Name: Samsung T7 Shield 2TB
Brand: Samsung

Our verdict

The Samsung T7 Shield is a portable SSD (solid-state drive): a small external drive for storing and carrying files between computers. It connects over USB 3.2 Gen 2, a 10Gbps connection, and Samsung claims up to 1,050MB/s read and 1,000MB/s write speeds. Independent tests of the 2TB model came close to those figures with large files, but small files and everyday mixed work were slower. The rubber casing is rated IP65 for dust and water jets, and Samsung claims 3m drop resistance. Samsung’s UK RRP for the 2TB model is £250.99, though some retailers charge much more. We have not tested it ourselves: this review draws on Samsung’s datasheet and 2TB tests by KitGuru, StorageReview and Tom’s Hardware.

Buy it if

You regularly move large photo or video projects and find it at a much better price
You carry storage between home, work or college and want a grippy, tough case
You want an extra offline copy of important files and have a fast USB port

Skip it if

You can only find it well above its £250.99 RRP
You only copy the occasional document
Your computer only has slower USB ports

Everyday use

Carrying a photo library

Large photo and video folders are where its speed shows most, provided both computers have a fast USB port.

Moving projects between two computers

With both USB-C and USB-A cables in the box, you can plug it into a newer laptop and an older desktop without buying an adapter.

An extra offline copy

It works well as a second copy of important files. It should not be the only copy: any single drive can be lost or fail.

The details, in plain English

Storage is not the same as a backup

A portable SSD is somewhere to keep files. A backup means having more than one copy, ideally in different places. If this drive holds the only copy of your photos and it is lost, stolen or fails, those photos are gone, however tough the casing. Use it alongside another copy, such as cloud storage or a second drive. No long-term reliability or failure-rate evidence was available for this review, so we cannot say how long it will last.

Speed: large files versus small ones

Headline speeds describe large, single files. KitGuru’s 2TB test reached about 1,094MB/s read and 1,051MB/s write in CrystalDiskMark, a synthetic benchmark, but its 100GB backup-and-restore test ran at roughly 508MB/s and 650MB/s. StorageReview measured about 939MB/s write and 914MB/s read in Blackmagic. Tom’s Hardware copied a 50GB set of 31,227 files and found it less impressive in application-style work. Expect it to feel fastest with video files and slower with folders of small documents.

Ports and cables

The drive uses USB 3.2 Gen 2, which runs at up to 10Gbps. To get near its full speed, your computer needs a port that supports at least that. USB-C describes the shape of the plug, not its speed, so a USB-C port alone does not guarantee fast transfers. Samsung includes USB-C to USB-C and USB-C to USB-A cables. Phones and games consoles have their own formatting and storage rules, so check your device’s requirements before relying on it there.

What “rugged” covers

IP65 means the drive is protected against dust and jets of water, not that it can be dropped in a sink or submerged. Samsung also claims it survives drops of up to 3m. These are manufacturer claims: the independent reviews we used tested speed, not water or drop resistance. Samsung’s three-year limited warranty excludes liquid, dust and drop damage, so a tough case does not mean free repairs or guaranteed data if something goes wrong.

Size, security and software

It measures 59 × 88 × 13mm and weighs about 98g, so it fits easily in a pocket or bag. AES 256-bit hardware encryption means you can protect the files with a password, set up through Samsung’s software. Keep that password somewhere safe. The same software handles firmware updates. Check that it supports your computer’s operating system before buying. No subscription is needed.

Strengths and drawbacks

What it does well

Fast with large files: KitGuru measured about 1,094MB/s read and 1,051MB/s write on the 2TB model
USB-C to USB-C and USB-C to USB-A cables in the box, so most computers need no adapter
Grippy rubber casing rated IP65 for dust and water jets
Small and light at about 98g, with AES 256-bit hardware encryption

What to watch out for

Some retailers charge far above the £250.99 RRP; Currys listed it at £499
Small files and everyday mixed work are slower than the headline speed
Needs a 10Gbps USB port to get near its full speed
Samsung’s warranty excludes water, dust and drop damage
KitGuru found the rubber casing collects dust

The regular Samsung T7 2TB uses the same 10Gbps connection without the rugged casing, but the grey version on Samsung UK was no longer available when checked. The Samsung T9 uses USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 and claims up to 2,000MB/s, but only on computers and cables that support that faster standard. A larger external hard drive is worth comparing if capacity matters more than speed. We have not compared current prices or tested these alternatives.

Alternatives we have reviewed

Product	Our verdict	Price	Buy
Samsung T7 Shield 2TB (this one)	Fast and well built for carrying large photo and video files between computers.	£250.99RRP · 2TB black MU-PE2T0S/EU, RRP recorded 5 Oct 2026	Check price
Kobo Libra Colour	A comfortable e-reader for regular readers who want physical page buttons and colour for covers, illustrations and highlights.	£239.99RRP · 32GB black, standalone (pen extra, RRP recorded 5 Oct 2026	Check price
HP OmniBook 5 16	A roomy, affordable 16-inch laptop for light work, but this 8GB version falls below our preferred 16GB/512GB long-term standard.	£3798 GB memory · 512 GB storage, Price recorded 1 Aug 2026	Check price
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 14	An affordable, portable laptop with a good screen shape and plenty of ports, as long as you accept 8GB of memory and 256GB of storage.	£3798 GB memory · 256 GB storage, Price recorded 1 Aug 2026	Check price

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Where our findings come from

This review is based on Samsung’s datasheet and UK launch announcement, the Currys and Scan listings, and independent 2TB tests by KitGuru (Simon Crisp, April 2022), StorageReview (Conner Crull, May 2022) and Tom’s Hardware (Shane Downing, updated July 2022). We used only 2TB results; figures from 1TB reviews are left out. These tests are from 2022 and may not reflect the firmware on current stock, and the reviewers did not always say which colour they tested. The Currys price was checked on 5 October 2026.

Samsung T7 Shield 2TB review