Samsung Electronics Advances External Storage Innovation with New Portable SSD X5

Featuring Thunderbolt 3 and NVMe technology, the X5 delivers blazing transfer speeds in a transformative design

LONDON, UK – 28 Aug, 2018 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., today unveiled its first NVMe™^[1]-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™ 3^[2] 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 3.1^[3] – 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 HDDs^[4]. The drive also boasts the fastest maximum write speed of 2,300 MB/s^[5], enabling users to transfer a 20GB-sized 4K UHD video in just 12 seconds^[6]. 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

[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 (mac OS 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.