Samsung T9 Review: Rugged, Capacious, and Lightning-Fast

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As a content creator constantly on the move, I’ve always relied on portable storage solutions to keep up with my demanding workflow. When I got my hands on the Samsung T9, I was eager to see if it could meet the challenges of my profession. In this review, I will be sharing my experience of Samsung T9.

Specifications

• Manufacturer: Samsung
• Capacity: 4TB
• Interface: USB 3.2 Gen2 x2 (20Gbps)
• Speed: Up to 2,000 MB/s throughput
• Design: Rugged, drop-resistant design with grippy rubberized armor coating
• Durability: Factory-validated to withstand repeated drops of up to three meters
• Target Audience: Professional content creators
• Sustained Write Performance: Capable of delivering outstanding sustained write performance even when the entire capacity is filled
• Compatibility: Can be directly connected to an 8K or 12K high-resolution camera
• Power Efficiency: 0.67W idle power and peak power up to 7.3W when connected via USB Type-C
• Heat Management: Surface temperature up to 7°C lower than competing products
• Included Cables: Type-C to A cable and Type-C to C cable

Samsung T9 4TB External SSD Review

Samsung’s T9 external SSD follows in the footsteps of its predecessor, the T7 Shield.  T7 Shield is known for its rugged design and compact form factor. Here is my experience of Samsung T9:

Design and Build Quality

The T9’s design immediately impressed me. Its slim aluminum body with a grippy rubberized armor coating felt sturdy in my hand, and I appreciated the added thickness of the coating for extra protection.

The grippy rubberized armor coating that envelops the entire device is not just there for aesthetics; it serves a practical purpose. This textured surface provides a reassuring grip, reducing the chances of accidental slips, especially when you’re on the move or working indemanding conditions.

As someone who’s occasionally drops thing, the fact that it’s drop-resistant up to three meters was a major plus. I knew it could handle the occasional mishap. The woven texture on the rubberized armor coating not only enhances the grip but also adds to the overall durability. It instills confidence that this device can withstand the rigors of daily use, whether you’re a professional content creator constantly on the move

Performance and Drop Tests

Having had the opportunity to put the Samsung T9 4TB External SSD through its paces, I can confidently say that it’s a powerhouse when it comes to performance. This external SSD is capable of delivering a 2,000 MB/s throughput. From the moment I connected it to my computer, I could feel the speed difference compared to other external drives.

Samsung claims that the T9 can maintain exceptional write speeds even when the entire 4TB capacity is filled. This is crucial, especially for professional content creators who often deal with large media files. I put this to the test by transferring massive video files, and the T9 didn’t break a sweat. It’s a reliable workhorse for handling 8K or 12K high-resolution camera footage directly.

Gaming performance is another area where the T9 shines. While Samsung doesn’t market it as a gaming storage device, I found that it excels in this role. Loading times in games like Battlefield V and Call of Duty Black Ops 4 were noticeably faster compared to traditional hard drives. Gamers will appreciate the convenience of having their game libraries on this speedy external SSD.

Benchmarks

I also ran some benchmark tests, including CrystalDiskMark, ATTO, and Blackmagic. The results were impressive, with sequential throughput meeting or exceeding the advertised 2,000 MB/s mark.

Synthetic Benchmarks:

CrystalDiskMark 8 Sequential Performance (MBps): CrystalDiskMark 8 sequential performance benchmarks for the Samsung T9 4TB External SSD along with two other external SSD models, the Kingston XS2000 and the Crucial X10 Pro:

Drive Model	Sequential Read (Q=1, T=1) MBps	Sequential Write (Q=1, T=1) MBps	Sequential Write (Q=8, T=1) MBps	Sequential Read (Q=8, T=1) MBps
Samsung T9	1270	1629	1883	1993
Kingston XS2000	1767	1577	1808	2037
Crucial X10 Pro	1766	1565	1788	2038

We can see that the Samsung T9, while delivering strong performance, falls slightly behind the Kingston XS2000 and the Crucial X10 Pro in terms of sequential read speeds under various queue depths and thread levels.

CrystalDiskMark 8 Random Performance (MBps):

Drive Model	Random Write 4K (Q=1, T=1) MBps	Random Read 4K (Q=1, T=1) MBps	Random Write 4K (Q=32, T=1) MBps	Random Read 4K (Q=32, T=1) MBps
Samsung T9	81	19	99	240
Kingston XS2000	73	24	194	227
Crucial X10 Pro	72	24	184	201

• The Samsung T9 demonstrates competitive 4K random write performance at a queue depth of 1, which indicates its suitability for tasks involving small file transfers or operations.
• The Kingston XS2000 exhibits slightly better 4K random write performance at a queue depth of 1 and significantly higher 4K random read speeds at a queue depth of 32, making it a strong performer for both write and read operations.
• The Crucial X10 Pro offers consistent random performance with decent 4K random write and read speeds, especially at a queue depth of 32.

Real-World Testing:

Drive Model	48GB Folder Write (seconds)	48GB Folder Read (seconds)	48GB File Write (seconds)	48GB File Read (seconds)	TOTAL TIME
Samsung T9	103	67	43	26	239
Kingston XS2000	141	109	36	34	320
Crucial X10 Pro	62	60	35	26	183

In this real-world testing scenario, we measure the time it takes for each SSD to complete specific tasks involving a 48GB folder and file write and read operations. The “TOTAL TIME” column represents the combined time taken for all tasks.

Here are some key observations:

• The Crucial X10 Pro demonstrates the fastest performance in both folder and file write operations, completing the tasks in 62 seconds and 35 seconds, respectively.
• The Samsung T9 also performs well, especially in file write operations, where it outperforms the Kingston XS2000.
• The Kingston XS2000, while providing competitive performance, takes longer to complete both folder and file write tasks compared to the other two SSDs.

Verdict

Samsung’s T9 4TB External SSD is an elegantly designed and well-constructed storage device. Its rugged build, high performance, and capacious storage make it a compelling choice for professional content creators, gamers, and anyone in need of reliable portable storage.

Whether you’re editing high-resolution content or gaming on the go, the T9 is more than up to the task.