The Samsung Moveable SSD T9 (begins at $139.99 for 1TB; $439.99 for 4TB as examined) is a good-looking exterior solid-state drive geared to content material creators. It contains an improve to the already-terrific Samsung Magician software program suite, and the drive helps AES 256-bit encryption. Velocity-wise, our testing confirmed the T9 to be in a league of its personal as an exterior SSD, tallying excessive speeds on each our Home windows testbed, which helps the speedy USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 normal, and on our Apple MacBook Professional over a Thunderbolt 3 port.
The Design: A Good-looking Drive
At 0.3 by 3.5 by 2.4 inches and 4.3 ounces, the Samsung Moveable SSD T9 is small and lightweight however a bit bigger and heavier than some competing drives such because the Essential X10 Professional. Black, with a rubberized body displaying a textured wave sample, the T9 appears to be like a bit just like the Samsung Moveable SSD T7 Defend. The textured floor additionally makes it simple to grip the drive. The T9’s high shows the Samsung identify, whereas the underside exhibits the mannequin identify.
On the center of 1 finish of the drive is an oval-shaped USB-C port, flanked by a standing gentle. The port formally helps the USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 interface (and probably additionally USB4 and/or Thunderbolt unofficially, as we are going to focus on under). Few present laptops have native help for that interface, however some high-end desktop motherboards do, and desktop PCI Specific growth playing cards (such because the Orico-branded card we use in our exterior drive testbed) can deliver the interface to an older system. You should utilize the drive with a pc restricted to USB 3.2 Gen 2, however the SSD will revert to Gen 2 speeds (10Gbps). Try our USB-C explainer for extra on the variations among the many numerous interfaces.
The T9 comes with each USB-C-to-USB-C and USB-C-to-USB-A cables. The drive comes preformatted within the exFAT file format, and it really works out of the field with Home windows, Mac, and Android.
The costs listed above are steered retail costs (MSRPs) quoted by Samsung on the time of the drive’s Oct. 3 launch. These are on the expensive facet in contrast with different Gen 2×2 exterior SSDs. Time will inform how shut these are to what retailers really cost, nonetheless.
The T9 is available in three capacities, topping out at 4TB. Based mostly on the checklist costs, the fee per gigabyte drops because the capability rises, which is sweet; with some producers, you pay a premium for the best capability. Till lately, 4TB exterior SSDs had been unusual, however we’re seeing a rising variety of drive households supply a 4TB member as an choice, most lately the Essential X9 Professional and X10 Professional, and the Kingston XS2000.
Though Samsung does not declare any ingress safety (IP) ranking, which certifies a drive’s safety from water and mud, the T9 does have one declare to ruggedness. Because of its rubberized sheath, it’s rated as shock-resistant for drops as much as 9.8 ft.
The T9 helps 256-bit AES hardware-based encryption, thought of the gold normal amongst civilian-level encryption options. Bundled software program contains the Samsung Magician utility suite, which may monitor drive well being, assist optimize efficiency, management energy utilization, and shield your knowledge. With the brand new model 8.0, launched final month, all Samsung software program options (equivalent to Knowledge Migration, transportable SSD software program, and a card authentication device) are a part of the Magician software program suite. Magician helps Home windows, Mac, and Android, so the additions make an already-excellent suite even higher, regardless of your machine.
Samsung backs the T9 with a five-year guarantee, which is what we search for in high-end exterior SSDs.
Testing the Samsung Moveable SSD T9: A Little bit of Blackmagic
We put the Samsung T9 by way of our ordinary suite of exterior solid-state drive benchmarks, together with Crystal DiskMark 6.0, PCMark 10 Storage, Blackmagic’s Disk Velocity Check, and our personal folder switch take a look at. The primary two are run on a PC with the drive formatted in NTFS, and the latter two on a MacBook Professional that helps Thunderbolt 3 and USB 3.2 Gen 2 (however not Gen2x2) utilizing exFAT (the T9’s native format). Crystal DiskMark’s sequential pace checks present a conventional measure of drive throughput, simulating best-case, straight-line transfers of huge information. The PCMark 10 Storage take a look at measures an SSD’s readiness for all kinds of on a regular basis duties.
The T9’s sequential learn and write speeds in Crystal DiskMark had been a whisker in need of its rated speeds, which was additionally true of the overwhelming majority of the USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 drives we in contrast it with. Its scores had been phenomenal in our Mac-based Blackmagic testing, although. As a rule, Gen 2×2 SSDs revert to Gen 2 speeds (as much as 1,000MBps) when related with Gen 2 ports. I requested Samsung whether or not the T9’s interface helps Thunderbolt (the product specs don’t checklist such help), however the firm had not responded by press time. Assist for quick transfers by way of both Thunderbolt or USB4 (which is Thunderbolt 3-compatible) along with USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 could be one reply for the T9’s exemplary Blackmagic outcomes. Regardless of the reply, speed-wise, the T9 offers you the very best of each the Home windows and Mac worlds.
The T9’s rating on the PCMark 10 Total storage take a look at was one of many higher ones amongst our comparability drives, close to the highest of a slender vary wherein a lot of the Gen 2×2 drives fell. Solely the Seagate FireCuda Gaming SSD scored considerably increased. The T9 additionally had one of many high scores on our folder copy take a look at, together with the Essential X10 Professional and the SanDisk Skilled Professional-G40 SSD.
Verdict: Excessive Capability, Scorching Velocity on Home windows or Mac
The Samsung Moveable SSD T9 isn’t the most affordable USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 SSD on the market, however its efficiency and options make it nicely definitely worth the value. Its Samsung Magician software program suite is likely one of the greatest within the enterprise, and its 256-bit AES hardware-based encryption can face up to any brute-force assault. The large shock is that not solely did it produce typical USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 speeds when benchmarked on our Home windows testbed, it tallied distinctive write and particularly learn speeds within the Blackmagic benchmark when examined over a USB 3.2 Gen 2/Thunderbolt 3 port on our MacBook Professional testbed. That makes it good no matter your OS of alternative, and Editors’ Alternative-worthy as an exterior SSD for Mac customers specifically.
