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Samsung
Model: MU-PC500S
| 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 |
The base T7 is the SSD most people should buy — a pocket-sized aluminum slab that delivers the full 10Gbps USB experience without a rugged premium. Its understated metal body doubles as a heatsink, keeping sustained writes pegged at 1000 MB/s even on long 50GB+ transfers.
See how it stacks up against competitors in our USB-C External SSDs SSD comparison, or browse related SSD buying guides.
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Everyday external storage done right: 500GB capacity, 1.1 GB/s reads, and the reliability you expect from Samsung.
At 1.1 GB/s reads and 1.0 GB/s writes, the Samsung T7 500GB is not trying to set speed records — it is trying to be the drive you reach for every day. And it succeeds: fast enough for backups and file transfers, cheap enough to buy without thinking twice.
500GB of storage provides generous headroom for everyday files. The compact, lightweight design slips into any bag pocket. 300 TBW endurance covers standard home and office use without concern. Backed by a 3-year warranty, this drive offers typical protection for its class.
This drive performs like a SATA SSD over USB — roughly 5-6× faster than an external HDD for random reads, but not in the same league as NVMe-based externals. For documents, photos, and backups, the difference is academic.
The Samsung T7 500GB is a solid all-around 500GB portable SSD for everyday use. If you need fast backups, reliable file transport between devices, or external storage for documents, photos, and media, the 1,050 MB/s reads deliver performance that makes daily tasks feel instant compared to an external hard drive.
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 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.
On paper, the Samsung T7 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.
Sequential read and write speeds — the numbers manufacturers advertise — matter most when transferring single large files. For everyday tasks like opening documents, browsing photos, running applications from the drive, or loading games, random 4K performance is more relevant. All NVMe-based external SSDs deliver random IOPS in the same general range, so the $Samsung T7 500GB feels similarly responsive to other fast portables for daily use. The real differentiator shows up during large file transfers, where the $1,050 MB/s read speed pulls noticeably ahead of slower SATA-based externals.
The $Samsung T7 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.
| Spec | Samsung T7 500GB | Samsung T9 2TB |
|---|---|---|
| Read Speed | 1,050 MB/s | 2,000 MB/s |
| Write Speed | 1,000 MB/s | 2,000 MB/s |
| Capacity | 500GB | 2TB |
| Interface | USB 3.2 Gen 2 | USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 |
| Endurance | 300 TBW | 1,200 TBW |
| Score | 9.0/10 | 9.6/10 |
The Samsung T9 2TB scores higher in our evaluation (9.6 vs 9.0/10). It also delivers faster reads (2,000 vs 1,050 MB/s).
For a detailed head-to-head comparison, see our full Samsung T7 500GB vs Samsung T9 2TB comparison.
| Model | Capacity | Interface | Read | Write | TBW |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung T7 500GB | 500GB | USB 3.2 Gen 2 | 1,050 | 1,000 | 300 |
| Samsung T9 2TB | 2TB | USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 | 2,000 | 2,000 | 1,200 |
| Samsung T9 Portable SSD | 1TB | USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 | 2,000 | 1,950 | 600 |
| Crucial X10 Pro 2TB | 2TB | USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 | 2,000 | 2,000 | 1,200 |
Specs shown for the closest USB-C External SSDs alternatives. Full comparison table available on the compare page.
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.
Samsung
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.
Samsung
Price as of Jul 3, 2026, 4:11 AM. 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.
Samsung
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.
Samsung
Price as of Jul 3, 2026, 5:43 AM. 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.