Samsung’s New Portable SSDs Look Great but Cost Up to $2,700

Samsung isn’t letting the volatile flash memory market stop it from releasing blazing-fast new portable SSDs. The company’s new flagship P9 and mid-range P7 SSDs feature USB4 connectivity and set a new performance benchmark for the South Korean tech giant.

Samsung is well known for its portable SSDs, with popular models like the T7 and T9 as a mainstay for many creators on the go. The new P7 and P9 build upon this legacy with USB4 connectivity and increased performance.

The faster of the two SSDs is the P9, which promises sequential read speeds of up to 4,000 megabytes per second (MB/s) and sequential write speeds up to 3,800 MB/s. These sequential read and write speeds are about twice as fast as the prior generation. For example, the 4TB Samsung T9, which uses a USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 interface, has sequential read and write speeds up to 2,000 MB/s.

Samsung P9 SSD

The Samsung P9 SSD is also the world’s first 8TB USB4 portable SSD, supporting speeds up to 4,000 MB/s and setting a new standard in the portable SSD space.

As Samsung explains, the P9’s sustained write speeds are more than sufficient for recording RAW video in the field, including 8K and 12K RAW formats. It’s also a compelling option for photographers who want a working drive full of high-resolution RAW photos.

Samsung P9 SSD

While the Samsung P7 SSD offers the same peak read and write speeds as the P9, Samsung targets it more for everyday use than high-end professional workloads. The P7 lacks some of the P9’s optimizations, particularly for lengthy sustained writing operations. The P7’s thermal design isn’t quite as robust, but like the P9, it’s also drop-resistant up to a two-meter drop and built to withstand the rigors of daily use.

Samsung P7 SSD

Pricing and Availability

The Samsung P7 and P9 portable SSDs will be available starting in early September, and they both come in 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, and 8TB capacities. Across those capacities, the Samsung P9’s MSRPs are $339.99, $649.99, $1,349.99, and $2,699.99, respectively. Meanwhile, the Samsung P7 is a bit less expensive, with its MSRPs ranging from $289.99 to $2,289.99.

For reference, thanks to significant increases in flash memory prices this year, the Samsung T9 portable SSD with USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 is $999.99 in its 4TB capacity right now, even after a $145 instant savings.

Image creditsSamsung