The T7 Shield Portable SSD has been redesigned by Samsung to be more durable and long-lasting. The new T7 Shield Portable SSD comes with a durable rubberized exterior coupled with dust and water resistance. While the main form factor and design are the same, the extra protection is a great bonus. If you’re interested in learning more, continue reading for more information.
The tough T7 Shield is only slightly heavier and bulkier than the normal variant of the T7 Shield or the T7 Touch. Samsung has bestowed the robust T7 Shield Portable SSD with an IP65 grade which will protect the item from dust and water in case of accidental spillage. The USB-C connector on the T7 Shield SSD supports USB 3.2. (Gen 2 10Gbps). Moreover, it supports read/write rates of up to 1,050/1,000Mbps.
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Samsung’s T7 Shield is a More Durable Version of its portable USB-C SSD
The T7 Shield is available starting today in 1TB and 2TB configurations, priced at $143.99 and $260.99, respectively. Transfer speeds are the same as the T7 and T7 Touch (which I evaluated here), with sequential read and write speeds of up to 1,050MB/s and 1,000MB/s respectively.
Black, beige, or blue are the color options for the T7 Shield, which comes with a USB-C to USB-C and a USB-C to USB-A connection. In addition to Windows and Mac computers, Android phones and gaming consoles may all use it.
Samsung gave over a pre-production prototype for The Verge to test out, and its performance is exactly as swift as the T7, albeit the USB-C cable displayed a tendency to squirm out of the connector with no provocation, which was concerning. A Samsung spokeswoman told The Verge over the phone that this issue only affects pre-production samples, and that it is not symptomatic of a similar problem occurring in the retail edition.
The price of this Samsung USB-C SSD is expected to drop in the near future, as it has in the past. But, if the rubber coating isn’t crucial to you, you can acquire the basic T7 in the 1TB ($114.99) configuration for significantly less than this new version costs at launch. Otherwise, the 2TB T7 currently sells for $229.99, and I think that the IP65 protection is worth an extra $30.
Samsung T7 Shield specs
- USB-C connector with USB 3.2 (Gen 2 10Gbps)
- USB-C to USB-C and USB-C to USB-A cables included
- Read/write speeds of up to 1,050/1,000MB/s
- IP65-graded water and dust resistance
- Crush resistance, along with strengthened drop resistance (up to 9.8ft)
- Aluminum body with the rubberized exterior for maximum protection
- Low heat conductivity with rubber texture exterior
- Extreme temperature protection from -40°C to 85°C
- Dimensions: 3.5 x 2.3 x 0.5 inches
- Weight: 3.5 ounces
- AES 256-bit hardware encryption
- Password protection (optional)
- Compatible with Macs, PCs, tablets, smartphones, cameras, and game consoles
- Available in black, blue, or beige colors
- 1TB ($143.99) or 2TB ($260.99) configurations
Compared to the T7 Touch, which has a fingerprint reader for enhanced protection, the T7 Shield is a pretty simple and uncomplicated new product from Samsung. It’s essentially a T7 encased in a crush-resistant shell with IP65 water and dust protection. As a result, the T7 Shield is an excellent SSD for usage in hazardous conditions where a regular SSD would be dangerous.
To offer some background, IP65 does not guard against total submersions, such as the iPhone 13’s IP68 designation which permits water submersion for up to a maximum depth of six meters up to 30 minutes. An IP65 rating essentially means that the T7 Shield is protected from water jets for a certain amount of time; consider something like a hard downpour or spray from a water hose, perhaps. This is an improvement over the standard T7, which has no IP rating.
While the normal Samsung T7 with an aluminum shell is a terrific daily driver, there are some instances, including on-location editing in dusty or rainy surroundings, where I’d hesitate to pull it out of my bag. With the gripping rubber exterior of the Samsung T7 Shield, customers can feel more secure when using their SSD than with a conventional aluminum T7 SSD.
The good news is that Samsung was able to implement these features without adding a lot of extra heft. The T7 Shield is, in fact, slightly larger and heavier than the standard T7, but the difference is not particularly great. The difference is so negligible that it’s unlikely to affect your workflow in any meaningful way.
The USB 3.2 Gen 21 compatibility on Samsung’s newest portable SSD, like that on the T7 and T7 Touch, allows for 10Gbps data transfer rates. The unit comes with a somewhat more recessed USB-C connector, and Samsung offers both USB-C to USB-C and USB-C to USB-A cables in the box. It’s important to note that the drive’s maximum performance requires a Mac with a 10Gbps USB-C connector. Connecting through the USB-A connector on a Mac, even the new Mac Studio, will keep you stuck at 5Gbps.
Confusing USB nomenclature aside, the Samsung T7 Shield SSD supports 10Gbps, however, there is controversy concerning Apple’s support, or lack thereof, of 10Gb/s transfers on its USB 3.1 Gen 2 connections (formerly termed USB 3.2 Gen 2×1 by the USB-IF). I found that connecting to the back Thunderbolt 4 ports on my Mac Studio gave me the best performance. My Mac Studio’s front-facing USB 3.1 Gen 2 ports still displayed a connection speed of 10Gbps in System Profiler, but actual performance fell behind that of the Thunderbolt 4-connected ports by a factor of two.
At any rate, anyone looking for a harder Samsung T7 SSD will likely be delighted with the T7 Shield. It comes in both 1 and 2TB variants and is available in black, blue, or beige hues starting at $143.99. If you get the 2TB model, it’s the perfect SSD for mobile 4K video editing.
Is the T7 Shield something you’d use? Let us know what you think in the comments section. For more information do follow our website greenenergyanalysis.com