Samsung Electronics today unveiled its first NVMe¹-based portable solid state drive (SSD) – the Samsung Portable SSD X5 – achieving new levels of performance and reliability for external storage solutions. Based on the cutting-edge Thunderbolt 3² technology, the new X5 features exceptional speeds in a compact and durable form factor, making it an ideal portable storage for content creators and IT professionals on the go.

“As a leader in high-performance and reliable storage solutions, we are thrilled to continue to advance the external SSD market with the introduction of our first Thunderbolt 3 portable SSD,” said Dr. Mike Mang, vice president of Brand Product Marketing, Memory Business at Samsung Electronics. “The X5 is yet another testament to Samsung’s commitment to providing innovative portable storage solutions that enable faster transfer of large data files, saving users’ valuable time.”

Whether editing 4K videos, creating real-time 3D rendering images or compiling high-resolution photos, consumers want fast and convenient ways to store and transfer their data. Leveraging synergies between NVMe and Thunderbolt 3 technologies, Samsung’s X5 delivers maximized performance levels for professionals working with heavy multimedia files. Thanks to Thunderbolt 3’s 40Gbps bandwidth – up to four times faster than USB 3.1³ – the X5 offers a read speed of up to 2,800 MB/s, which is up to 5.2 times faster than the widely used SATA interface portable SSDs and up to 25.5 times faster than external HDDs⁴. The drive also boasts the fastest maximum write speed of 2,300 MB/s⁵, enabling users to transfer a 20GB-sized 4K UHD video in just 12 seconds⁶. Designed for Macs and PCs with Thunderbolt 3 ports, the X5 allows users to enjoy the speed benefits in a lightweight and portable design, with capacity options up to 2TB.

The X5 features a full-metal body with a glossy finish and non-slip bottom mat. A shock-resistant internal frame and rugged metal housing can withstand accidental drops of up to two meters (6.6 feet)⁷. In addition, the Dynamic Thermal Guard technology and a heat sink – a mechanical internal solution – safeguard the X5 from overheating, ensuring reliability while maintaining optimal operating temperatures. The X5 also offers powerful data protection with ‘Samsung Portable SSD Software’, based on the AES 256-bit hardware data encryption, including optional password protection and easy configuration of security settings.

The X5 comes with a three-year limited warranty and will be available globally from Sept. 3, 2018, with a manufacturers’ suggested retail price (MSRP) starting at $399.99 for the 500GB model, $699.99 for the 1TB model and $1,399.99 for the 2TB model. For more information, please visit samsung.com/portable-ssd or samsungssd.com.

Key Specifications

Category	Samsung Portable SSD X5
Capacity	2TB/1TB/500GB8
Interface	Thunderbolt 3 (40Gbps)
Dimensions (LxWxH)	119 x 62 x 19.7 mm (4.7 x 2.4 x 0.8 inches)
Weight	150 grams (5.3 oz.)9
Compatibility	H/W) Macs and Windows PCs with Thunderbolt 3 ports (Not backward compatible / Not compatible with PCs only with USB interface) O/S) MacOS Sierra (10.12) or higher Windows 10 64 bit RS 2 or higher
Performance	Up to 2,800 MB/s sequential read speeds Up to 2,300 MB/s sequential write speeds (500GB: up to 2,100 MB/s)
Encryption	AES 256-bit hardware encryption
Security	Samsung Portable SSD Software10 Password protection (optional)
Certifications	CE, BSMI, KC, VCCI, C-tick, FCC, IC, UL, TUV, CB
RoHS Compliance	RoHS2
Warranty	Three-Year Limited Warranty11

¹ The NVM Express® design mark is a registered trademark of NVM Express, Inc.

² Thunderbolt 3 brings Thunderbolt to USB-C at speeds up to 40 Gbps, creating one compact port that does it all – delivering the fastest, most versatile connection to any dock, display, or data device. Thunderbolt and the Thunderbolt logo are trademark of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.

³ USB 3.1 Gen 2 delivers up to 10 Gbps USB data rate

⁴ Based on the internal test results compared to a portable SSD 1TB (T5) and Samsung external HDD 1TB (HX-MK20P12). *Test system configuration: Intel® Core i5-7600 (@3.5 GHz), DDR4 4GB 1066MHz, OS-Window 10*64, Chipset-Asus Strix Z270E Gaming.

⁵ Performance may vary depending on host configuration. To reach maximum read/write speeds of 2,800/2,300 MB/s, the host device and connection cables must support Thunderbolt 3.500GB version offers write speed up to 2,100 MB/s.

*Test system configuration: Intel® Core i7 8570H (@4.1GHz), DDR4 16GB 2667 MHz, OS-Windows 10*64, Chipset–Dell Alienware System (Dell i7 Alienware 17 R5). Performance measurements based on CrystalDiskMark v.5.1.2.

⁶ Performance of the PC’s internal storage should be equal to or greater than X5. *Test system configuration: Intel® Core i7 7700 (@3.6 GHz), DDR4 4GB 2133 MHz, OS-Windows 10*64, Chipset–Aorus(Gigabyte) Z270-X Gaming 9.

⁷ The internal free fall shock test was conducted under controlled conditions.

⁸ 1 GB=1,000,000,000 bytes, 1 TB=1,000,000,000,000 bytes. Lower capacity may be demonstrated by your computer due to its use of a different measurement standard.

⁹ Exact weight of product may vary by capacity.

¹⁰ X5 works on PCs (Mac / Windows PC) that support Thunderbolt 3. Only PC versions (macOS version/Windows OS version) of Samsung Portable SSD Software support X5, while the existing Android version (App) does not. In case of X5, Samsung Portable SSD Software update is available for both macOS and Windows OS versions. But X5 FW update is available for Windows OS version only.

