The Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield 4TB is the newest high-capacity model from the company’s rugged line of portable SSDs meant for outdoor users and content creators who require a reliable and robust storage solution.
The Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield 4TB is the newest high-capacity model from the company’s rugged line of portable SSDs meant for outdoor users and content creators who require a reliable and robust storage solution.
The T7 Shield goes the extra mile for durability so it can thrive in the elements and the bumps and bruises of professionals on the go and out in the field. That said, it’s also meant for any type of user who needs to store and transfer large amounts of data quickly and safely.
Samsung T7 Shield 4TB
Samsung T7 Shield (4TB) Features
For performance, the T7 Shield supports the USB 3.2 Gen2 interface, providing a maximum bandwidth of 10Gbps. This is a bit disappointing, as we were hoping the T7 Shield’s next iteration would use Gen2x2 technology, pushing past 1GB/s up to 2GB/s. That said, this is a capacity expansion and not a new portable platform for the company.
We previously reviewed the T7 Shield 2TB (one of the better portable SSDs we’ve reviewed at StoragReview) last year, which featured identical specifications including its quoted (up to) 1,050MB/s in reads and 1,000 MB/s in writes–the usual for this interface. This allows most users to quickly transfer large files and work on high-quality video recordings, edits, and encodings.
Moreover, Samsung stresses that the T7 Shield maintains its performance even as the drive starts to fill up. The performance of portable SSDs often starts to dwindle as they approach full capacity due to the decreased available space for write operations, so this will certainly be appealing for those professionals that need consistent performance for heavy, continuous tasks.
Samsung T7 Shield (4TB) Build
Like all the T models before it, Samsung’s T7 Shield uses sustainable and eco-friendly materials and reduced packaging to help minimize its ecological impact. Measuring 88 x 59 x 13mm, it is fairly compact for its large storage capacity when compared to other durable portable SSDs.
The T7 Shield is certainly built for durability. While our previous review of the 2TB featured a beige shell, we received the slick-looking black design (which we liked a lot more for heavy, sometimes dirty, road travel). That said, it has the same strong aluminum body and rubber shell designed to withstand rough handling and protect against external damage. The aluminum body also enables maximum heat dissipation, and the rubber provides a secure grip and protection against scratches and stains.
The rubber padding is both a blessing and a curse. While it does provide extra protection versus the bumps and bruises portable drives often endure, it is a magnet for stuff like lint and dust as you can see from the image below (and it stays stuck until you do some scrubbing). It’s a minor nitpick, but some people might find it bothersome.
Samsung T7 Shield 4TB Standing on a Lenovo ThinkPad
Samsung T7 Shield (4TB) Software
The T7 Shield is supported by Magician 7.0, a powerful software tool that provides users with a variety of features to manage their Samsung storage devices. Users can check their device health, test their speed using performance benchmarks, set passwords, and a lot more. We wrote a detailed review of the Samsung Magician 7.0 software a few years ago (which we found to be one of the most advanced and modern-looking SSD toolsets out there), so be sure to check it out.
It should be noted that Samsung plans to add a Data Migration feature sometime in February 2023, allowing users to upgrade their desktops and laptops using their portable SSD.
Backed by a 3-year warranty, the Samsung T7 Shield 4TB goes for roughly $409.99 at Amazon.
Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield (4TB) Specifications
| Interface | USB 3.2 Gen2 (10Gbps) | ||
| Hardware Information | Capacities | 1TB, 2TB, 4TB | |
| Dimensions | 88 x 59 x 13mm (3.5 x 2.3 x 0.5 inches) | ||
| Weight | 98 grams (3.47 oz) | ||
| Performance | Sequential Read | Up to 1,050 MB/sec | |
| Sequential Write | Up to 1,000 MB/sec | ||
| Durability | Water/Dust Resistant | IP65 | |
| Drop Resistant | Up to 3m | ||
| Security | Encryption | AES 256-bit hardware encryption | |
| Software | Samsung Portable SSD 1.0
Samsung Magician Software |
||
| Compatibility | Windows 7 or higher (4TB 64-bit), Mac OS X 10.10 or higher Android Lollipop or higher | ||
| Reliability | Temperature | Operating
(Case Temperature) |
0°C to 60°C 7) |
| Non-Operating | -40°C to 85°C | ||
| Humidity | 5% to 95% non-condensing | ||
| Shock | Non-Operating | 1,500G, duration: 0.5ms, 3 axis | |
| Vibration | Non-Operating | 10~2,000Hz, 20G | |
| Certifications | CE, BSMI, KC, VCCI, C-tick, FCC, IC, UL, TUV, CB | ||
| RoHS Compliance | RoHS 2 | ||
| Warranty | Three (3) Year Limited Warranty | ||
Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield (4TB) Performance
For our tests, we used a Lenovo ThinkStation P520 Workstation.
First up, is the Blackmagic test, where the Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield (4TB) recorded 893.8MB/s read and 936.5MB/s write, which is slightly under what Samsung quoted.
The next test is IOMeter. Here, we looked at 2MB sequential read/write, 2MB random read/write, and 4K random read/write. In our first test, the T7 Shield again recorded lower speeds than the quoted peak claims from Samsung (this was expected due to the nature of the single-thread benchmark). Nonetheless, for 2MB sequential speeds, the T7 Shield recorded 804.4MB/s write and 765.6MB/s read, while 2MB random showed 805.2MB/s write and 757.81MB/s read. In our 4K tests, the T7 Shield reached 13,610.3 IOPS write and 3,791 IOPS read:
| IOMeter (1 Thread) | Speed |
| Seq 2MB Write | 804.4MB/s |
| Seq 2MB Read | 765.6MB/s |
| Random 2MB Write | 805.2MB/s |
| Random 2MB Read | 757.81MB/s |
| Random 4K Write | 13,610 IOPS |
| Random 4K Read | 3,791 IOPS |
When upped to 4-threads (which puts a heavy workload on the cards), the T7 showed results much for aligned with what Samsung quoted.
Here’s a rundown of the results:
| IOMeter (4 Threads) | |
| Seq 2MB Write | 1,017.6MB/s |
| Seq 2MB Read | 1,041.5MB/s |
| Random 2MB Write | 999.88MB/s |
| Random 2MB Read | 1,019MB/s |
| Random 4K Write | 17,909 IOPS |
| Random 4K Read | 15,347 IOPS |
As you can see, the Samsung T7 Shield saturated the over a USB 3.2 connection port when tested under a 4-thread workload, which makes transferring files on or off PC a speedy process.
Conclusion
The 4TB Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield is a high-capacity, rugged storage solution designed for outdoor users and content creators. Its aluminum body, rubber cover, and IP65-certified dustproof and water-resistant design means it can handle both the elements and bumps and bruises of life on the go. It also supports Magician 7.0 software, which includes the usual suspects like performance diagnostics, drive information, benchmarking, and more.
Samsung T7 Shield 4TB Port
In terms of performance, the T7 Shield supports the USB 3.2 Gen2 interface, with Samsung quoting speeds up to 1,050 MB/s read and 1,000 MB/s write. While the portable drive slightly underperformed in the Blackmagic test, it showed solid results in the IOMeter with 4-threads test with 1,017.6MB/s write and 1,041.5MB/s read in sequential 2MB and 999.88MB/s write and 1,019MB/s read. This was pretty much on par with what Samsung quoted.
Overall, the 4TB T7 Shield is essentially just a high-capacity version of the line; there are no performance gains compared to the smaller capacity (they had virtually identical results). It simply offers another mainstream performer to the portable market. That said, the T7 Shield 4TB is still a solid release from Samsung and comes highly recommended, offering a high-capacity, rugged, nice-looking, and reliable storage solution for anyone who needs to store and transfers large amounts of data quickly and safely.
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