GEAR MINI TESTS
SAMSUNG SSD T7 SHIELD 2TB £249/$290 samsung.com We’ve said it before, but we’ll repeat it again – not all hard drives are created equal. They might seem to offer the same specs on paper, but performance in real-world use can bear little resemblance to the quoted figures. That includes the faster, quieter and more rugged SSD drives, as well as the mechanical HDD units. If you want the quickest, most reliable, most compact external drive, then it has to be a flash-based SSD. These are rapid enough to ingest high-resolution files quickly and let you edit directly. We don’t just trust the manufacturer’s claims or use a speed test programme, but conduct our own benchmark tests. These involve dragging a 50GB folder of video files onto the drive, to see how long it takes to copy them. We also time the transference of the 50GB from the drive back to the computer. In every situation, this will be limited by the connection used by the drive and computer. In the case of the new 2TB Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield, which has a USB 3.2 Gen 2 interface, we expected it to be slower than a Thunderbolt connection on our MacBook Pro (it has a Thunderbolt 3 socket). But we were wrong, as the Samsung set a new record of under a minute for transfers to the Mac, and from the Mac to the drive. No other drive has cracked the one-minute barrier, including some that cost twice as much. We have tested SSDs that take over two minutes, and HDDs can go to eight minutes. That shows just how fast this new Samsung is. What’s especially impressive is that it provides high, sustained write
TOUGH LOVE A 2TB capacity, fast speed and rugged build make the T7 Shield a winner
performance, which allows you to shoot 8K or even 12K video. It’s the first T7 to be compatible with the likes of Blackmagic’s cinema cams, that record direct to SSD. This is becoming a common theme. It’s also even more rugged than any previous Samsung SSD. The fully aluminium body is robust and offers good heat dissipation. A rubber cover provides protection from drops, as well as water and dust resistance. The drive is IP65-rated and comes in three colours – blue, black or beige – with a capacity of 2TB, as tested here, or 1TB for £135/$160. The 1TB version offers over 900MB/s of sequential write speed. Using the drive is as simple as plugging it in. The SSD comes with drivers for Mac and Windows, and software to let you set a device name and password, if desired. Samsung Magician software monitors the health of the drive and allows you to change settings. The T7 Shield may also be used on an Android phone, but you need to download the Samsung Portable SSD app at the Google Play store.
SPECIFICATIONS Type: SSD hard drive Capacity: 2TB Interface: USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps) via PCIe NVMe Speed: 1050MB/s read, 1000MB/s write Waterproof rating: IP65 Systems supported: Mac OSX 10.10 and higher, Windows 7 and higher, Android
5.1 Lollipop and higher Dimensions (wxhxd):
88x59x13mm/3.47x2.32x0.51in Weight: 98g/0.22lb without cable
As an external SSD for filmmaking use, it’s well-priced, rugged, quick and very compact. You could hardly ask for more. PRO MOVIEMAKER RATING: 10/10 Inexpensive and works wonders Pros: Speedy, compact and durable Cons: The beige model might not be to your taste!
STIFF RUBBER LIP A soft, durable coating fends off damage
68
PRO MOVIEMAKER
Powered by FlippingBook