¹¹ Samsung Electronics shall not be liable for any loss, including but not limited to loss of data or other information contained on Samsung Electronics product or loss of profit or revenue which may be incurred by user. For more information on the warranty, please visit samsung.com/portable-ssd.

Professional sports players are sensitive to even the slightest changes in their equipment. For gamers, establishing the most suitable environment for gameplay can be just as important as improving their skills. One of the most significant pieces of computer equipment is the Solid-state Drive, a key component that improves a computer’s performance and the smoothness of play.

One individual who appreciates the importance of hardware performance is Kyo Min “Evermore” Koo, a rising star in professional gaming and avid streamer. He was also amongst the winners in the recent Charity tournament at the PUBG Invitational 2018 in Berlin. To get a better understanding of the interplay between the game, the equipment and the gamer, the Newsroom invited Evermore to perform a brief experiment on Samsung’s fastest SSD to date, the NVMe SSD 970 EVO.

Samsung NVMe SSD 970 series and SATA SSD 860 series

An SSD is a type of data storage device, similar to a Hard Disk Drive (HDD). Currently the worldwide market share of HDD and SSD is 45% and 55%, respectively, but there are some key differences between the two devices. While an HDD stores and retrieves digital information using rotating disks coated with magnetic material, an SSD uses semiconductor flash memory to store data. This means an SSD is able to withstand greater amounts of shock and heat. The Samsung NVMe SSD 970 EVO boasts the fastest speed and highest reliability amongst SSDs, providing consumers the best conditions to perform HD and 3D graphic design tasks, play high spec games and create VR content.

Evermore tested out two desktop computers that had exactly the same systems – apart from their data storage drives. One was fitted with an HDD (1TB, SATA3, 7200rpm) and the other with an SSD (NVMe SSD 970 EVO, 250GB).

Installing an NVMe SSD 970 is quite simple. Insert the SSD in the M.2 slot. No additional cable is required. Remember to check in advance whether the M.2 slot of the mainboard supports the NVMe interface.

Recalling his past experiences, Evermore pointed to the tangible differences between the two types of data storage device: “My personal computer is equipped with the best of the best. One day I stopped by an Internet café that had computers with HDDs installed. I could really feel the difference. Just as I suspected, I was slower to start than my friends who were playing on different computers. There were also some delays during the battle. I had never lost to my friends before that day.”

The nature of open world games means that time is of the essence. “Everything happens in the blink of a moment when playing open world games,” Evermore explained. “The loading time of the textures on the map is crucial when playing games such as PUBG. Even when you spot your enemy before they spot you, if you react slowly because of the loading time, they will attack first and it can be hard to win.”

Evermore playing PUBG on Samsung CJ89 – 49” supersize monitor

During battle royale games, multiple players all interact with each other across a vast battlefield, which means that a large amount of data is processed very quickly. A highly advanced SSD can significantly affect the match result.

During the experiment, Evermore could feel this immediately: “When playing the game, the computer reads and writes the data from the storage drive repeatedly, so it is important for the storage to have a high performance. While playing today on the computer installed with an HDD, I felt the same delay I experienced at the Internet café, whereas the computer with the NVMe SSD 970 EVO showed no such issues.”

Measuring the data processing speed for each computer. The speed of the computer equipped with an SSD 970 EVO (right) is more than twenty times faster than that of the computer with an HDD (left).

When playing a game which requires high specs, the computer’s fan can be very loud as it rotates to cool down the heat that the computer components are generating inside the case.

The power consumption can also soar when playing games for a long period of time, as Evermore revealed: “I spend any spare time I have playing games. However, the computer heats up when I use it for several hours.”

An SSD consumes less power than an HDD since the booting, loading and data processing speeds are swifter and it emits less heat.

To Evermore, the contrast is significant: “I can definitely tell the difference between an HDD and SSD. Since large data processing is essential when playing open world games, they automatically consume more power. Of course, the CPU or storage drives heat up once you’ve been playing a high spec game for some time. The SSD 970 EVO, in that sense, is fascinating because it has a high level of performance but doesn’t heat up that much. I heard this is because of its high power efficiency.”

The NVMe SSD 970 EVO also has a Dynamic Thermal Guard function that safeguards against overheating by automatically monitoring and maintaining optimal operating temperatures. With high power efficiency optimized for high spec computing systems, gameplay can continue for many hours.

The increasing popularity of game streaming platforms has led more and more professional gamers to create their own streaming channels, and Evermore is no exception.

Evermore enjoys interacting with his fans on various streaming channels, including Twitch and Kakao TV

“Streaming is the easiest way to communicate with my fans,” he remarked. “In order to record and talk to my fans at the same time, I definitely need a high spec computer.”

Streamers will edit and upload highlight films, or live stream while playing games and communicating with their fans. Since everything is happening simultaneously, this process requires strong multitasking skills from both the gamer and the computer. The Samsung NVMe SSD 970 EVO minimizes buffering and other issues when multitasking, so that gamers can record their games and voice-chat with other players at the same time.

Evermore preparing to start streaming after the SSD 970 EVO has been installed on the computer

Evermore outlines the potential pitfalls and solutions: “During live streaming, there can be buffering when you run several programs at the same time. Sometimes, your voice does not sync with the video if you don’t have an adequate computer system. Using an advanced SSD like the 970 EVO eases the burden on the CPU and the graphics.”

With lightning fast speeds, superior power efficiency and the ability to perform multiple tasks simultaneously, the SSD 970 EVO is a data storage drive ideal for a wide range of high spec games and tasks.