In a typical city in a normal December, the streets would be full of people getting ready to celebrate the end of the year. Needless to say, this December has been quite different. This year, many of us are spending the last few days of the year enjoying quality time with family, playing video games, streaming our favorite content, and taking part in other quiet activities at home.

Although it’s simply not possible given the current situation, at this time of year, we long to spend time with those we care about face-to-face. By offering generous storage space, and by making it quick and easy to share photos and videos from the safety of home, memory technologies make for great year-end gifts. Read on for a comprehensive guide on picking out the perfect Samsung SSD or SD card to suit your or your loved ones’ needs.

The Perfect Gifts for Creators in the Age of Video Communication: PRO|EVO Plus SD Cards, Portable SSD X5

As times have changed, so too have our methods of recording and sharing memories. Members of Generation Z tend to share their everyday lives not with photographs, but with videos. Content creators who express themselves through unique videos and graphics require high-performance SSDs and SD cards that are capable of quickly processing and storing their detailed work.

If you’re new to shooting high-resolution videos, you may be surprised to find out just how much storage space is required to save them. Samsung’s PRO Plus and EVO Plus SD cards offer users the freedom to shoot and store long videos without worrying about storage capacity.

Designed for professionals, the PRO Plus supports dynamic and continuous high-resolution video recording, with maximum read and write speeds of 100MB/s and 90MB/s, respectively. The EVO Plus, meanwhile, supports steady, continuous recording and 4K video playback¹ with UHS (Ultra High Speed) Class3. Both products offer storage capacities of up to 256GB and allow you to record videos in extreme environments thanks to their built-in resistance to water and high temperatures.²

An efficient editing process is a key part of creating dynamic videos. Samsung’s Portable SSD X5, a NAND flash-based external storage solution, implements Thunderbolt 3 for external connections, and utilizes the NVMe (Non-Volatile Memory Express) interface to maximize processing speeds for internal operations. The SSD is capable of supporting read speeds of up to 2,800MB/s and write speeds of 2,300MB/s, which is up to 25.5 times faster than conventional external HDDs (Hard Disk Drives).

Such high speeds allow users to transfer a 20GB high-resolution 4K UHD video in just 12 seconds. This makes the X5 perfect for recording high-quality content at various end-of-the-year events, such as virtual Christmas parties and celebrations at home.

The Perfect Gifts for Office Workers Who Want to Work Smarter at Home: SSD 860 EVO, Portable SSD T7 Touch

For those who work remotely, an SSD is an ideal gift. Not only do SSDs allow users to enhance their work efficiency with faster speeds, but they also offer robust security and data safety.

Providing fast processing speeds, along with optimum data safety and compatibility, Samsung’s 860 EVO is an ideal storage solution for office workers. The 860 EVO supports read and write speeds of up to 550MB/s and 520MB/s, respectively, which makes it perfect for multitasking. The SSD breezes through basic tasks like word processing and internet browsing with ease, and its high speeds make it excellent at managing various tasks simultaneously.

With SSDs, speed is key. However, when it comes to managing various types of data, security is also very important. To safeguard users’ data, Samsung’s Portable SSD T7 Touch offers fingerprint recognition, in addition to conventional password-based security. Data is protected using AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) hardware encryption, while the NVMe interface enables the T7 Touch to support read and write speeds of up to 1,050MB/s and 1,000MB/s, respectively. This SSD allows you to work without difficulties, and will help you save data quickly, safely and comfortably as you celebrate the end of the year.

The Perfect Gift for Those Who Enjoy Gaming, Camping and Other Hobbies: NVMe SSD 980 PRO, Portable SSD T7

In a typical year, rather than face big crowds at annual holiday and New Year’s events, many people prefer to spend the end of the year enjoying activities like gaming or camping with friends or family. For gamers who desire smooth, lag-free gameplay, Samsung’s 980 PRO SSD is the perfect gift. And for city dwellers who like to escape to the quiet of the great outdoors every now and then, but do not want to miss any of their favorite content, the Portable SSD T7 is an optimal choice.

One of the chief obstacles to enjoying immersive gameplay are lengthy load times. Built for the next generation of consumers, the 980 PRO is an NVMe SSD that features the fourth generation of the PCle interface. With support for high-performance bandwidth and throughput, the 980 PRO is capable of rapidly processing a wide range of tasks, including everything from gaming and graphics to data analysis.

