After the Samsung SSD T7 and T7 Touch, there is now the Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield. Read in our review how fast, sturdy and reliable this portable SSD is and whether it is interesting for you.
Aad Munsterman and Rob Coenraads
The Samsung T7 Portable SSD line-up consisted of the Samsung T7 and the T7 Touch, SSDs with a reliable performance. A new addition to the product line of Samsung’s SSD products is the Samsung Portable SSD (PSSD) T7 Shield, which we reported about earlier. This was primarily developed for (semi-)professional use in the field, such as videographers and content creators. Consumers can of course also consider purchasing this SSD.
Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield Specifications
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 water resistance, 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 with the dimensions of a bank card: 88 x 59 x 13 mm. The weight is 98 grams and the available storage capacity is 1 or 2 TB.
Performance
Internally, an NVME SSD 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 USB-a connection can supply a lower electrical power than is required for the T7 Shield. The writing speed is automatically adjusted accordingly. Through CrystalDiskMark, we measure maximum sequential speeds of 1064 MB/s for reading and 1012 MB/s for writing. The 1 TB SSD we tested is capable of writing a continuous data stream of 900 MB/s without performance dips and the 2 TB SSD a continuous data stream of 1000 MB/s. 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.
Software
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 SSD, including the details of the drive including the number of TBW (total number of terabytes written), performance settings, performance measurement, diagnostic scan, secure data erasure. the disk, installing any firmware update, 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.
For the Windows computer, macOS and Android, a stripped-down management application called Portable SSD Software 1.0 is available on the SSD. The functionality is limited to firmware updates and activation of encryption.
Conclusion, price and availability
The Samsung Portable SSD (PSSD) T7 Shield is a very fast SSD for high-end use in a sturdy jacket with a three-year warranty. The suggested retail price is € 169.99 for an SSD with 1 TB and € 319.99 for the 2 TB version and is now available.
Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield, 1TB
+ optimized housing
+ continuous transfer around 1000 MB/s
– comprehensive management for Windows only
– chance of lower performance when using usb-a connector
