Netac Z Slim USB 3.2 Gen 2 Portable SSD 500GB vs Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield 1TB

Researched, not hands-on tested.How we review ›

all judged against External SSDs at a similar price

The Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield 1TB scores 7.0/10 overall, ahead of the Netac Z Slim USB 3.2 Gen 2 Portable SSD 500GB at 4.8/10.

The Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield 1TB leads on speed, build and ruggedness, compatibility and security.

They score the same on warranty.

The biggest difference is build and ruggedness, where the Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield 1TB scores 9/10 to the Netac Z Slim USB 3.2 Gen 2 Portable SSD 500GB's 5/10.

Netac Z Slim USB 3.2 Gen 2 Portable SSD 500GB

4.8/10verdict: skip

The Netac Z Slim 500GB is for people who want a very small, light external drive for everyday file carrying and backups. It suits buyers who value the aluminium casing and the two included cables over top transfer speed. It is a poor fit if you need encryption, a rugged rating or the fastest sustained transfers.

Typically about £53.29 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK

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Portable SSD T7 Shield (USB 3.2 Gen 2, 1TB)

Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield 1TB

7.0/10verdict: buy

The Samsung T7 Shield 1TB is for people who carry data to places where a plain portable drive might get dropped, rained on or covered in dust. It suits anyone who wants hardware encryption and a 3-year warranty alongside a rugged casing. It is less suited to buyers chasing the highest transfer speeds, as it runs on USB 3.2 Gen 2.

Typically about £215.99 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK

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Scores, criterion by criterion

Criterion	Weight	Netac Z Slim USB 3.2 Gen 2 Portable SSD 500GB	Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield 1TB
Speed	30%	4/10	6/10
Build and ruggedness	20%	5/10	9/10
Compatibility	20%	6/10	7/10
Security	15%	3/10	7/10
Warranty	15%	6/10	6/10
Overall		4.8/10	7.0/10

Specifications

Spec	Netac Z Slim USB 3.2 Gen 2 Portable SSD 500GB	Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield 1TB
Capacity	500GB	1TB (1GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes)
Interface	USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C (backwards compatible with USB 3.2 Gen 1 and USB 2.0); ssd-tester.com lists USB 3.2 Gen 1x1 (5 Gbit/s)	USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps)
Sequential read	up to 550MB/s (manufacturer); ssd-tester.com measured 511.94MB/s	Up to 1,050 MB/s
Sequential write	not listed	Up to 1,000 MB/s
Drop and water rating	No IP or drop rating published; casing is aluminium alloy	IP65 dust and water resistance; drop up to 3 m
Encryption	not listed	AES 256-bit hardware encryption
Warranty	3-year limited warranty	3 years limited

Strengths and weaknesses

Netac Z Slim USB 3.2 Gen 2 Portable SSD 500GB

+ Thin, light aluminium body at about 30g and 9mm
+ Includes a USB-C to A cable and an A-to-C adapter
+ 3-year limited warranty
− No IP or drop rating published
− Encryption not published for this model
− Sustained speed falls below peak on large transfers

Skip it if:

Buyers who need hardware encryption or password protection
Anyone who wants a published IP or drop rating for rough use
People who regularly move very large files and need consistent sustained speed

Read the full Netac Z Slim USB 3.2 Gen 2 Portable SSD 500GB review ›

Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield 1TB

+ IP65 dust and water resistance with a 3 m drop rating
+ Owners report around 900 MB/s sustained writes
+ AES 256-bit hardware encryption is listed
− Samsung's 1,050 MB/s read is an up-to figure
− Full speed needs a Gen 2 host, compatible cable and UASP
− Warranty is 3 years, not longer

Skip it if:

Buyers who want interface speeds above USB 3.2 Gen 2
People who only use a drive at a desk and don't need rugged protection
Anyone who needs confirmed Linux support before buying

Read the full Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield 1TB review ›

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