Most of the solid-state drives currently available use a standard USB-C interface, which typically provide speeds ranging between 500MB/s and 1500MB/s. Samsung quotes read and write speeds of 1,000MB/s, but our tests with the Blackmagic disk tool actually recorded a read speed of 1,780MB/s, and a write speed of 1,300MB/s, which makes the T7 Shield a great back-up option for people who need to work outdoors with their laptop. The T7 Shield is rated IP65 for water-and dust-resistance, and Samsung claims that the shock-resistant rubber sleeve can survive drops from a height of three metres. Even so, it’s still small enough to slip into a jacket pocket or backpack with no trouble at all, and many people will appreciate the extra protection that it offers. The rugged protective sleeve means that it’s a little larger than the other T7 models, measuring 0.5in/13mm thick, 2.3in/59mm wide and 3.4in/88mm long, and weighing 3.4oz/98g. It has a USB-C interface for connecting to your Mac, but Samsung includes a USB-C cable and a USB-A adaptor, so that you can use it with older Macs that have USB-A.

Both of those models can use Samsung’s Portable SSD app to add password protection for your files, but there’s also a third model called the T7 Touch that has a built-in fingerprint sensor for extra security and convenience.Īvailable in black, blue or silver, the T7 Shield costs $159/£128 with 1TB of storage, or $289.99/£219 with 2TB. We tested the T7 Shield, which is a more rugged model, wrapped in a sturdy rubber sleeve designed for outdoor use. The standard T7 is a compact, lightweight SSD that looks very similar to the old T5 – although it boasts higher performance, so make sure you check the model numbers before buying. There are actually three versions of the T7 available. The T5 is still available if you’re looking for an affordable SSD for your Mac, but Samsung recently updated its range of storage products with the new T7 model.

Samsung’s T5 has been a regular fixture in our list of the best SSD drives for a few years now.

Best disk drive for mac