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Samsung

Samsung T7 Portable 500GB 500GB Portable SSD

Model: MU-PC500S

8.7/10
Capacity 500GB
Interface USB 3.2 Gen 2
Form Factor External
Read Speed 1,050 MB/s
Write Speed 1,000 MB/s
Endurance (TBW) 300 TB
Warranty 3 Years

Overview

The 500GB T7 is the minimalist baseline — a half-terabyte of well-supported portable storage at the smallest physical size Samsung ships in this line. The right pick if your portable SSD use case is launching apps and carting around working documents rather than media libraries.

See how it stacks up against competitors in our Ultra-Portable SSDs SSD comparison, or browse related SSD buying guides.

Where to Buy

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Pros

  • Tiny aluminum body
  • AES 256-bit hardware encryption
  • Samsung's broad device compatibility
  • Both USB-C cable included

Cons

  • No IP rating
  • 300 TBW at this size
  • Plastic-feeling top
  • No USB-A cable in box

Everyday Storage Analysis

500GB of 1.1 GB/s storage for everyday use — the Samsung Samsung T7 Portable 500GB delivers reliable performance without the premium price tag.

Practical Performance

The Samsung Samsung T7 Portable 500GB offers 1.1 GB/s reads and 1.0 GB/s writes — enough for everyday computing without breaking the bank. System backups, file transfers between machines, and external media storage all run smoothly.

Practical, No-Compromise Design

500GB of storage provides generous headroom for everyday files. The compact, lightweight design slips into any bag pocket. 300 TBW endurance is sufficient for typical use — regular backups, file transfers, and everyday computing. The 3-year warranty provides standard coverage for the expected lifespan of the drive.

Great for

  • A secondary game library for older or indie titles
  • School and office file transport between devices
  • Storing and organizing photo and music libraries
  • Daily system backups (Time Machine, File History, or rsync)

SATA-based externals like the Samsung T7 Portable 500GB are the sensible choice when NVMe speed is overkill — the 550 MB/s ceiling is plenty for system backups, media playback, and document storage, and the savings are significant.

Who Should Buy the Samsung T7 Portable 500GB

The Samsung T7 Portable 500GB targets users who need maximum throughput from an external drive. If you edit 4K or 6K video, move large project files between workstations, or work directly from external storage, the 1,050 MB/s read speed puts this drive in elite territory for a 500GB portable SSD.

At 500GB, this drive works best as a secondary transport drive or backup destination rather than a primary storage solution. It holds a focused working set of files — a project folder, a photo shoot, or a selection of games — without the bulk of higher-capacity alternatives.

The USB 3.2 Gen 2 interface means the Samsung T7 Portable 500GB hits full speed on virtually any modern USB-C or USB-A port — no special hardware required. Plug it into a laptop, desktop, game console, or tablet and you get the same 1,050 MB/s performance without compatibility concerns.

Real-World Performance

File Transfer Speeds

On paper, the Samsung T7 Portable 500GB delivers 1,050 MB/s reads and 1,000 MB/s writes. In practice, a 50GB file — a typical 4K video project, a large game install, or a full photo shoot — transfers in ~50 seconds. A 100GB batch of raw files moves in ~2 minutes. For users who regularly shuttle large files, these transfer times are a meaningful productivity improvement over slower SATA-based externals that take 3-5x longer for the same tasks. Note: those numbers describe large sequential transfers — everyday tasks (opening documents, app launches, game loads) feel equally fast across all NVMe portables because random 4K performance is similar drive-to-drive.

Sustained Write Performance

At 1,050 MB/s, thermal throttling is minimal during typical use. Only sustained sequential writes exceeding 100GB — such as backing up an entire media library in one pass — may cause the controller to reduce speeds temporarily. For everyday transfers and backups, you will consistently see performance near the rated specifications.

Endurance and Longevity

The Samsung T7 Portable 500GB is rated for 300 TBW (terabytes written) endurance. To put that in perspective: if you write 50GB per day — an aggressive daily workload for most users — the drive would take approximately 16 years to reach its endurance limit. For typical use patterns involving backups, file transfers, and game storage, the 300 TBW rating provides comfortable headroom well beyond the 3-year warranty period.

Samsung T7 Portable 500GB vs Samsung T7 Portable 2TB

Spec Samsung T7 Portable 500GB Samsung T7 Portable 2TB
Read Speed 1,050 MB/s 1,050 MB/s
Write Speed 1,000 MB/s 1,000 MB/s
Capacity 500GB 2TB
Interface USB 3.2 Gen 2 USB 3.2 Gen 2
Endurance 300 TBW 1,200 TBW
Score 8.7/10 9.4/10

The Samsung T7 Portable 2TB scores higher in our evaluation (9.4 vs 8.7/10). While the Samsung T7 Portable 500GB has lower scoring, it may offer advantages in other areas like value. Review the full specifications above before deciding.

For a detailed head-to-head comparison, see our full Samsung T7 Portable 500GB vs Samsung T7 Portable 2TB comparison.

How Samsung T7 Portable 500GB 500GB Compares

Model Capacity Interface Read Write TBW
Samsung T7 Portable 500GB 500GB USB 3.2 Gen 2 1,050 1,000 300
Samsung T7 Portable 2TB 2TB USB 3.2 Gen 2 1,050 1,000 1,200
Samsung T7 Portable 4TB 4TB USB 3.2 Gen 2 1,050 1,000 2,400
Samsung T7 Portable SSD 1TB USB 3.2 Gen 2 1,050 1,000 580

Specs shown for the closest Ultra-Portable SSDs alternatives. Full comparison table available on the compare page.

Also available in Samsung T7

The Samsung T7 comes in multiple capacities. Smaller sizes save money if you do not need the headroom; larger sizes drop the cost-per-TB for media libraries and Time Machine backups.

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Samsung T9 Portable SSD

9.6/10
Capacity 1TB
Interface USB 3.2 Gen 2x2
Read Speed 2000 MB/s
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Samsung T9 Portable 4TB

9.6/10
Capacity 4TB
Interface USB 3.2 Gen 2x2
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Price as of Aug 3, 2026, 6:33 PM. Prices and availability are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

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Samsung T9 Portable 2TB

9.5/10
Capacity 2TB
Interface USB 3.2 Gen 2x2
Read Speed 2000 MB/s
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Price as of Aug 3, 2026, 6:33 PM. Prices and availability are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

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Samsung

Samsung T7 Portable 2TB

9.4/10
Capacity 2TB
Interface USB 3.2 Gen 2
Read Speed 1050 MB/s
See Price on Amazon →

Price as of Aug 3, 2026, 6:33 PM. Prices and availability are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

View Full Specs →

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Quick Specs

Read Speed 1050 MB/s
Write Speed 1000 MB/s

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