Samsung takes it SSD technology on the road
Always looking for new ways to ship flash memory modules in volume, Samsung has just launched its T1 Series portable SSD.
What struck me initially is that I’ve been using 2.5” SSD drives in USB 3.0 caddies for at least three years, yet it is only recently that the module makers have woken up to this common activity.
To be fair, the T1 series is slightly different in that Samsung has used what appears to be an mSATA module inside a custom case, making the whole ensemble marginally smaller.
That’s an assertion based on an exploded graphic Samsung provided, because the review T1 250GB had no inclination to come apart for me to explore inside.
Available in 250GB, 500GB and 1TB sizes, the T1 is meant to provide high-performance portable storage for anyone who has overloaded their laptop or has plenty of data to carry around with them.
The drive comes with a very short cable for connecting to a USB 3.0 port – something that’s a necessity if you’re to see any of its high-performance abilities.
According to Samsung, the units, regardless of capacity, are rated for 450MB/s read and write, with random read/write speeds of up to 8,000 inputs/outputs per second (IOPS) and 21,000 IOPS respectively. I’m sure, as an mSATA module, those numbers are accurate, but try as I might with USB 3.0 between this and the PC, those numbers are mildly optimistic.
The best I managed was 367MB/s reading and 356MB/s writing, and to achieve that it was necessary to activate UASP mode on the PC. While not quite as promoted, those are still good numbers, and make the launching of applications from the device entirely practical.
The snag with this product for this reviewer is the price, even if it was reduced markedly shortly before release. It's still too high when compared with Samsung’s own products.
A quick search on a popular online vendor revealed that the 2.5” format Samsung 250GB 840 EVO costs just £96.99. A good quality caddy costs less than £20, and you’ve got the same, or actually a better, solution for £20 less. And with the caddy solution you have the flexibility to remove the drive and place it in your PC without needing an adapter.
The cost savings are replicated on the 500GB and 1TB 840 EVO, with the latter costing just £320 inclusive of the caddy versus £456.99 as a T1. That’s a big difference, even if the T1 module uses Samsung’s proprietary 3D Vertical NAND (V-NAND) tech, whereas the 840 EVO uses older Samsung Toggle DDR 2.0 NAND.
The only real edge the T1 has is that it's smaller, but not by a massive amount.
At £100 for the 250GB model, I’d have been more positive about this product, so it will be interesting to see how rapidly the T1 gets to that level in the coming months. Mark Pickavance
Quick, stylish but pricey portable flash storage.