A month ago, Samsung announced the Portable SSD T9, a successor to the popular T7 rugged storage solution. As it turns out, Samsung wants to offer even more options. A new rugged external SSD is on the way, boasting an even higher maximum capacity than the T9 and lower prices. Enter the Portable SSD T5 Evo.
While Samsung offers the SSD T9 with 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB of storage, the upcoming Portable SSD T5 Evo will start at 2TB and top 8TB, with a 4TB option in the middle.
And, get this: the 2TB, 4TB, and 8TB models will reportedly go on sale in the USA for $189, $349, and $655 (via WinFuture). As you may know, the 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB SSD T9 costs $139, $239, and $439.
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The SSD T5 EVO has a narrower design than the flat T9, but it is not as thick as it seems in the photos below. It weighs only 102 grams and measures 95 x 40 x 17mm.
According to WinFuture, the SSD supports USB 3.2 Gen1 connectivity, with transfer rates of up to 460 MB/s. It's slower than the SSD T9, which should explain the lower price per TB.
Samsung's upcoming rugged SSD is compatible with operating systems including:
- Windows 7 and later.
- MacOS 10.10 and later.
- Android 5.1 and later.
A cheaper portable SSD for last-gen gamers and content creators
The SSD T5 EVO has a plastic housing, but there are no additional details as to how rugged it is, exactly.
Nevertheless, like the SSD T9, the T5 EVO will offer hardware encryption through 256-bit AES. And it should work with the Samsung Magician Software 8.0.
Samsung may release the SSD T5 EVO in the coming weeks, and the storage solution will also be available in Europe and possibly other markets outside the USA.
If you would rather buy the SSD T9 instead of waiting for the cheaper (but slower) T5 EVO, now might be the perfect time to do it. Samsung has a limited-time offer wherein you can save up to $90 on the rugged T9 SSD (market-dependent).
