Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield 1TB vs Samsung Portable SSD T7 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 Samsung Portable SSD T7 1TB at 6.1/10.

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

The Samsung Portable SSD T7 1TB leads on security.

They score the same on speed and warranty.

The biggest difference is build and ruggedness, where the Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield 1TB scores 9/10 to the Samsung Portable SSD T7 1TB's 6/10.

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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Samsung Portable SSD T7 1TB

6.1/10verdict: wait for deal

The Samsung T7 1TB is for people who move large files between machines and want a small, light drive. It suits those who want hardware encryption and an aluminium case on a USB 3.2 Gen 2 interface. It is a weaker fit for Linux users and for anyone who writes very large batches in one go.

Typically about £164.58 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK

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Scores, criterion by criterion

Criterion	Weight	Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield 1TB	Samsung Portable SSD T7 1TB
Speed	30%	6/10	6/10
Build and ruggedness	20%	9/10	6/10
Compatibility	20%	7/10	5/10
Security	15%	7/10	8/10
Warranty	15%	6/10	6/10
Overall		7.0/10	6.1/10

Specifications

Spec	Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield 1TB	Samsung Portable SSD T7 1TB
Capacity	1TB (1GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes)	1TB
Interface	USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps)	USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps), USB-C
Sequential read	Up to 1,050 MB/s	Up to 1,050 MB/s
Sequential write	Up to 1,000 MB/s	Up to 1,000 MB/s
Drop and water rating	IP65 dust and water resistance; drop up to 3 m	Drop resistance up to 2 metres (internal free-fall test); no IP rating for dust or water; solid aluminium unibody casing
Encryption	AES 256-bit hardware encryption	AES 256-bit hardware encryption with password protection
Warranty	3 years limited	Limited 3-year warranty

Strengths and weaknesses

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 ›

Samsung Portable SSD T7 1TB

+ AES 256-bit hardware encryption with password protection
+ Aluminium unibody with a 2-metre drop resistance figure
+ Owners praise fast large-file transfers and plug-and-play setup
− Sustained writes slow once transfers exceed the TurboWrite cache
− No IP rating for dust or water
− Magician software skips Linux; some systems may need reformatting

Skip it if:

Buyers who want Gen 2x2 or USB4 speeds from an external drive
Linux users who want vendor software support for managing the drive
Anyone working on dusty or wet sites who needs an IP rating

Read the full Samsung Portable SSD T7 1TB review ›

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