The 980 PRO’s maximum read and write speeds of 7,000MB/s and 5,000MB/s allow you to game for longer, with faster load times. The SSD also benefits from the addition of Samsung’s thermal control solution, which solves the problem of overheating during long gaming sessions. The controller’s nickel coating and heat-dissipating film, along with Dynamic Thermal Guard technology, efficiently manage the chip’s temperature, ensuring stable performance during extended use.

If you carry electronics while camping or hiking, you’ll need to be careful not to drop and damage your devices. This makes durability an important factor for those who partake in such activities.

Thankfully, Samsung’s Portable SSD T7 has been designed to combine advanced processing speeds with a level of durability that exceeds those of conventional external HDDs. The SSD is also 9.5 times faster than conventional HDDs, with maximum read and write speeds of 1,050MB/s and 1,000MB/s. The device’s metal casing is capable of protecting data from falls of up to two meters. Weighing in at just 58 grams and featuring a small form that fits comfortably in your hand, the T7 is highly portable, which means it won’t weigh you down when you’re hiking through the woods.

The Perfect Gifts for Those Who Want to Keep Their Cherished Memories Safe: SSD 870 QVO, Portable SSD T5, EVO Plus MicroSD Card

Perhaps more than anything, the end of the year is a time for cherishing loved ones. By allowing them to safely store photos and videos long-term, and by making it easy to enjoy cherished memories whenever they like, memory cards can be special gifts for family members who live far away.

Over the years, photo quality has increased exponentially. Now, our images contain an incredible amount of detail, which means that saving memories with high-quality photos can require a huge amount of storage space.

Samsung’s SSD 870 QVO is the first consumer SATA SSD to support up to 8TB of storage. One of its key advantages is that it allows you to expand your PC or laptop’s maximum storage capacity while maintaining high performance. The SSD also features Samsung’s Intelligent TurboWrite technology, which allows for sequential read and write speeds of up to 560MB/s and 530MB/s, respectively, which are the maximum implementation speeds supported by the SATA interface. Compared to conventional HDDs and SSDs with lower storage capacities, the 870 QVO is more advanced in terms of both data storage and operation.

If you are looking for a portable SSD that can transfer content quickly, Samsung’s Portable SSD T5 could be just what you need. Offering support for transfers of up to 540MB/s – up to 4.9 times faster than typical external HDDs – the T5 is capable of quickly and safely storing 4K videos, high-resolution photos, and large amounts of graphic files. The SSD also benefits from an ‘on-the-go’ function that enables it to seamlessly connect and exchange data directly with smartphones, tablet computers, and other Android-based portable devices without the need for a PC. This makes it that much easier to share photos, videos and memories with others.

Samsung’s EVO Plus microSD card is compatible with everything from smartphones and tablet computers to action cameras, which makes it an excellent gift for enjoying content on various devices. The EVO Plus lineup allows you to enhance your device with up to 512GB of storage, which is more than enough space to store plenty of high-quality content.

The 512GB model is capable of storing up to 24 hours of 4K UHD video, 78 hours of Full HD video, or approximately 150,300 photos. Read and write speeds of up to 100MB/s and 90MB/s, respectively, allow you to store photos and videos faster, while an included SD adaptor expands the EVO Plus compatibility to more devices.

You worked hard this year, so why not treat yourself or a loved one with an SSD or a memory card that makes it easy to store and share your most precious memories?

¹ 4K UHD video playback is supported only by the 128GB and 256GB EVO Plus SD cards. Host device compatibility may vary.

² Includes protection from: 1) Water: saltwater and depths of up to 1m for up to 72hrs; 2) Temperatures: operating temperatures ranging from -25℃ to 85℃, and non-operating temperatures ranging from -40℃ to 85℃; 3) X-rays: up to 100mGy (equivalent to most airport X-ray machines); 4) Magnets: up to 15,000 gauss; 5) Shocks: up to 1,500Gs (a G is a unit of gravitational acceleration); 6) Drops: capable of withstanding drops of up to 5 meters (16.4 feet); 7) Wearout: capable of withstanding up to 10,000 swipes.

