Review Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield: fast SSD for high-end use in a sturdy jacket

A new addition to the product line of Samsung’s SSD products is the Portable SSD (PSSD) T7 Shield. It was primarily developed for (semi-)professional use in the field. Think, for example, of videographers and content creators. The housing is made of profiled aluminum for good heat conduction with a rubber layer, so that it does not slip out of your hand. This rubber layer also increases the shock-absorbing effect, so that falls up to three meters do not cause damage. The rubber layer also contributes to the waterproofing, which, in combination with a waterproof USB connector, leads to an IP65 certification. AES 256-bit hardware encryption is available so that others cannot access the stored data without a password. The available colors are: cream, blue and black. The dimensions are compact: 88 x 59 x 13 mm and the weight is 98 grams. The available storage capacity is 1 or 2 TB.

Internally we find an NVME SSD that delivers maximum performance in combination with a USB 3.2 Gen2 (10Gbps) USB-c connection. The speed can be lower with USB 3.2 Gen2 via a usb-a connector, because this a connection can supply a lower electrical power than is required for the T7 Shield. The writing speed is then automatically adjusted. Via the benchmark CrystalDiskMark we measure maximum sequential speeds of 1064 MB/s for reading and 1012 MB/s for writing. The 1TB SSD is capable of writing a continuous data stream of 900 MB/s and the 2 TB of 1000 MB/s without performance dips. Ideal for high end video and the like. A separate USB-C to USB-C cable and a USB-C to USB-A cable are included, eliminating the need for an often fragile USB-C to USB-A adapter.

The English-language Samsung Magician software is available as a download for managing the SSD. This is a multifunctional Windows application for displaying the status of the unit, including the details of the drive including the number of TBW (total number of terabytes written), performance settings, performance measurement, diagnostic scan, secure disk wipe , installing any firmware updates, activating encryption in combination with a password of your choice and finally help pages and access to a chatbot. This rich software provides clear information and works fine.

A stripped management application called Portable SSD Software 1.0 is available on the ssd for the Windows computer, macOS and Android. The functionality is limited to firmware updates and activation of encryption.

In summary: a pretty fast SSD for high-end use in a sturdy jacket with a three-year warranty.

Product: Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield