First Look: Samsung T5 SSD hard drive

Even the 2GB version of the T5 SSD (solid state drives) is small enough to fit in your pocket, though 2TB of information is still more than most people need to carry around on a daily basis.

They’re fast, too, with claimed peak speeds of up to 540MBps over a USB-C cable. I transferred a 5GB folder from a 2017 iMac to the T5 in under a minute (and got the same speeds sending it back to the computer).

I tried the 500GB version, which packs a lot of storage into a device only a little smaller than a modern mobile phone (which top out at 256GB). All the models are the same size (57.3 x 74 x 10.5mm) and weigh 51g.

The T5 range is aimed at professionals, especially those who often carry large files they need to access quickly but without filling up their computer. While they can be used in a variety of situations (for example, as an external hard drive for a gaming console), their price could make them a little rich for occasional users.

The T5 range comes in metallic blue or black in the following sizes:

• 250GB ($230)
• 500GB ($380)
• 1TB ($759)
• 2TB ($1500).

First Looks are trials of new and interesting products from the perspective of our product experts. Our lab-based tests offer truly objective product comparisons.

This hard drive was loaned to the writer by Samsung.