Samsung T7 Touch Portable SSD Review

Well begun is half done, Samsung T7 Touch portable SSD is simple to operate, secure, and the best portable SSD which comes in a compact sleek design with an efficient read and write speed to stay ranked in any speed performance test. It entails hardware encryption which works well with the aid of an incorporated fingerprint scanner to provide you with military-level safety.

Practically, if you are storing media files, or backing up your data, this portable SSD would enable peevish data retrieval. To be on clear ground, T7 SSD performs almost 10 times greater than an excellent HDD, and this is the reason it has successfully grabbed the position in the list of best external SSDs for gaming.

The credit card sized Samsung T7 Touch SSD entails the latest DRAM-less NVMe controller and 92-layer TLC V5 V NAND flash in a competitive price range to take the heart of many. Due to flexible connectivity options, you might find this model similar to the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD while connecting to a range of different devices to suit best the digital professionals.

Clearly, if you are in search of a budget-friendly, secure, and speedy portable SSD, then Samsung T7 is an ideal choice compared to similar available Touch variants. Overall, this drive is a perfect choice for gamers who require some extra space to store their heavy games.

SAMSUNG T7 Touch Portable SSD black

See: Best M.2 NVMe SSds

Samsung T7 Touch Portable SSD Review

Mathew Bradford

SAMSUNG T7 Touch Portable SSD Black
Design
Portability
Features

Summary

Samsung T7 TOUCH portable SSD is offered in the price range below 150$, which seems excellent for the incorporated features like AES 256-bit encryption, fingerprint encryption, read speed of 1050 MB/s, write speed of 1000 MB/s, shock or drop resistance of up to 2-meters, and provided USB cables for Type-C to C and Type-C to A to permit you to connect with different possible devices. Above all, the compact design, and lightweight make it an excellent portable SSD of the decade.

4.7

Specifications

Brand NameSamsung
Model SeriesT7 Touch
ColorBlack / White
Digital Storage Capacity500 GB (Also available in 1TB and 2TB)
Hardware InterfaceUSB 3.1 Type-C
CompatibilityWindows 7 +, Android 5.1 +, Mac OS 10.10 +,
Read Speed1050 Megabytes Per Second
Cache Size500
Hardware PlatformPC, MAC
Security ProtectionYes
Shock or Drop ResistantYes
Connectivity TechnologyNein
Weight2.05 Ounces
Dimensions3.35 x 2.24 x 0.31 inches

Buildup Design

Get wind of construction, Samsung T7 is carved using a solid Aluminum unibody in a compact design to fit quite cuddly in the palm of your hand. This SSD weighs only 58 grams in closely-knit dimensions of 3.35 x 2.24 x 0.31 inches which makes it an excellent choice to be placed in the tight pocket while traveling. Surprisingly, T7 external SSD can hold up against 2-meter drops, which ensures exceptional durability of its internal components during accidental handlings.

SAMSUNG T7 Touch Portable SSD black and White Colors

Inching forward, the innovative dynamic thermal guard technology is kept functional while sculpturing the overall layout of Samsung T7 SSD, which is noteworthy in maintaining the optimum operating temperature to let be equally practicable over excessive use or fluctuated environmental temperature. This advanced thermal design of T7 is attracting a huge market, as it can automatically regulate heat generation to gain the working temperature in order to prevent any performance drop. In addition, its coupled with ePMC (Encapsulated Phase Change Materials) that is able to hold the excessive thermal energy and release it evenly to protect from overheating.

Ahead of the curve, a square fingerprint scanner is placed on top of the unit which remains inactive by default but you can make it serviceable by using the MAC or Windows application that is shipped with the drive. Interestingly, the scanner responds swiftly with a simple swipe, and you don’t need to use the software while scanning. Moreover, the secure mode is efficient but it needs software. You are free to turn off the password mode at any time, but you will be required to put the password and fingerprint again to turn it back.

Additionally, the LED square shines up in a dim blue color to keep you informed about the SSD’s working at a quick glance. Actually, it comes with a 92-layer TLC V-NAND flash to enable T7 touch enabling. To connect either of the two bundled cables a Type-C connector is incorporated.

Features

Most attractively, Samsung T7 Touch SSD features the cache acceleration technology by the company’s TurboWrite SLC, which means that there exists a stockpile of SLC programmed NAND flash which can be functional to absorb the inbounded write requests. Nevertheless, when the TurboWrite cache becomes filled it can result in a minor decrease in overall write speed and the rate of that decrease would depend on the capacity of the T7 model you are holding. Actually, Samsung T7 is available in three different capacity options of 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB in either black or silver color.

When it comes to speed, the Samsung T7 portable SSD has a read speed of 1050 MB/s and a write speed of 1000 MB/s with the connectivity of USB Type-C. Being a portable device, Samsung T7 is bus-powered, so just plugging it in any of most USB ports would be enough for it to commence operation, but the speed will highly depend on the type of port used. What kind of port will give the best performance? Specifically, USB 3.1 or USB 3.2 Generation- 2 ports are compatible to achieve the best results.

