by 454 reviews.
SAMSUNG T5 EVO Portable SSD 8TB Review: A Powerhouse for Storage and Speed
The SAMSUNG T5 EVO Portable SSD 8TB is a game-changer for anyone who needs massive storage combined with portability and speed. Designed for gamers, content creators, and professionals, this external SSD offers 8TB of storage, USB 3.2 Gen 1 speeds up to 460MB/s, and a rugged build that can survive drops from up to 6 feet. But does it live up to the hype? Let’s dive into the pros and cons based on real customer experiences.
Pros and Cons: What Customers Are Saying
1. Performance and Speed
The SAMSUNG T5 EVO delivers impressive speeds for most users, especially when handling large files. One customer reported 250-260 MB/s write speeds when transferring big video files, which is close to the advertised maximum. However, some users noted that the drive slows down significantly after transferring 600-700GB of data, requiring a few hours to recover its speed.
Pros:
- Fast sequential read/write speeds for large files.
- Ideal for gaming, video editing, and backups.
Cons:
- Slows down during extended large file transfers.
- Small file transfers can be slower (15-20 MB/s).
2. Build Quality and Portability
The T5 EVO is praised for its compact and lightweight design, making it easy to carry around. Its rugged build ensures it can withstand accidental drops, and the AES 256-bit hardware encryption adds an extra layer of security for sensitive data.
Pros:
- Durable and shock-resistant.
- Compact and portable—fits in your pocket.
- Secure encryption for data protection.
Cons:
- Some users experienced disconnects when using front USB-C ports, though this may be due to port quality rather than the SSD itself.
3. Storage Capacity and Usability
With 8TB of storage, the T5 EVO is a beast for storing large files like movies, games, and backups. Customers love its compatibility with multiple devices, including PCs, Macs, smartphones, and tablets. However, one user reported a sudden crash that required formatting, resulting in data loss. This highlights the importance of keeping multiple backups.
Pros:
- Massive 8TB capacity for extensive storage needs.
- Wide compatibility with various devices.
- Easy plug-and-play setup.
Cons:
- Potential reliability issues (one user reported a crash).
- Not ideal for frequent, intense write operations.
4. Price and Value
The T5 EVO is undeniably expensive, but many customers feel it’s worth the investment due to its speed, durability, and capacity. For those transitioning from traditional hard drives, the SSD’s longevity and quiet operation are significant advantages.
Pros:
- Great value for the storage and performance offered.
- Long lifespan compared to traditional hard drives.
Cons:
- High upfront cost.
- May not be the best choice for users with frequent write-heavy workloads.
Conclusion: Is the SAMSUNG T5 EVO Portable SSD 8TB Worth It?
The SAMSUNG T5 EVO Portable SSD 8TB is a powerful storage solution that excels in speed, capacity, and portability. It’s perfect for gamers, content creators, and professionals who need reliable storage for large files. However, it’s not without its flaws—some users reported slowdowns during extended transfers and occasional reliability issues.
Final Verdict: If you’re looking for a high-capacity, portable SSD with fast speeds and rugged durability, the T5 EVO is an excellent choice. Just be sure to keep backups of your data and avoid using it for intense, write-heavy tasks. For most users, the T5 EVO delivers on its promises and is a worthy upgrade from traditional hard drives.
Specification SAMSUNG T5 EVO Portable SSD 8TB, USB 3.2 Gen 1 External Solid State Drive, Seq. Read Speeds Up to 460MB/s for Gaming and Content Creation, MU-PH8T0S/AM, Black:
Comments from Amazon:
I use an external computer drive to store media files for use with my iTunes music and video library. This SSD, at the new price point, is great value for so much storage with the amazing access speed and reliability advantages over any hard disk device, which is what I am replacing. I also like that I can easily plug it into any of my other devices, such as phone or tablet, to use the media or to share very large files between the devices. SSDs are clearly now at a price-storage point where fully abandoning hard disks is easy. The fact that I have put many such devices through the wash and dry cycles when I left them in a pocket is just the cherry on top (but I would note that although pretty small compared to disks, it seems unlikely I would leave this one in a pocket).
It seems to me when using the native software for various operating systems. You tend to have more challenges. I have found by reformatting and using the encryption scheme native to the operating system. The performance seems to be much better. I am one month in to my 8 TB drive and use it for a back up every few days and so far it’s definitely slower than a T9 but it seems to be functioning with no challenges.
Very reliable, SSD so it doesn't heat up, very easy to use and the size is great. The design is great also. Just plug in and you're ready to go. I have over 2000 movies and pictures on my drive with room to spare.
Adequate for occasional retrieval, not so much for intense usage. Will slow down to ridiculous paces when pushing large amounts of data, after about 600-700GB. You'll need to stop your transfer and give it a while (a few hours) for its firmware to move data blocks through its buffer. Then you can do the next chunk quickly. Read speeds are just fine. For this reason, Would only use this for archival storage with few large (or frequent small) writes needed. I pack it with movies and take it with my laptop. Works great for that scenario.
I am very happy with this USB, its performance is extremely great. It is grip to hold, it is small compared to the memory size with other external drive. In summary it's value for the money
Update: It unfortunately crashed yesterday all of a sudden and required formatting. I could access it, therefore had to format. Lost all of my data BUT was fortunate enough that I had a second 8TB Samsung Evo. Took me all night to copy all files again from one SSD into another. Be careful and try to keep 3 copies of your files on different devices for such occasions. Taking my words back regarding that SSD being awesome. Appears to be not reliable at all. --------------- I was not sure whether to buy it or not since I saw a lot of negative feedbacks here. I am happy that I decided to go with it and purchased it. I have attached a 13 sec. video without any blurring where you can see openly that I reached an average of 250-260 MB/S speed when I was writing big video files onto my T5 EVO, 8 TB. Take into account that I have been copying from T7 Shield, 4 TB. connected directly to Type-C input on my laptop to T5 EVO, 8 TB connected to docking station through Type-A, USB 3.0. Nevertheless, I have got the mentioned speed of writing. For the small files, the speeds of writing get slower and be sometimes around 15-20 MB/S, but it happens with all drives of such type. For me, it is NOT a decisive factor since I use T7 Shield SSDs (I have 4 of them, 4 TB. each) and T5 EVO, 8 TB. to backup my files and do not constantly erase and write new files. Also, plays smoothly on my Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra smartphone. Highly recommend this product since it is small and can easily accommodate into anybody's pocket and it is so convenient to carry it with yourself at any times.
I recently switched from my external hard drives to a couple of these SSD's and I have been thoroughly impressed. The size is extremely small for an 8TB storage. I get pretty good read and write speeds and it is so quiet of course. There is a blue indicator light thst lights up when it's being used. It's made to be rugged and taken on the go but I'm using mine for Steam game storage and backups for my photos/videos. I am using Type C cables and I sometimes get disconnects. I believe this is just an issue with my front ports when they get bumped and I have a Type C hub on order there should hopefully solve that issue. It is quite expensive but the life expectancy over a hard drive is significant and so much quieter.