Samsung T7 1TB Portable USB 3.2

The Samsung T7 is a 1TB portable external SSD that's fast, durable, and easy to use. It's not the newest or fastest drive, but it's one of the most reliable, with hardware encryption and a 2-meter drop rating. Buy it on sale, skip it for console gaming.

The T7 hits 1,050 MB/s read and 1,000 MB/s write over USB 3.2 Gen 2, and in practice that means a 10GB 4K video file moves in about ten seconds. It's not going to touch the internal NVMe drives in our database, but for an external drive it's still quick enough for most people. The MLC NAND and DRAM cache help keep sustained transfers from cratering the way they do on cheaper DRAM-less drives, which is a big deal if you're moving a full photo library or a Steam backup.

Our speed percentile puts it at 43rd, which sounds mediocre until you remember what it's up against. Internal PCIe 4.0 and 5.0 drives dominate that chart. For a bus-powered portable SSD, these numbers are solid. The dynamic thermal guard does its job too. We've seen this drive get warm under heavy load, but it never throttled hard enough to ruin a transfer. If you're coming from a spinning hard drive or even an older SATA SSD, this feels like a different universe.

The T7's biggest competition comes from newer internal drives like the Crucial T500, Lexar Professional NM1090 PRO, MSI SPATIUM M480 PRO, XPG GAMMIX S70 Blade, and Corsair MP700 Elite. Those are all PCIe 4.0 or 5.0 internal drives, so they'll absolutely smoke the T7 on raw speed if you put them in a good enclosure. But that's the catch. You need an enclosure, you need to assemble it, and you lose the drop protection and hardware encryption that come standard on the T7.

If you want a plug-and-play external drive, the T7 is still one of the best on the market for its feature set. The Crucial T500 in an enclosure will give you faster transfers for about the same money, but it's a DIY project. The Lexar and MSI options are aimed at desktop users who need maximum throughput. For most people who just want to back up photos and move files between machines, the T7's simplicity wins. The console score of 28 out of 100 is a real weak spot though. If you're buying this for a PS5 or Xbox, you'll be disappointed. Those consoles want internal NVMe drives or specific external setups, and the T7 doesn't play that game well.

Pricing on the T7 is all over the place. In the US you'll see it anywhere from USD 125 to USD 260, and in Canada it ranges from CAD 260 to CAD 375. That's a huge spread for the same 1TB drive. If you're in the US, the best deal we're seeing is at the USD 125 end, and at that price it's a no-brainer. At USD 260, you're paying too much and should look elsewhere. The 3-year warranty and Samsung's track record add some peace of mind, but this is a drive you buy on sale, not at full retail. For budget buyers, the 83.3 budget score says it's a strong pick when the price is right.

The Samsung T7 is one of those rare gadgets that just works, and it's been doing that for years now. It's a portable external SSD that slots into the 1TB sweet spot, and while it's not the newest kid on the block, it's still one of the most recognizable names in pocket storage. You'll find it floating around the USD 125 to USD 260 range depending on where you shop, which puts it in that mid-tier bracket for external drives. The pitch is simple: fast transfers, a metal body that can survive a 2-meter drop, and hardware encryption baked in.

People searching for a reliable external SSD usually want to know two things. Is it fast enough for my workflow, and will it hold up over time? The T7 answers both with USB 3.2 Gen 2 speeds up to 1,050 MB/s read and 1,000 MB/s write, plus a 3-year warranty and MLC NAND with a DRAM cache. That last part matters more than you'd think. A lot of budget drives skip the DRAM, and you feel it when transferring thousands of small files.

It's also refreshingly simple. No software required for basic use, it's USB-powered, and it plays nice with PC, Mac, and Android. If you want to add password protection and 256-bit AES hardware encryption, Samsung's software handles that without turning the drive into a chore. For photographers, video editors, or anyone who wants a fast backup drive that fits in a jacket pocket, this is still a very easy recommendation.

Console gamers should look elsewhere, the T7's console score of 28 out of 100 tells you everything you need to know. If you need maximum speed and don't mind a DIY setup, grab an internal NVMe drive like the Crucial T500 or MSI SPATIUM M480 PRO and put it in a good enclosure. And if you're on a tight budget, there are cheaper external SSDs that sacrifice the metal body and encryption but still get the job done for basic backups.

Should you buy the Samsung T7? If you need a portable SSD that's fast, durable, and dead simple to use, yes. It's not the fastest external drive anymore, but it's one of the most reliable and user-friendly. The hardware encryption is a genuine selling point if you carry sensitive files, and the 2-meter drop rating means you don't have to baby it.

But don't pay full price. This drive goes on sale constantly, and at the high end of its price range you're better off with a newer option or a DIY enclosure setup. If you're a console gamer, skip it entirely. For everyone else, the T7 is still a top pick for portable storage, especially when you catch it at USD 125 or CAD 260.