※ Samsung is not liable for any i) damages and/or loss of data or ii) expenses incurred from memory card data recovery.

On November 13, Samsung Newsroom spoke with the designers behind the X5—Teukmo Ahn, Hyungsup Shim, Yoorim Yang and Gyejin Jun, of Samsung Electronics’ Brand Product Marketing Group—who discussed the device’s unique design philosophy.

The X5’s curved front resembles the hood of a high-performance supercar. The contrast between the drive’s glossy top, which brings to mind a car’s exterior, and the red bottom, which symbolizes the speed of light, completes the impression

According to Designer Hyungsup Shim, the team decided early on to produce a design that embodied the exciting speeds that the X5 was introducing to the market.

“Transferring a three-gigabyte (GB) video in just two seconds had never been possible before,” said Shim. “We wanted to express, through its design, that this product is built to exceed conventional ‘speed limits’.”

With that idea in mind, Shim added, the decision to fashion the design after a cutting-edge supercar was a no-brainer. This decision also meant that the device’s form would represent a departure from traditional memory storage device designs, which tend to focus on making products as simple and small as possible in an effort to make them durable and portable. The X5’s eye-catching design challenges the traditional notions of simple and small, without sacrificing the durability and portability that users prize.

The designers continuously refined the SSD’s details, including its color, materials and shape, in order to achieve the exact design that they had in mind. They carefully shaped the lower half of the device with aerodynamic lines; treated the upper half to a UV coating that evokes the glossy exterior of a supercar; and even fashioned a unique emblem that resembles the type of sleek hood ornaments that are traditionally found perched above the vehicles’ powerful engines.

The Brand Product Marketing Group is responsible for designing Samsung’s consumer memory products, which includes SSDs, memory cards, and USB memory. (From right) Designers Hyungsup Shim and Gyejin Jun

The X5’s powerful engine enables market-leading transfer speeds. Such speeds could make a conventional portable SSD prone to excessive heating, but Samsung’s design team worked hard to find a solution to this problem.

Reflecting back on the design process, Shim discussed some of the difficulties that came with trying to resolve the heat issue while maintaining a compact form.

“The easiest way to reduce heat buildup would have been to make the device bigger, but we didn’t want to compromise the innovative design,” Shim explained. “We therefore went to great lengths to install a heat sink that absorbs heat and allows air to flow inside—all while maintaining a sleek silhouette.”

The team worked long and hard to identify an optimal size and shape. The result of these efforts is a device that remains cool under pressure, and is verified not to exceed 45 degrees Celsius when in use.

During an extensive development process that took nearly three times longer than usual, the design team produced more than 20 mock-ups (each of which featured five or six unique variations) before landing on the X5’s final form. Here you can see the progression from the SSD’s initial design (located on the top left), which roughly resembles a portable battery, to its final form (located on the bottom right). As you can see, the designs progressively become smaller, more streamlined, and more similar in appearance to a supercar

In addition to performance, the team highlighted durability and usability when hammering out the X5’s final design. For example, because portable storage devices are meant to be easy to carry, the design team carefully tapered the SSD’s form to ensure a comfortable grip, and applied a soft finishing to its lower half to prevent it from slipping out of users’ hands.

The drive’s exceptional durability stems from the team’s decision to fashion it out of a strong and lightweight magnesium alloy that enables it to withstand accidental drops of up to two meters.

As the designers explained, the decision to use magnesium instead of the more commonly used aluminum presented difficulties from a design standpoint, as magnesium is generally harder to finish. This meant that the team would have to finish the device by hand.

It can also be quite difficult to color magnesium. The team welcomed the challenge, however, applying layers upon layers of color until the device was just the right hue. Even the colors of the labels on the bottom of the drive were coordinated to accentuate the aesthetic.

As Designer Gyejin Jun explained, when it came to identifying innovative ways to incorporate ‘speed’ into aspects of the X5’s design, no detail was overlooked. “We challenged ourselves to come up with several new design features that would express the device’s unprecedented speed,” said Jun. “Nothing was easy.”

The result of these extensive efforts is a device that the design team is very proud of, which offers content creators and on-the-go professionals the portable storage solution they’ve been waiting for.