SAMSUNG T7 Touch Portable SSD Accessories

Digging deep, Samsung T7 portable Touch SSD comes with AES 256-bit hardware encryption to add a security lock on your data, so that business, professional, or security seekers could be benefited. To make your data more secured, the company has also added a fingerprint scanner which is streamlined with the encryption authentication process. In case you didn’t enter the password, the fingerprint only would be enough to unlock the device just like smartphones. Surprisingly, the scanner works well to unlock the device, even if the supporting software isn’t installed on the host which tends to make the unlocking more convenient on any device. Overall, you are free to feed up to four fingerprints which let you use the device in the shared environment.

Leave no stone unturned, the Samsung T7 supports Samsung’s software for the SSD which is compatible with Mac OS, Windows 10, and android which is handy to use. For easy installations, the company has loaded the software on the drive which lets you install it with one click, whilst for the android version you need to download it from the Google Play Store. Moreover, to use the sensor will be required to create the password in the software. But remember, if you ever forgot the password for the drive, resetting it in a straightforward manner is not an option, as it will completely stay in the read-only mode, and you would be recommended to contact Samsung to arrange a manual reset.

 Furthermore, Samsung’s latest application is also compatible with the T7 and it’s supported on almost every platform. You are free to install it on your android phone to manage your password protections. However, to get firmware updates, you just have to use MAC or Windows PC. To get good mileage out of it, the Samsung T7 portable SSD is compatible with USB Type-C, but in the package, you will get a pair of cables, one “USB Type-C to C”, and another “USB Type-C to USB Type-A”. Hold on there, the length of these cables is fairly short to suit best for laptops, but the people with desktop PC under a desk may need extended cables.

Performance

SAMSUNG T7 Touch Portable SSD features

When it comes to performance, Samsung T7 Portable Touch SSD runs like the wind. As we discussed that the read speed of this drive is 1050 MB/s which is ample to transfer a 25GB file in less than 25 seconds, with a write speed of around 1000 MB/s. A test called Crystal Disk Mark is performed to reveal the exact write performance and showed that this drive entails faster 4K writes. Overall, the T7 is regarded as the fastest external drive available these days in the market.

Practically, the transfer speed of this drive varies with the file size, the smaller files in the range of 5GB to 15GB can be transferred more quickly, but larger files may take some time. But keep in mind that the speed isn’t too low to change your choice, as it might be due to thermal concerns. In order to maintain consistent performance, the ‘USB-C to USB-C’ and ‘USB-C to USB-A’ cables are provided to meet the needs of almost all users.

When it comes to the efficiency of incorporated fingerprint, this feature works well in normal conditions but it may remain unable to identify any fingerprint when the finger is too cold or damp, otherwise it’s efficient. To enable the fingerprint sensor, the T7 SSD could be unlocked with the added password by using Samsung’s portable SSD software. You are free to turn the security mode off, add security with fingerprint and password, or with password only. After setting the password, you are required to place the finger on the SSD multiple time same as with smartphones, and this feature works swiftly to allow you to save multiple fingerprints if you need to use this SSD in the group. Without an accurate fingerprint, you wouldn’t be able to access any files on the SSD which is a bit negative side, and there is no way to place a message with email and a name so that if you ever lose your SSD someone can contact you.

Inching forward, the built-in LED is quite an innovative way to keep you informed that either the SSD is locked or unlocked while using fingerprint. The blue LED light is an indication that the drive is ready to read your finger, and is also functional during file transfer to let you know when the transfer is done and its power connection. To get the ideal performance, you must use USB Type-C.

SAMSUNG T7 SSd placed on a table beside a laptop

Saunter through compatibility, this T7 SSD becomes functional with smartphones or tablets only when their power modes are off and high-performance mode is enabled. Clearly, copying the 3GB file to this drive can be completed in less than 7 seconds, and a game file of around 50GB takes under 3-minutes.

As far as the caching performance is concerned, the 500GB model holds up to 20GB of cache, 1TB has 40GB, and 2TB may have around 80GB. Additionally, the allotment controller for the smart cache is there that can be beneficial in increasing the cache as per users’ needs. All in all, when it comes to performance this T7 SSD works flawlessly while fingerprints, file transfers, and connectivity which make it an excellent choice for anyone, and it is compact portable size and weight is attracting more customers around the globe.

Testing Results

On cloud nine, the Samsung SSD T7 is a premium storage solution for professional data keepers and high-end gamers. It incorporates excellent durability, shock or drop resistance, password and fingerprint encryption, compatible software and application, sturdiness, and unequaled performance in a compact portable design. Additionally, it’s compatible with a variety of platforms such as Mac, PC, Android, and gaming consoles with the swift read and write speed. Overall, this drive is an ideal choice for people who want ample storage space, data security, and portability at a place in a reasonable price range. Hopefully, this Samsung T7 portable Touch SSD review would be beneficial for you in making a perfect choice.

Reasons to Buy

  • Fast performance in compact design
  • Security features are totally optional
  • Incorporated AES 256-bit encryption
  • Excellently fast read and write speed
  • Shock and drop resistant of up to 2-meters
  • Fingerprint sensor work efficiently and swiftly
  • Extremely affordable secure drive

Reasons to Avoid

  • No endurance or IP ratings
  • Slightly slow when transferring larger files
  • Delivered cables are quite short in length
  • No manual resetting available if you lose the credential
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Mathew Bradford

Hey! Mathew Bradford Here, A proud member of GamingExpert Team. I love playing games with new gaming gadgets. Our team is here to help you find the best gaming products, reviews of videos games and to help you decide which one is best for your. You can contact me if you need further assistance.