If you are looking for a lot of external storage in a compact housing, this is the right place for you. With up to 8 TB, the Samsung T5 EVO offers a surprising amount of storage space.

Nowadays there are different types of external storage: NAS, external hard drive, external SSD, USB stick, there is something for everyone. The Samsung T5 EVO (from 179 euros including VAT) falls into the category of external SSDs. At first glance, some photos might make you think that this is an oversized USB stick, but you have to insert a USB-C cable into the bottom to connect devices.

The Samsung T5 EVO is compact: 40 x 95 x 17 mm. It weighs only 102 grams. Combined with the robust rubber surface and metal housing, this is an all-rounder. Samsung guarantees that the device will easily survive a fall from a height of two meters. Our test shows that the external SSD can withstand significantly more. A fall from a height of five meters onto the asphalt does not harm the Samsung T5 EVO.

Robust jacket

A sturdy housing provides the necessary guarantee that your data is safe. This is necessary because you can equip this external SSD with a lot of storage: 2 TB (179 euros), 4 TB (329 euros) or 8 TB (752 euros). All prices include VAT.

So much data on a compact external enclosure requires a robust enclosure. Luckily, Samsung offers that here. The recommended retail prices for this external storage medium are not bad. Online we find prices that are on average 30 to 50 euros cheaper, which alleviates the bitter pill somewhat.

Samsung includes a short 40 cm long USB-C cable in the box. It’s just long enough to be used flexibly, but also just short enough to never get in the way. The USB-C port in the T5 EVO clicks firmly when you connect the cable, inspiring confidence. This has been an issue with the T7 Shield in the past.

Fast, but not the fastest

The Samsung T5 EVO product page states a maximum read and write speed of 460 MB/s, which we can confirm. We measured 467 MB/s and 465 MB/s respectively. This means that the external SSD performs slightly worse than the previous generation T5, even though it didn’t have one robust Jacket.

If we compare it with the “old” Samsung T7 Shield, we see a more noticeable difference in performance. The latter is twice as fast and this one has one too robust finish. The footprint of the external SSD is slightly larger but thinner. Particularly annoying: In online shops the price difference between the 4 TB version and the T5 EVO is just 50 euros. If you want more speed, you should check out the T7 Shield for a small additional cost. If 467MB/s is fast enough, the T5 EVO will serve you well.

Secure with a password

Samsung provides software on the external SSD that allows you to update the firmware or enable encryption. You can easily do the latter using the rear slider Security mode activate. Anyone who does this should choose their password very carefully. Losing the password means irreversible data loss. Only a reset to factory settings (formatting) makes the SSD available again, which means your data is lost and can no longer be restored

If you use the external SSD on another device, using a password creates an additional hurdle. You always need to install the software before you can unlock the SSD. No software, no access.

Even if you connect the Samsung T5 EVO to your Android device, you must first install the corresponding Samsung app before you can unlock it. It’s safe, but not always convenient. It’s up to you to decide what you prefer.

Curiously, the software does not install Samsung’s extensive Magician tool (308 MB) on the SSD. If you download it from Samsung’s official website, you will see a lot more data about your SSD. The tool shows how much data you have already written, general health and a benchmark program.

Diploma

The Samsung T5 EVO (from 179 euros including VAT) is a solid external SSD for data storage with a robust exterior that inspires confidence. The performance is sufficient, but the “old” Samsung T7 Shield is only 30 to 50 euros more expensive and twice as fast. It’s up to you to assess whether speed is important before making a decision. Both devices are ideal as external SSDs.

The Samsung T5 EVO is available in black in three storage variants: 2TB, 4TB and 8TB. The external SSD is compatible with Windows, macOS and Android. Samsung offers a two-year manufacturer’s warranty as standard.