Unleashing the Power: Samsung T9 Portable SSD Exposed in Our In-Depth Review

File sizes in media are continuously increasing, leading to a greater demand for improved and faster storage solutions. Samsung's newest flagship USB storage device, the T9 portable SSD, surpasses its predecessor, the T7, and stands out as the best in its class.

The Samsung T9 utilizes USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 technology to achieve impressive read speeds of up to 2,000 MB/s. It includes a USB-C to USB-C 3.2 2x2 cable and a USB-C to USB-A cable in the package. The write speeds are slightly lower than the read speeds, reaching 1,950 MB/s for the 1TB and 2TB models, while the 4TB option can reach up to 2,000 MB/s. Undoubtedly, this storage solution is incredibly fast and ideal for content creators, gamers, photographers, or anyone who requires swift access to their files.

Samsung has maintained the T9's design, which aligns with the sleek rectangular frame of the T7. Although slightly heavier, the added weight is hardly noticeable. This is primarily due to the rubber material enveloping most of the aluminum chassis. The textured rubber provides a secure grip, preventing the T9 from sliding around and offering additional protection against accidental drops. While it may not be as eye-catching as the T7 Shield's design, this material serves as a pleasing touch that Samsung hopes will resemble a wallet.

After conducting extensive testing with the T9 in various situations, we are pleased to confirm that the portable SSD performs as advertised. Users can effortlessly transfer large files in under a minute, regardless of whether they are transferring to or from the drive. It should be noted that to fully utilize the capabilities of the Samsung T9, a USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 port is required, but we were thoroughly impressed with its performance in every scenario. Simple tasks such as transferring photos or video files between the SSD and a PC were both quick and efficient.

When utilized with a console like the PS5, the T9 can serve as additional storage for transferring files to its internal SSD. Based on our tests, it took approximately 9 minutes to transfer a 100GB file from the PS5's internal storage to the T9, and around 15 minutes to transfer it back. Although these speeds may not match the exceptional performance achieved when connected to a PC or Mac, it's important to note that the limitation lies in the connection interface rather than the drive itself. Nevertheless, the speeds remain exceptional considering the circumstances.

Samsung takes great pride in the T9's exceptional performance in both reading and writing for longer periods of time. This means that users can fully utilize the SSD's power until it reaches its storage limit, and subsequently transfer those files to a computer in a relatively speedy manner. This increase in speed compared to the T7 will be especially beneficial for power users who rely on the T9 as a live storage solution, such as photographers. However, even casual users will be amazed by the drive's impressive speed.