Samsung Portable SSD T5 (USB 3.1)

Most external SSDs as of 2019, including the Samsung T5, use the USB 3.1 (Gen 2) interface, resulting in read and write speeds comparable to the internal SATA III 6 Gbps interface. There are significantly faster external SSDs that use Thunderbolt 3 (such as Samsung’s X5), but these usually come with tradeoffs in the form of a higher cost and a larger physical size.

The T5’s is a successor to the T3, which in turn was a successor to the T1, so Samsung dropped a number with each iteration (there are no T2 or T4 models).

Features

Samsung’s Portable SSD T5 is one of the best-selling external drives in 2019. It is available in capacities ranging from 250 GB to 2 TB, all of them with the same physical size and performance specifications. Like most of Samsung’s SSDs from 2018/2019, the T5 uses 64-layer 3D V-NAND, or vertically stacked memory chips.

Other internal specs include Samsung’s proprietary MGX controller (same as the 850 EVO). It communicates with the host computer using SATA to USB-UASP (USB-Attached SCSI).

Compared to external hard drives, the SSD T5 is considerably smaller at 2.3 x 0.4 x 3 inches (5.8 x 1 x 7.6 cm), and lighter at 1.6 ounces (45.4 g).

Performance

Using USB 3.1 Gen 2 and the SATA to USB-UASP interface/protocol, the SSD T5 offers read and write speeds comparable to internal SATA SSDs. Its maximum sequential read speed is 540 MB/s and sequential write speed 520 MB/s.

Warranty and endurance

Samsung offers a 3-year limited warranty with the T5, which is less than the standard five years offered with the manufacturer’s internal SSDs. No endurance rating in TBW (terabytes written) is provided.

Reviews

AnandTech

Making an impact in that market segment requires additional features – water-proofing and dust-proofing are appreciated.

StorageReview

Compact and lightweight, the T5 improved on its predecessor in every way with the exception of a higher capacity point; it will certainly suit the needs of any on-the-go professionals or media enthusiasts that work with large volumes of data.

Overclockers.com

With the inclusion of USB3.1 Gen2 and UASP, the drive is able to saturate the internal SATA III controller for sequential data transfer rates.