Samsung T9 SSD Review – 20Gb/s Performance in Your Pocket?

Review of the Samsung T9 4TB NVMe SSD

Samsung T9 SSD Review – Quick Conclusion

BUILD - 10/10

HARDWARE - 8/10

PERFORMANCE - 8/10

PRICE - 8/10

VALUE - 7/10

8.2

PROS

👍🏻Exceptionally small and light, even at 4TB
👍🏻Lower active use temperature vs other SSD externals in the market
👍🏻Turbowrite for sustained longer high-performance use
👍🏻20Gb/s performance in your pocket isn\'t to be sniffed at!
👍🏻Comparable pricing (lower in one case per TB) vs the Samsung T7
👍🏻Backwards compatible with USB 3.2 Gen 2, Gen 1, USB 2.0 etc
👍🏻USB-C Phone Connectivity and Plug-n-Play
👍🏻Video/Photo Editor Ready, straight off the drive
👍🏻Samsung Magician is STILL the gold standard of Drive client software in the market

CONS

👎🏻Potential Bandwidth of USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 is half that of USB 4.0 or Thunderbolt 3/4
👎🏻Fewer clients are rolling out with USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 these days
👎🏻Not IP67 Weatherproof
👎🏻TurboWrite is only 22/88GB on 1/2TB, whereas the 4TB gets 180GB (so longer sustained perf)
👎🏻Often cheaper to buy a USB4/TB4 Case with a separate internal SSD (but larger, more work and heat prone)

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Samsung T9 SSD Review – Packaging

Samsung has primarily established the design aesthetic for their storage products in terms of retail packaging. The Samsung T9 is presented in a sleek, compact retail box that confidently highlights the product’s features. Available in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB variants, all three drives are almost identical in size, weight, and performance—with the 4TB version having a slight edge in sustained sequential write speed. However, aesthetically, they are nearly identical.

The retail package for the Samsung T9 is quite minimal, unsurprising for a domestic external storage USB device. The box contains the drive, snugly housed in a pre-cut carton, two USB cables that support both USB Type-A and USB Type-C connections, and a warranty along with a brief software guide for utilizing the Samsung Magician software on your device.

The USB-C cables provided are of commendable quality. While many users might opt for their existing USB Type-A and Type-C cables, it’s crucial to note that to fully exploit the USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 connectivity, not only do you need the compatible ports on your device but also the right USB-C cable. Not all USB-C cables are created equal!

All things considered, while the retail package might seem sparse, it provides everything necessary to start using the drive right away. The inclusion of both Type-A and Type-C cables is a thoughtful touch. Now, let’s delve deeper into the drive itself.

Samsung T9 4TB SSD Review – Hardware Design

It’s evident that Samsung has invested time in designing the T9 Portable SSD. They recognize their target audience and understand that although they might not be the most affordable external storage drive manufacturer, their product has a certain flair compared to some competitors. The T9 stands out in its design, being one of the most compact external drives available, weighing just 122 grams. Impressively, even the 4TB variant is substantially smaller than most mobile phones and probably more compact than most wallets. Moreover, the drive is entirely USB-powered, even at its peak 20 gigabits per second performance.

The external casing consists of a rubber/silicon material that covers more than 90% of the drive. This flexible shell is non-removable and doesn’t suffer from the slippage some cheaper external drives experience. The drive features a chrome matte pattern on the edges, and apart from the brand and model name, minimalistic branding is present. This casing helps the drive endure drops of up to three meters. Even though the drive lacks moving parts, the potential damage to the internal PCB from a fall remains a concern.

Inside the rubber casing lies a metal structure that protects the internal components and aids in heat dissipation, thanks to the direct contact via thermal padding with the onboard components. Initially, I was apprehensive that the rubber/silicon layer might hinder heat dissipation. However, after extensive use and testing, my concerns were largely assuaged.

While the drive boasts a decent weatherproofing rating, it’s not IP66 or IP65 certified. This limitation mainly arises from the exposed USB connection. Some competitors, like Lacie and GTECH, have designed semi-removable rubber enclosures with plugs that cover the USB connectors, ensuring higher ingress protection. Since the Samsung T9’s rubber/silicon cover doesn’t fully encompass the casing, its USB Type-C port may be more susceptible to damage compared to some other drives used by content creators. This might be a minor detail for most, but it’s worth noting for users who often travel to diverse locations for photo and video editing.

