Solid State Drives (SSDs) are becoming more common in portable storage because they can be up to 10 times faster than traditional hard drives, reducing boot times and delivering faster data transfer. With no moving parts, they are also more resistant to bumps and falls. There are several manufacturers of portable SSDs, but Samsung is one of the best, and two of its best portable SSDs are the iconic Samsung T5 and the new T7.
Both drives are pocket-sized external SSDs with a very similar appearance intended for professional and casual users. While the T5 launched in 2017, the T7 debuted in 2020 with two variants: a standard version and a touch version that features a fingerprint reader for added security. The T7 also builds on its predecessor by offering twice the transfer speeds.
Here we have a brief comparison between the two to understand which one is better and offers the most bang for your buck.
Technical data
| samsung t5 | samsung t7 | |
| transfer speeds | 540MB/s | 1050MB/s |
| Ability | 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | 500GB, 1TB, 2TB |
| Dimensions | 2.91 x 2.25 x 0.41 inches | 3.34 x 2.24 x 0.31 inches |
| Weight | 1.79 pounds | 2.04 pounds |
| Interface | USB Type-C USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10Gbps) | USB Type-C USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps) |
| Security | Password protection, 256-bit AES encryption | Password protection, AES 256-bit encryption, fingerprint scanner (T7 Touch) |
| Colors | Attractive blue, deep black | Indigo Blue, Titanium Grey, Metallic Red |
| Price | From $83 | From $85 |
design and build
The T5 and T7 look and feel very similar with just a few differences. The T5 is smaller and lighter with dimensions of 2.91 x 2.25 x 0.41 inches and a weight of 1.79 pounds. The T7 is slightly taller, but slimmer, measuring 3.34 x 2.24 x 0.31 inches and weighing 2.04 pounds. The Touch variant of the T7 comes with a square-shaped fingerprint reader that has a blue “motion LED” to indicate the status of the drive.
The T5 and T7 are also available in various color options. You can get the T5 in tempting blue (250GB and 500GB) and deep black (1TB and 2TB). The T7 is available in Indigo Blue, Titanium Gray, and Metallic Red (500GB, 1TB, and 2TB), while the T7 Touch is available in Black and Silver (500GB, 1TB, and 2TB).
In terms of structure and construction, the T5 comes with an aluminum casing combined with plastic side panels, while the T7 has an aluminum finish. Both come with a single USB Type-C port, and the clean design makes for an attractive package that allows for effortless portability. Personally, I’ve been using the T5 for several years and the only visible wear is around the USB port. Samsung also claims that the T7 and T5 can withstand drops of up to 2 meters, and with built-in thermal protection, you don’t have to worry about the drive overheating.
In short, both the T5 and T7 should last you many years.
Performance
The most obvious difference between the T5 and T7 portable SSDs is how fast they can read and write data. Samsung claims the T7 is nearly twice as fast as the previous T5, capable of up to 1050MBps read speed and 1000MBps write speed. In real-world tests, it’s typically closer to 1000 MBps and 800 MBps, which are still pretty impressive speeds. On the other hand, the T5 can achieve read speeds of 505 MBps and write speeds of 480 MBps in real-world tests.
The difference between these two units is quite clear. The T7 is much faster and should cut data transfer times almost in half, making it a better option for someone who needs to work with large amounts of data, such as RAW images and 4K video.
Samsung also updated the USB interface from 3.1 Gen 2 on the T5 to 3.2 Gen 2 on the T7. The latter is newer technology here; however, both are limited to 10 GBps of bandwidth, so it’s not that relevant. The important thing to understand is that since USB technology is backward compatible, you should be able to use any drive with any USB Type-A port. Your mileage will vary depending on the interface, so we recommend using USB 3.0 or later to get the better performance.
Security
Both portable drives offer 256-bit AES encryption and you can password protect them using Samsung’s Magician software. But the T7 Touch comes with a built-in fingerprint scanner, making it the most secure of all. The best part is that once you set up your fingerprint, it works on all devices, including Android. If you have some sensitive data, it is best to invest in T7 Touch.
carry
The Samsung T5 launched at a starting price of $130 for the base model that comes with 250GB of storage. While that model is hard to find, you can get the 500GB model for around $83, the 1TB for $120, and the 2TB for $210.
The T7 is available at a very similar price of $85 for the base 500GB model, $115 for the 1TB model, and $260 for the 2TB model.
The T7 Touch has a higher price tag due to the added fingerprint scanner. The 500GB model currently sells for $105, the 1TB for $140, and the 2TB for $290.
Judgment
Given the current asking price of these two units, we wouldn’t recommend the T5, as you can get the T7 for almost the same price. The T7 Touch is the most expensive and is recommended for customers who care about data security and cannot afford to compromise. While all three drives can be protected with a simple password, the addition of a fingerprint scanner makes the T7 the more secure option.
For an overview of many other great portable SSDs, check out our guide to the best external drives.
editor’s recommendations
Categories: GAMING
Source: newstars.edu.vn