Samsung T5 portable SSD hard drive, Analysis, and Opinion

Table of Contents

The Best

Size
Maximum yield
Capacity
Compatibility

The Worst

Price
The cable bulges more than the device
Could have an integrated connector
Inconspicuous operating LED

The Samsung company launched the T5 portable SSD hard drive in the market in 2017. And since then, the family has grown to 2 TB. It is a compact device with a high performance two years after its launch. We look at it now when USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 connectivity is standard on all new PCs. And see if it’s still an excellent portable storage option or not.

The world of storage is full of different solutions in terms of formats. We start from small microSD cards to NAS-type hard drives with several tens of terabytes available. It is up to each user to decide which device interests him the most. According to the use he is going to make of it.

That is why Samsung took this portable SSD hard drive T5 out of its sleeve, available today for 89 euros. A couple of years ago, it covered an overwhelming need for portable storage at a reasonably adjusted price. With this device, we saw how the company launched a tiny SSD to the market. But without losing the performance that larger SSD devices achieved.

This device is perfect for those seeking portability and performance, even if they have to pay more than other solutions; it is what we could call the solution that will please most users.

As we can see in the gallery, it is a tiny device, and we add the perception that it is very light. It gives the feeling that it weighs very little, even considering its small size.

Summary of the analysis of the T5 Portable SSD hard drive:

Design: the most compact you will find
Performance: above any external hard drive
Software and security: password protection to access
Conclusion: convinces with size and performance even years after launch

Most compact SSD hard drive in the market with up to 2TB of space and performance

This device launched on the market in 2017, and since then, it has remained one of the methods with the best price-size-performance ratio.

The Samsung portable SSD hard drive T5 is smaller than a credit card in width and slightly taller. In thickness is where it stands out and does not reach 6mm, so you can keep it in any pocket. And, with its weight, it will seem you do not carry it.

As we can see, it has rounded sides that give it specific ergonomics, while the connecting part and the opposite part cut the upper and lower plane at 90º. It is a clean, symmetrical design that gives a feeling of robustness thanks to the metal body in which the circuitry and memories are housed.

In the connector area, we can see a USB-C female and a blue LED that lights up when connected and blinks when reading or writing tasks are carried out.

The unit we have tested is 1 TB of capacity, but some groups reach up to 2 TB at the correct price, up to 439 euros in its most significant position. Here we leave you compared to the average size of a credit card, in this case, that of Madrid’s public transport:

In summary, in this section, we can only say that Samsung made a great bet and that it is still a great option during this time. Being so compact, you can see how the connection cable you will have to carry with it is almost more significant than the SSD itself. Promised USB-C 3.1 Gen 2, SSD performance up to 540 MB / s

Samsung launched this device to commit to compactness and light without neglecting performance. This USB-C Gen 2 standard was not common in computers two years ago, and to enjoy the full version that this device is capable of offering, it had to be connected to specific ports on some devices.

However, in 2020, we could say that it is a de facto standard and can use at its maximum performance, which, as we showed you in the performance tests that we have passed, practically reached what was promised by Samsung. Today we indeed have faster options on the market, but it is a performance that allows us to even work with heavy materials from this unit without worrying.

PERFORMANCE Portable SSD T5	MacBook Pro (2017) MacOS 10.15	Microsoft Surface Windows 10	Huawei P30 Pro Android 10
Sequential reading	477 MB/s	456 MB/s	406 MB/s
Sequential writing	512 MB/s	454 MB/s	261 MB/s

Examples of possible uses are editing or mounting 4K videos without creating a proxy file, with the original data on the SSD hard drive, or copying large files in seconds. An 18 GB media library copied in around 40 seconds, so we see how this little guy works.

The unit is competent in performance, and we had a question before using it, will it get hot when using it intensively? Will your performance drop?

Front / Rear Benchmark Temperatures

The truth is that after spending several hours recording data on the unit and reading from it, the heating has been practically nil, reaching 35.7 degrees at the hottest point.

The anodized aluminum housing is a heat sink, and you don’t even notice any slightly hot spots. Performance has continued to be excellent throughout this process.
Access password as a security measure, without backup software or encryption

This unit does not come with typical backup software, nor does it come with pure encryption software. The company offers a password security system that can activate its application.

By default, it is deactivated and can use as an accessible external storage unit in which we can read and write as if we connected a pen drive to the computer.

In the SSD hard drive itself, there is a drive-in in which the application for Windows and Mac is, although a more current version can also download from the Samsung website. If you install the Samsung portable SSD hard drive application, you will be able to create a password to access the portable SSD hard drive; therefore, every time you connect it, the app will open to ask for the password. The only utility of that application is to activate or deactivate the safe mode.

Once you connect the device to a computer or an Android mobile after installing the app, that application opens and asks you for a password. If you write the correct password, it will appear in the list of equipment units, and you will be able to operate normally with it to read or write files without a problem.

The point is that this protection system depends exclusively on that Samsung application, so you will have to install this software on any device you want to use, including Android smartphones, in which you will have to install the application from Google Play. And it has the same operation as on the computer.

We have seen a firmware update during our tests. And this hints that Samsung continues to offer improvements and fix possible bugs in its unit. Something that cannot say for other devices.

As we see the operation, we understand there is no transparent data encryption. But there is a layer of security as a firewall. Even so, Samsung makes it clear that if you forget the password. You will not be able to access the data and self-approximate that responsibility in a specific application text.

Very versatile SSD hard drive, light and fast even in 2020

The Samsung T5 portable SSD hard drive is a small device that allows you to take your data with you and use it directly from an Android computer or tablet. Or mobile due to its USB-C connection.

Its performance exceeds what you can have with traditional external hard drives and lower power consumption. In addition, you can transport it without fear of shocks since it is resistant to tiny drops. Both are working and not working.

We liked seeing how a device initially launched in 2017 can stoically endure the passage of time. Maintaining design and performance. It shows how Samsung was ahead of the rest of the competition back then. It is not a cheap device, but it is one of the most balanced in terms of performance, capacity, and size. If you value those points, it’s a safe bet. If you prefer only to consider ability, there are better options.