The drive’s USB Type-C port is backward compatible with previous USB versions, ensuring connectivity even with older systems that only support USB 2.0. With the USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 connection, the drive can achieve approximately 2000 megabytes per second in both read and write sequential performance. Given the push for more devices to feature unified USB-C connectivity to combat electronic waste, Samsung’s choice to continue using this standard is commendable. However, it’s slightly puzzling why Samsung chose USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 over the increasingly affordable and in-demand USB 4 and Thunderbolt 4.

Internally, the Samsung T9 boasts a distinct layout, diverging from the typical M.2 enclosure. Instead of repurposing existing 2242 or 2230 length M.2 NVMe SSDs, Samsung has designed a custom PCB for the T9, similar to the T7, that comes with a pre-soldered USB connection. This design choice rules out the possibility of replacing the internal drive but ensures targeted heat dissipation and gives Samsung greater control over its production and cost. There might be more affordable M.2 external SSD enclosures available, but they wouldn’t offer the same heat management or compactness as the Samsung T9.

Samsung T9 4TB SSD Review – Software and Performance

Typically, when users purchase an external drive, the bundled software is often overlooked. Many are simply seeking a reliable plug-and-play drive for storage purposes. However, the Samsung Magician software that accompanies the T9 is arguably among the best in its class. An added bonus is that most of its features can also be utilized by third-party drives within the same system.

Alongside the expected features of a drive client tool for updating the on-board firmware and monitoring SMART tests, Samsung Magician goes a step further. It includes a rather impressive customizable benchmarking tool. This allows you to gauge how your drive might perform under various tailored scenarios, also maintaining historical test records to check for any potential performance degradation over time. It’s worth noting that the drive supports AES 256-bit encryption. The software facilitates setting an encrypted password to the drive. This is crucial in preventing unauthorized access from those who might mistakenly connect or even attempt to crack the drive. This is an elevation from many cheaper drives that rely mainly on the physical casing for password protection, as opposed to encrypting the entire drive contents.

The drive also supports direct connectivity with mobile devices, powered through the USB-C connection. With today’s mobile phones equipped with high-quality cameras, users can swiftly and autonomously transfer their mobile galleries to the Samsung T9, facilitating prompt editing on a USB-C-ready machine. Many modern phones now support high-performance USB-C connections, presenting the T9 as a more immediate backup solution than cloud or LAN backups. The widespread file system support means that in numerous cases, cross-platform file synchronization is possible, allowing this singular drive to function as a universal backup for various devices (OS-dependent). With a plethora of instant sync backup apps available from Samsung and third-party vendors, the Samsung T9 seamlessly bridges multiple daily-use devices.

Earlier, I mentioned that the 2TB Samsung T9 model stands out in performance among the available capacities, delivering a whopping 2,000 megabytes per second read and write via USB 3.2 Gen 2×2. Thanks to Samsung’s unique TurboWrite technology, the T9 includes a portion of pseudo SLC storage. This boosts data write speeds, subsequently shuffling this data back to the main T9 storage during idle moments. This process ensures the T9 maintains its peak performance, especially handy for those transferring larger files. But, it’s crucial to note the discrepancies: the 4TB T9 provides 180 gigabytes of TurboWrite storage, while the 1TB and 2TB models offer only 22GB and 88GB respectively. These figures suggest that the smaller drives may not maintain the same longevity in peak performance compared to the 4TB version.

Preliminary testing of the Samsung T9 SSD with the AJA Speed Test on a USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 port showcased impressive results: a full 2 gigabytes per second read and 1.6Gb/s write performance before any signs of SSD saturation. These figures remained consistent even during a transfer of a hefty 5K 16GB file.

Performance Slideshow:

But we must address the prevalent query: Why has Samsung chosen USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 in late 2023? Especially when USB 4 and Thunderbolt 3 & 4 are becoming mainstream. Given the market’s trajectory towards USB 4, it seemed a given Samsung would integrate, at a minimum, Thunderbolt support for the T9.

With the announcement of Thunderbolt 5 for late 2024, Samsung’s choice for a seemingly limited connection for the T9 remains puzzling. But, the T9 meets its performance claims and is tailored perfectly to 1080p and 4K editors. If your system lacks USB 3.2 Gen 2×2, or if your Thunderbolt or USB 4 isn’t fully compatible, there’s a risk of getting capped at lower bandwidths.

Regardless, this drive ensures a consistent 1500 to 2000 megabytes per second performance with the appropriate USB ports, which many will find sufficient. Still, Samsung’s choice in USB architecture for the T9 is perplexing.

Samsung T9 SSD Review – Conclusion

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