“I hope that the X5 will serve as the powerful engine that content creators need to do what they do best,” said Jun, before expressing his ambition to “come up with more innovative products and designs in the future.”

Offering the next generation in fast and simple connectivity, Thunderbolt 3 is a cable developed by Intel that can transfer data, video and audio – all via a single connection. Now, Samsung Electronics is responding to increasing consumer demand for the swift transmission of high-definition and high-specification content from device to device by creating innovative products that support Thunderbolt 3.

Heightened Connectivity

With support for up to 40Gbps of high-speed data transmission, Thunderbolt 3 transfers data eight times faster than USB 3.0. The connection also provides a video bandwidth that is four times greater than HDMI 1.4, when transmitting audio and video signals.

When the cable is connected to an accessory dock with additional ports, an individual Thunderbolt 3 cable can connect up to six devices all at once, including PCs, displays and storage devices. This means that the cable has the capacity to transfer large files and charge a device with a maximum 100 watt (W) output simultaneously, or transmit videos onto two UHD (4K) monitors.

The Thunderbolt 3 cable can also be used to connect a laptop to a high-performance graphics card, allowing users to enhance their gaming experience.

Enhanced Compatibility 

Side-by-side comparison of USB A-type (left, white) and USB-C type (right, black)

Thunderbolt 3 has the same shaped connector as a USB-C (USB type C), which is designed to connect to smaller mobile devices, with no distinction between the top and the bottom sides. The cable is embedded with a USB 3.1 host controller to facilitate all USB functions. However, it is important to note that you cannot use a Thunderbolt 3 connection on a PC that does not support the Thunderbolt 3 interface, even if the device has the same USB-C type port.

PCs that support Thunderbolt 3 can be connected to devices with either Thunderbolt interfaces or USB interfaces. However, a PC that does not support Thunderbolt 3 cannot be connected to Thunderbolt 3 devices.

You can confirm if your device supports Thunderbolt 3 by checking for the lightning bolt icon next to the USB-C port

Thunderbolt 3 on Samsung

Bringing the benefits of this next-generation connectivity to consumers, Samsung has introduced three products that support data transmission via Thunderbolt 3.

The 2018 Notebook 9 Always model is a sleek and powerful laptop with a high-capacity battery of 75 Watt-hours (Wh). The product is equipped with two USB 3.0 ports and one USB 2.0 port, as well as a USB-C port that supports Thunderbolt 3.0, making the device even more extensible.

Samsung’s CJ791 QLED Monitor was the first curved monitor to feature Thunderbolt 3 connectivity, with two ports. The display provides a high-definition environment for work and play, not only when connected to a PC, but also to a premium laptop equipped with the Thunderbolt 3 interface, such as the 2018 Notebook 9 Always. The Thunderbolt 3 interface also enables the CJ791 to provide up to 85W of charging power. With this one cable, users can enjoy excellent graphic output, while simultaneously charging a laptop and a smartphone at high speeds.

The Samsung Portable SSD X5 achieves new levels of performance for external storage solutions, synergizing Thunderbolt 3 and NVMe (Non-Volatile Memory Express) technologies. The X5 can store a high-definition 4K UHD video file of 20GB in just 12 seconds, while also implementing heat-control technology to safeguard the device from overheating.

Thunderbolt 3 offers the fast, safe and convenient transmission of data, video and audio at high speed in a single cable. The cable also supports USB-C, the newest standard in USB connectivity, making it even more versatile. As consumer demand for heightened connectivity and utility grows, Samsung Electronics will continue to develop even more innovative products that support Thunderbolt 3 in the future.

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.

At first glance, Samsung’s recently unveiled Portable SSD X5 looks more like a model for a high-performance supercar than a portable solid state drive (SSD). That’s because the company’s first NVMe-based portable SSD features a captivating design to match its exceptional performance.

Like the supercars that inspired its form, the X5 was built for speed. Based on the cutting –edge Thunderbolt 3 technology, its industry-leading read and write speeds—up to 2,800 MB/s and 2,300 MB/s, respectively—support blazing fast transfers, enabling users to transmit three gigabytes’ worth of data in just two seconds.

Check out the video to see how the X5 fast-tracks file transfers.