Samsung Portable SSD T3
Super-fast storage for your PC, Mac or Android device, now even tougher.
With the SSD T3, Samsung’s done something you don’t normally see in consumer electronics — it’s made a product physically bigger than its forebear.
It’s bigger, and it’s better: the plastic chassis of the T1 has now been replaced with a tough metal housing, which means it can take a 2m drop and also feels physically far more robust.
This is still a device for those who need uber-fast portable storage (the 1TB model we tested reached read and write speeds of 425MB/s and 396MB/s respectively), however, and it comes with a price tag to match. It’s available in four capacities: 250GB, 500GB, 1TB and 2TB, ranging from $199 to $1,249. That 250GB model is actually fairly competitively priced — a 256GB USB thumb drive with comparable performance (like Corsair’s Flash Voyager GTX) will set you back around $300. Yes, the latter’s a little more convenient due to its more-compact size and all-in-one design (the T3 requires you to carry a small USB cable to plug it in), but is that really worth a 50% price hike? You still get hardwarebased 256-bit AES encryption to secure your data against theft, should you misplace it, and if you encrypt the disk you’ll need to use the included Windows, Mac and Android apps.
It’s a fairly seamless affair as well, although you’ll need to provide a USB dongle to be able to plug it into your Android phone or tablet. (Samsung’s Galaxy S7 handsets actually include a suitable plug-adapter in the box.) If you want fast, tough portable storage (and are willing to pay the price), this one’s highly recommended.