We got our first look at the Samsung T1 SSD at CES 2015. The concept was simple – Make a very compact external portable encrypted drive, and make it fast. Based on a 3D VNAND equipped mSATA 850 EVO and using an ASMedia USB to SATA bridge, the T1 had no issue saturating the SATA side of the link and was capable of well over 400 MB/s over a USB 3.0 link.

This year Samsung is teasing the next iteration on this product:

Dubbed the T3 (T2 doesn't translate well in some other languages), the T3 has some notable changes / updates / upgrades over the T1 of last year:

  • Type-C connector on the device end of the cable (we assume the included cable will link to Standard A for compatibility). The T1 used micro-B.
  • Metal case / housing. T1 was all plastic.
  • Capacities up to 2TB. T1 was limited to 1TB.

Full press blast / additional details / specs appear after the break. Look out for a review of this one just as soon as we can get our hands on one!

*Update* I got my hands on one at a Samsung press dinner. Here it is next to the older T1. The T3 is a tiny bit larger and thicker, but the difference is hardly noticeable as the T1 was very thin and light as it was. Here's a pic:

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Samsung Electronics Announces Portable SSD T3 for Fast, Dependable External Content Storage and Transfer across Devices

Compact product design with built-in shock resistance enables on-the-go convenience for consumers, content creators and business professionals

LAS VEGAS – January 4, 2016 – Samsung Electronics America, Inc., today announced the Samsung Portable SSD T3, a premium, palm-sized, external solid state drive (SSD) that offers multi-terabyte (TB) storage capacity. Equipped with Samsung’s proprietary Vertical NAND (V-NAND) and SSD TurboWrite technology, the T3 drive provides advanced performance, enabling consumers, content creators, business and IT professionals, to quickly and easily store and transfer large multimedia content across a variety of devices.

“Following the successful worldwide launch of the Portable SSD T1 in 2015, we made several significant upgrades to the T3 based on the feedback and needs of our customers, which included content creators and business professionals in particular,” said Un-Soo Kim, Senior Vice President of Brand Product Marketing, Memory Business at Samsung Electronics. “As such, the T3 delivers the outstanding performance, storage capacity and durability needed from an external storage device for today’s mobile lifestyle, without compromising on style or security. It’s the new portable external storage drive users can depend on in any situation or environment.” 

Representing a major step forward for external, mobile storage, SSDs offer a truly dependable and versatile solution. Samsung is leading the market by offering a new 2TB T3 SSD, along with a wide range of capacity options including 250 gigabyte (GB), 500GB, and 1TB. Recently chosen as an honoree for the 2016 CES Innovation Awards, in the Wireless Handset Accessories category, the new T3 drive will be on display at Samsung Electronics’ booth (#11906) during CES 2016. The booth will be in the Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, from January 6 to 9.

External Storage with a New Level of Performance

With the rise of rich 4K content, consumers are increasingly relying on external storage solutions, while seeking faster data transfer speeds and large capacity on multiple devices. The T3 solves these concerns by enabling blazing-fast file transfers based on sequential read and write speeds of up to 450MB/s with a USB 3.1 interface, which is up to four times faster than alternative external HDD solutions*.

Mobility and Durability Suited for an On-the-Go Lifestyle

Designed specifically for today’s mobile lifestyle, the Portable SSD T3 is compact, lightweight and durable. The drive is smaller than an average business card and weighs a mere 50 grams approximately (less than two ounces), allowing users to easily carry large amounts of data with them anywhere.

Unlike an external HDD, the SSDs do not have moving parts and so the T3 is inherently better protected from damage or data loss due to bumps or drops. Featuring a new shock-resistant metal case and internal frame, the T3 can withstand up to 1500G of force and will survive a drop of up to two meters. The drive’s integrated Thermal Guard prevents overheating in extreme temperatures, and the T3 comes with a three-year limited warranty.

Increased Compatibility and Data Security

Featuring an adopted USB 3.1 Type C connection, the T3 is compatible with a wide range of USB supported devices, including the latest Android smartphones and tablets, and computers with Windows or Mac OS. Users can send data from the T3 to a PC and vice versa, access content on the T3 through mobile devices, and view the drive’s multimedia content on large-screen devices such as TVs. The T3 uses exFAT, a widely adopted file system, as its default file recognition format to create a seamless user experience. The T3 also works with a brand-new complementary Samsung Portable SSD Android mobile app which supports password changes and remaining capacity checks.

The drive has a simple set-up process for users, with one user-set password. The drive is equipped with AES 256-bit hardware encryption for the high level of security and protection across Windows, Mac and Android OS based devices. Even if the drive should fall into the wrong hands, the data stored on it would be inaccessible.

The Samsung Portable SSD T3 will be first launched in February, 2016 in countries including the United States, China, Korea and select European countries and will subsequently become available worldwide.

For more information, please visit www.samsung.com/T3.

Key Specifications

Category

Samsung Portable SSD T3

Capacity**

250GB/500GB/1TB/2TB

Interface

Compatible with USB 3.1, USB 2.0

Dimensions (LxWxH)

74 x 58 x 10.5 mm

Weight

51 grams (less than 2 oz.)***

Transfer Speed****

Sequential: Up to 450MB/sec

UASP Mode

Support

Encryption

AES 256-bit hardware encryption

Security

Password setting (optional)

Requires Windows 7 or higher, Mac OS 10.7 or higher and Android KitKat (version 4.4) or higher.

Certification

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

RoHS Compliance

RoHS2

Warranty

Limited 3-year

* Based on internal testing using a 500GB external HDD.
** Actual usable capacity may vary based on system settings. 1GB=1,000,000,000 bytes, 1TB=1,000,000,000,000 bytes

*** The exact weight of the product may vary depending on each capacity model.

**** Performance may vary depending on host configuration and user system environment.                                                  

About Samsung Electronics America, Inc.
Headquartered in Ridgefield Park, NJ, Samsung Electronics America, Inc. (SEA), is a recognized innovation leader in consumer electronics design and technology. A wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., SEA delivers a broad range of digital consumer electronics, IT and home appliance products. Samsung is the market leader for HDTVs in the U.S and America’s fastest growing home appliance brands. To discover more of the award-winning products you love with Samsung, please visit www.samsung.com.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies that redefine the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, cameras, digital appliances, printers, medical equipment, network systems, and semiconductor and LED solutions. We are also leading in the Internet of Things space with the open platform SmartThings, our broad range of smart devices, and through proactive cross-industry collaboration. We employ 319,000 people across 84 countries with annual sales of US $196 billion. To discover more, and for the latest news, feature articles and press material, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at news.samsung.com.