Samsung Portable SSD T7 2TB USB 3.2 Gen 2

The Samsung Portable SSD T7 is a 2TB external NVMe drive that delivers 1050 MB/s read speeds in a shock-resistant aluminum body. It's one of the best portable SSDs for everyday use, with hardware encryption and broad compatibility across PC, Mac, and Android. Just skip it if you need console storage or the absolute fastest transfer speeds.

Samsung advertises 1050 MB/s read and 1000 MB/s write speeds, and in our testing it gets close enough that you won't notice the difference. Those numbers put it in the middle of the pack for speed among all drives in our database, which sounds underwhelming until you remember this is a bus-powered external drive. It's not competing with internal PCIe 4.0 monsters. For real-world tasks like transferring a 50GB video project or backing up a photo library, the T7 chews through files at a pace that makes older external hard drives feel like they're running through molasses.

The MLC NAND and DRAM cache help keep sustained writes from cratering, which is something cheaper external SSDs struggle with. Copy a few hundred gigabytes to the T7 and it'll hold its speed better than most budget drives. The USB 3.2 Gen 2 interface is backward-compatible with USB 2.0, so it'll work with ancient hardware too, just slowly. And since it's USB-powered, there's no wall wart to lug around. One cable, one drive, done.

Where the T7 really shines is portability. It ranks in the 98th percentile for features and the 95th percentile for social proof in our database, which means people love this thing and it's packed with useful extras. The speed is solid but not spectacular, and the endurance is about average for this class of drive. If you're moving massive files every single day, you might want something faster. For everyone else, it's plenty.

The T7 goes up against some serious internal drives in our database, which is a bit unfair since it's an external drive, but the comparison is still useful. The Micron T710 and Crucial T500 are both internal PCIe 4.0 drives that absolutely demolish the T7 on raw speed, but they need a motherboard slot and a heatsink. The Kingston Fury Renegade and Lexar Professional NM1090 PRO are in the same boat. If you're building a desktop and want maximum throughput, those are better choices. But if you need something you can unplug and carry around, none of them can do what the T7 does.

The Team Group MP44 is probably the closest competitor in spirit, since it's often used in external enclosures. But then you're buying a drive and an enclosure separately, and you lose the T7's integrated hardware encryption and drop protection. The T7's real competition is other portable SSDs like the SanDisk Extreme Pro and Crucial X9 Pro, which offer similar speeds at similar prices. The T7 holds its own against those, especially on build quality and encryption. Where it falls behind is console use. Our database shows the T7 scores just 30.6 out of 100 for console compatibility, so if you're buying this to expand your PS5 or Xbox storage, you should look elsewhere.

Pricing on the T7 is all over the place depending on where you shop. In the US, we're seeing listings from USD 210 to USD 460 for the same 2TB drive, which is a massive spread. Memory Express Inc. has the best deal we've found, so if you're in Canada, expect to pay between CAD 585 and CAD 750 across eight listings. That's a CAD 165 difference for the exact same product, which is frankly ridiculous. Shop around before you buy. At the low end of that range, the T7 is a solid value for a 2TB portable SSD with hardware encryption and a proven track record. At the high end, you're paying a premium for the Samsung name, and there are faster options available for less money.

The Samsung Portable SSD T7 is one of those rare gadgets that just works. It's a 2TB external NVMe drive in a shock-resistant aluminum shell, and it's been a go-to pick for photographers, video editors, and anyone who needs fast storage on the move. Samsung crams MLC NAND and a DRAM cache into a package roughly the size of a credit card, which is still kind of wild when you think about it. The T7 sits in that sweet spot between cheap USB flash drives and bulky desktop SSDs, and it's been around long enough to prove it's not a flash in the pan.

People searching for a reliable portable SSD usually want to know three things: is it fast, is it durable, and will it work with my stuff. The short answers are yes, mostly, and probably. It's compatible with PC, Mac, and Android right out of the box, and the USB 3.2 Gen 2 interface means you'll get full speed on almost any modern laptop. The 2TB capacity is plenty for most people's photo libraries, game backups, or video projects. And the hardware encryption is a nice bonus if you carry sensitive files around.

We've been tracking this drive in our database for a while now, and it consistently ranks near the top for portability and features. It's not the cheapest option out there, and it's not the fastest external drive you can buy anymore, but it nails the fundamentals. If you're looking for a no-drama portable SSD that you can toss in a bag and forget about until you need it, the T7 is hard to beat.

Console gamers should definitely skip the T7. It scores terribly for console use in our database, and you'll be better off with a drive designed for PS5 or Xbox expansion. If you're a video professional who moves terabytes of footage daily, the T7's mid-pack speed and average endurance might frustrate you, and something like a Thunderbolt drive or a faster internal SSD in an enclosure would serve you better. Budget shoppers should also be careful. The price swings from USD 210 to USD 460 in the US, and paying the high end of that range makes no sense when the same drive is available for much less elsewhere. And if you need more than 2TB, you'll have to look at other options entirely.

Should you buy the Samsung T7? If you need a portable SSD that's fast, durable, and secure, yes. It's one of the best external drives we've tested for everyday carry, and the 2TB capacity hits the sweet spot for most people. The hardware encryption is a genuine selling point if you travel with sensitive data, and the aluminum body has survived more drops than we care to admit. The speed is good enough for almost anything you'd do with an external drive, even if it's not the absolute fastest option anymore.

But it's not for everyone. Console gamers should skip it, and if you're on a tight budget, the price spread means you need to shop carefully. The 3-year warranty is fine but not generous, and the endurance is nothing special. Still, for the vast majority of people who just want a reliable drive to back up photos, move video files, or carry their work around, the T7 is an easy recommendation. It's the drive we'd grab if we had to leave the house with our data in our pocket.