**The Samsung T9 Portable SSD is the fastest, most pocketable external drive money can buy — and it's not even close.** After using it daily for a month as our primary external drive, here's the full review.
Who Is This For?
Content creators, photographers, gamers with large libraries, and anyone who moves big files regularly. If you've ever waited ages for a video project to copy, this drive is your answer.
Speed: Genuinely Blistering
Samsung claims up to 2,000MB/s read and write, and in real-world testing, those numbers hold up. We transferred a 50GB video project in under 30 seconds. A 4K video timeline that stuttered on our old external HDD plays back flawlessly from the T9. It's fast enough to run games directly off the drive on PS5 (though the internal SSD is still faster).
Design: Small But Tough
At just 122g and roughly the size of a credit card (but thicker), the T9 disappears into a jacket pocket. The aluminium core is wrapped in a rubberised grip that provides excellent drop protection — Samsung rates it for 3-metre drops. We accidentally knocked it off a desk onto concrete with zero issues.
Compatibility
USB-C with the included cable works with everything: Windows, Mac, iPad Pro, PS5, and even modern Android phones. The PS5 recognises it instantly for storing PS5 and PS4 games.
Security
Hardware-based AES 256-bit encryption means your data is protected even if you lose the drive. Samsung's software lets you set a password with minimal fuss.
The Bottom Line
At £169 for 2TB, it's not cheap — but for the speed, build quality, and portability, it's the best money can spend on external storage right now.
👍 What We Love
- Incredible 2,000MB/s read and write speeds
- Compact and lightweight — genuinely pocketable
- Rubberised grip with metal body survives drops
- USB 3.2 Gen 2 works with PC, Mac, and consoles
- Hardware AES 256-bit encryption for security
👎 Room for Improvement
- USB-C cable included but no USB-A adapter
- Premium price per GB compared to HDDs
- Can get warm during sustained large transfers
- No IP rating for water or dust resistance
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely. With its current price point and feature set, it remains one of the best options in its category.
While newer models exist, the Samsung T9 Portable SSD 2TB still holds its own thanks to excellent build quality and software support.