Best 500GB USB Samsung SSDs
There are 4 500GB USB Samsung SSDs compared here. The fastest is the Samsung T7 TOUCH PORTABLE SSD at 1050 MB/s read at 500GB. Sequential reads across the group span 450–1050 MB/s at 500GB.
Why this configuration
A 500GB USB Samsung SSD is a portable, take-anywhere configuration. External SSDs trade a little peak speed for the freedom to move data between a PC, console and laptop without opening anything up. Samsung specifically tends to be chosen here for its firmware track record and warranty support.
500GB is a sensible OS-plus-a-few-games size.
Usually chosen for: backups, working off an external drive, and console storage overflow.
Good fit: mainstream desktop and laptop builds.
Ranked list
Speeds on this page are the manufacturer's 500GB ratings where published (4 of 4 drives), not the family headline figure. Rated writes at 500GB run 450–1000 MB/s.
| # | Model | Tier | Controller | Read MB/s (at 500GB) | TBW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Samsung T7 TOUCH PORTABLE SSD 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | Mid-range | "SAMSUNG 2-core Samsung Pablo + SA | 1050 | — | Find on Amazon |
| 2 |  Samsung T5 PORTABLE SSD 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | Mid-range | SAMSUNG 2-core MGX controller(S4LN | 540 | — | Find on Amazon |
| 3 |  Samsung T1 PORTABLE SSD 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Mid-range | SAMSUNG 2-core MGX controller(S4L0 | 450 | — | Find on Amazon |
| 4 |  Samsung T3 PORTABLE SSD 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | Mid-range | SAMSUNG 2-core MGX controller(S4LN | 450 | — | Find on Amazon |
The parts, explained
500GB is a comfortable OS-and-games starting point.
USB and Thunderbolt portable drives trade peak speed for pocketability and cross-device use.
Staying with Samsung means consistent firmware, tooling and warranty handling across the range.