Solid-state drives (SSDs) are rapidly common in portable storage, as they can be 10 times faster than traditional hard drives, which may reduce boot time and offer rapid data transfer rates. With no moving parts, they are also more durable against knocks and drops. There are many portable SSD manufacturers, but Samsung is one of the best, and its two best portable SSDs are reputed Samsung T5 and new T7.
Both drives are very similar looking, pocket-shaped external SSDs are for professional and casual users. While the T5 was launched in 2017, T7 made its debut with two variants in 2020 – a standard version and a “touch” version that is characterized by a fingerprint reader for additional safety. The T7 also doubles the transfer speed and makes it on its predecessor.
Here we have a quick comparison between the two to understand which one is better and offers the most bang for your deer.
Specifications
| Samsung T5 | Samsung T7 | |
| Transfer speed | 540mbps | 1,050mbps |
| Capacity | 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | 500GB, 1TB, 2TB |
| Dimensions | 2.91 x 2.25 x 0.41 inch | 3.34 x 2.24 x 0.31 inch |
| weight | 1.79 pounds | 2.04 pounds |
| Interface | USB Type-C USB 3.1 General 2 (10 GBPS) | USB Type-C USB 3.2 General 2 (10 GBPS) |
| Security | Password Safety, AES 256-bit encryption | Password Safety, AES 256-bit encryption, fingerprint scanner (T7 Touch) |
| Colour | Attractive blue, dark black | Indigo Blue, Titan Gray, Metallic Red |
| price | Starting at $ 83 | Starts from $ 85 |
Design and construction
T5 and T7 look very similar with only a few differences and feel. T5 is smaller and lighter with t5 dimensions 2.91 x 2.25 x 0.41 inch And weight 1.79 pounds. T7 is slightly tall but thin, 3.34 x 2.24 x 0.31 inch Weight 2.04 pounds. The touch variant of T7 is a blue “motion LED” with a square-shaped fingerprint reader to indicate the state of the drive.
T5 and T7 are also available in some color options. You can get T5 in attractive blue (250GB and 500GB) and dark black (1TB and 2TB). The T7 is available in Indigo Blue, Titan Gray and Metallic Red (500GB, 1TB, and 2TB), while T7 T7 is available in Black and Silver (500GB, 1TB and 2TB).
In terms of build and construction, the T5 comes with an aluminum shell, which is paired with a plastic panel in the side, while the T7 contains the all-aluminum finish. The two come with a only USB Type-C port, and the clean design creates for an attractive package that allows someone to carry it easily. I have been using T5 personally for a few years, and only visible wear and tears around the USB port. Samsung also claims that T7 and T5 can handle drops up to 2 meters, and with the underlying thermal guard, no one needs to worry about drive overheating.
In short, both T5 and T7 should remain easily for years to come.
Display
The most obvious difference between T5 and T7 portable SSDs is how fast they can read and write. Samsung claims that T7 is almost double the old T5, which is capable of providing speeds up to 1,050Mbps and 1,000Mbps writing speed. In the real -world test, it is close to 1,000Mbps and 800Mbps, which are still very impressive speeds. On the other hand, T5 is capable of reaching 505Mbps reed and writes the speed of writing 480Mbps in real -world testing.
The difference between two drives is quite clear. The T7 is very fast and should reduce its data transfer time about half, making it a better option for someone who has to deal with large amounts of data such as raw images and 4K videos.
Samsung also updated the USB interface from 3.1 General 2 on T5 on T5. The latter is new technology here; However, both are capted on the 10GBPS of the bandwidth, so it is not all relevant. It is important to understand that since USB technology is backward compatible, you should be able to use one of the drives with any USB Type-A port. Your mileage is going to be different based on the interface, so we recommend using USB 3.0 or higher for the best performance output.
Security
Both portable drives provide AES 256-bit encryption, and you can provide protection to them using Samsung's wizard software. But the T7 touch comes with a built -in fingerprint scanner, making it the most safe. The best thing is that once you set your fingerprint, it works on all devices including Android. If you have some confidential data, it is best to invest in T7 Touch.
Cost
The Samsung T5 was launched for the base model at an initial price of $ 130 which came up with 250GB storage. While it is difficult to find that model, you can buy 500GB model for approximately $ 83, 1TB for $ 120 and 2 for $ 210.
The T7 Aadhaar is available for 500GB model at the same price of $ 85, $ 115 for 1TB model, and $ 260 for 2TB model.
T7 touch is high due to additional fingerprint scanner. The 500GB model is currently being sold at $ 105, 1TB for $ 140 and 2TB for $ 290.
Decision
Keeping in mind the current selling price of these two drives, we will not recommend the T5, as you can get T7 at almost the same price. T7 Touch is the most expensive and recommended for buyers who are concerned about data security and cannot buy any agreement. While all three drives can be secured with a simple password, a fingerprint makes T7 the safest option in addition to scanner.
For a look at many other great portable SSDs, see our guide for the best external drive.
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