal Design – SM2508 controller with 6nm lithography, low-power DDR4 cache, Buck IC, and 12-layer PCB for efficient cooling, stable power, and reliable performance.
- Easy Compatibility – M.2 2280 form factor fits seamlessly into desktops and motherboards with Gen 5x4 support for high-speed integration.
Is the Kingston HyperX Predator still worth buying?
It may be worth considering for a compatible desktop that regularly moves large files or performs select production work, if the drive is in good condition and priced appropriately against newer alternatives. The best evidence for its practical advantage is historical file-copy performance, not gaming gains.
For a typical gaming PC, do not pay extra expecting higher frame rates or clearly faster level loads. For any buyer, a current value judgment is impossible without a verified listing price, configuration, and condition; compare the exact Predator SKU with current drives that your system supports.
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- Verify the exact capacity and part number, and whether the listing includes the HHHL adapter and the bracket you need.
- Confirm motherboard M.2 PCIe support and boot compatibility, or check for a free, suitable PCIe slot and physical clearance for the adapter.
- Request SMART or other drive-health information and check the seller’s return terms.
- Verify warranty eligibility directly for the particular unit; the product-era three-year term does not establish coverage today.
- Compare the asking price with current compatible drives rather than treating the Predator’s historical specifications as proof of present-day value.
What do the historical Linux results establish?
Phoronix’s Michael Larabel reported purchasing and testing the 240GB SHPM2280P2/240G on Ubuntu 15.04 with a Linux 4.2 development kernel and EXT4 on September 28, 2015. He described the results as early benchmarks rather than a full review. That single, dated configuration does not establish compatibility or performance on current Linux distributions or hardware. Phoronix, September 28, 2015.
Kingston’s product datasheet says: “This SSD is designed for use in desktop and notebook computer workloads, and is not intended for server environments.” Kingston datasheet.
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