[Design Story] The Evolution of Samsung’s T Series of Portable SSDs

In the past, a ‘storage’ was akin to an immovable object that required users to store data at a designated location and access it only within the bounds. Nowadays, the value of storage is defined by safety and its capacity to be ‘fast and organic’. In an age when users have countless options for storage, the Samsung Portable SSD T Series best embodies this very value through foolproof function and design. The SSD is smaller than the size of your palm, which makes it utterly lightweight, and the comfortable UX design gives life to incredible functionality. On top of that, it has technical stability. We can now carry in our pockets the epitome of all that is required for storing and recording data in this day and age.

All New External Storage

The Samsung Portable SSD T Series is a portable SSD storage device that is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. It is also sturdier and faster than external storage devices that have been previously widely in use. The device has been manufactured using flash memory that can keep the data safe even when the device is dropped on the floor, and also boasts a high level of data security due to a hardware-based encryption module.

As the first pioneers to envision the category of the ‘portable SSD’ itself, Samsung Electronics further established this unique brand by once again setting the bar with state-of-the-art design for the ‘T Series’.

T1: My Own Portable Portfolio

The T1 focuses on the value of being ‘portable’, and has been designed to be lightweight and pocket-size using plastic material. This storage device showcases a sturdy and fashionable look with its cone-shaped exterior, three-dimensional pattern, and Black Chrome two-toned design.

T3: Pocket Mobility

The T3 exudes an aura of toughness and strength from its exterior by using metal and plastic that has been applied with rubber spray. We ran countless tests to find the ideal size (74*58*10.5mm, 51g) that can provide a sense of trust and compactness at the same time. We made it slightly bigger than the T1 to eventually find the perfect ‘Pocket Mobility’ size that can effortlessly fit into your handkerchief pocket.

T5: Metal Minimalism

The T5 uses metal materials to boost its premium image and wears a blue coat that gives off a bright and cool vibe. Colours for the 250GB and 500GB devices are in blue, and large capacity devices that go over 1TB are coloured in black. The device has been developed to be faster, and is also able to eliminate any emission of heat even after utilizing metal materials. Furthermore, a USB Type C port has been implemented to ramp up usability and gives the option to connect to the latest devices.

T5, A Storage Device Imbued with Uniformity and Comfort

When users purchase external storage devices or portable SSDs, they base their purchases on a device’s data capacity, speed, and durability. However, just as the hardware technology for portable SSDs advanced greatly over the years, the software technology in the form of UX design has become an important factor for evaluating a user’s heightened brand experience when using the device, not purchasing it.

Samsung Electronics completely renewed the uniform UI and usability that comes from the exterior of the T5 to provide comfort through high product quality and stability.

Straightforwardness that Comes from Simplicity

Since information security is crucial for a storage device, it must provide an easy and straightforward UI to its users. Complicated interfaces and unnecessary screens only serve to obstruct and hinder a user from understanding the product. The T5’s UX design moves away from the previous conversational interface type and has simplified the interface flow by decreasing the page numbers. All pages of the UI have been unified into a single format, which allows for better understanding even after the screen switches to another page. Descriptions for each function have been added on the top to enhance clarity in conveying information.

A Consistent Design Identity

A unified design instills peace and comfort for a user and also increases product familiarity. The all-new T5’s UX also carries a single analogous tone and manner for its design. We deviated from a monotonous look by adding a touch of blue to the trustworthy shade of dark gray. We also included a sense of movement that reacts to user input in the UX, and lastly, maintained the central identity of a Samsung product by incorporating the SamsungOne Font. The icons have also been newly developed with the Samsung Portable SSD brand identity in mind so that they can be used again in next generation products in the future.

Any Device You Want

The UX of the T5 has been designed with the expansion of the device and its surrounding user environments in mind. An identical UX is supported through various platforms from Windows, MacOS, to Android, and this UX also provides a consistent experience in many different user environments such as smartphones, tablets, PCs, etc. Therefore users can comfortably make use of the T5 anytime, anywhere.

A Vessel for Living Information

We are living in an era where information storage devices have moved its location from within the PC to the surface of your desk, and then again to the outside world wherever users go. A vessel that stores such living and breathing information must also carry the same vigor of life. This is a vault that alleviates all the hardware and software discomforts of existing external storage devices and can also be entrusted with valuable information. The Samsung Portable SSD T Series has been designed to be this very device that stores more than just data, but also the future of storage itself.