Today Samsung announced a new portable SSD – the SSD T1:

These are essentially 850 EVO's in very small portable packaging. They support USB 3.0 speeds as well as UASP, so random IO performance should be very respectable. We have not tested it ourselves, but something on the order of 8,000 4k random IOPS should be achievable.

Claimed speeds are up to 450 MB/sec, likely limited by the 5Gb/sec USB 3.0 interface being used. 256 bit hardware-based AES is also included, with the drive unlockable by the use of a small software app that is embedded on the drive. The included cable is impressively thin considering it is a full USB 3.0 spec cable. The release states the lowest capacity 250GB model will sell for $180. Based on other data we have, the 500GB and 1TB capacities should sell for ~$350 and $650, respectively. We will review the T1 just as soon as we get back from CES later this week.

Press blast after the break.

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Samsung Electronics’ New Portable SSD T1 Brings Exceptional Speed, Style and Durability for Today’s On-the-Go Lifestyle

Faster Portable SSD Offers a Replacement to External Hard Disk Drives

SEOUL, South Korea – January 6, 2015 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., the world leader in advanced memory technology, today unveiled the Samsung Portable SSD T1, a stylish, external portable solid state drive (SSD) that represents a new standard of storage for today’s digital life. Designed for speed and security without sacrificing style, the Portable SSD T1 is ideal for business travelers, creative professionals and content creators with a need for secure local storage they can take on-the-go and use to quickly transfer large amounts of data. Available in 250 gigabyte (GB), 500GB and 1 terabyte (TB) storage capacities, the Portable SSD T1 will launch globally in 15 countries across the United States, European and Asian markets later this month.

Powered by Samsung’s proprietary 3D Vertical NAND (V-NAND) technology, the Portable SSD T1 is a high-performance memory storage device recently chosen as an honoree for the 2015 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) Innovation Awards. The new drive will be on display at the 2015 CES from January 6-9 at Samsung’s booth, 11906, located in the Central Hall.

“The Portable SSD T1 allows users to store their entire digital portfolio locally in one place, take it with them anywhere and have blazing fast access to their data, all without worrying about reliability or security,” said Unsoo Kim, Senior Vice President of Branded Product Marketing, Memory Business at Samsung Electronics. “Our digital lives demand storage that surpasses the limits of existing options, which require consumers to compromise, when it comes to mobility, capacity, security or performance. The Portable SSD T1 overcomes the drawbacks of alternative options on every major pain point, making it the next external storage device of choice.”

Built for Speed

Built with the same award-winning technology as Samsung’s internal SSDs, the Portable SSD T1 saves users precious time with extremely fast read/write speeds, enabling users to plug in and quickly grab their work to present to prospective clients or partners. In fact, the drive has sequential read/write speeds of up to 450 megabytes per second (MB/s) with a USB 3.0 super speed interface and random read/write speeds of up to 8,000 inputs/outputs per second (IOPS) and 21,000 IOPS respectively. The write speed is responsive and fast like an internal SSD and up to 100 times faster than an external hard disk drive (HDD). Depending on the file size, the Portable SSD T1 has a data transfer speed four times faster than an external HDD. It takes only eight seconds to transfer a 3GB movie file and 27 seconds for a 10GB movie file compared to an external HDD which takes 26 seconds and 85 seconds, respectively.

Secure, Durable Local Storage

With its intuitive user interface, the Samsung Portable SSD T1 is easy to set up and protect, so professionals can be assured that their original work will not fall into the wrong hands or get lost due to design, durability or reliability concerns. With just one user-set password, the drive is safe from unwanted access thanks to AES 256-bit hardware encryption. Unlike an external HDD, the Portable SSD T1 has no moving parts, so it can withstand bumps and drops and users do not need to worry about the wear and tear on moving parts that can result in lost or corrupted data. It is shock resistant up to 1500G/0.5ms and features Dynamic Thermal Guard, which will activate in extreme temperature conditions to protect the drive and any stored data – so users can rest easy knowing the drive can withstand even the toughest elements.

Stylishly Designed for Maximum Portability

The Portable SSD T1 has a slim and compact design that makes it easy to take anywhere. Smaller than an average business card and weighing about 1 ounce, it features premium aesthetics such as black chrome metal coating and laser patterning, making it the sleek, fashionable choice for sophisticated and stylish users.

The Samsung Portable SSD T1 works effortlessly with both Windows and Mac PCs using the exFAT file system, eliminating the hassle of having to reformat for every type of computer. Each unit of the Portable SSD T1 comes with a three-year limited warranty, and is available in 250GB, 500GB and 1TB with a starting price of USD 179.99. For more information, please visitwww.samsung.com/T1.

Key Specifications

Category

Samsung Portable SSD T1

Capacity*

250GB/500GB/1TB

Interface

Compatible with USB 3.0, 2.0 and 1.1

Dimensions (WxHxD)

71.0 x 9.2 x 53.2 mm

Weight

Max. 30grams

Transfer Speed**

Up to 450MB/sec.

UASP Mode

Support

Encryption

AES 256-bit

Security***

Password setting (Optional)

Certification

CE, BSMI, KC, VCCI, C-tick, FCC, IC, UL, TUV, CB

RoHS Compliance

RoHS2

Warranty

Limited 3-year

* 1GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes, 1TB = 1,000,000,000,000 bytes

** Performance can vary depending on host configuration and test software

*** Users can select security option during the initial registration process (For more details, please refer to the manual)

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About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.      

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in technology, opening new possibilities for people everywhere. Through relentless innovation and discovery, we are transforming the worlds of TVs, smartphones, tablets, PCs, cameras, home appliances, printers, LTE systems, medical devices, semiconductors and LED solutions. We employ 286,000 people across 80 countries with annual sales of U.S. $216.7 billion. To discover more, please visit www.samsung.com.