MARCH 2020 PCWorld 67So what’s it like using the T7 in 256-bit
AES hardware encryption mode? Actually,
kind of fun with the fingerprint recognition.
The scanner responds quickly, and the simple
swipe required is a pretty painless routine.
You don’t need the software to use the
scanner other than for initial configuration. A
password mode that’s less fun and efficient
does require the software, but I’m guessing
it’s there largely in case something goes
awry with the scanner.
You can turn off secure mode at any time,
but you’ll need to go through the entire
password selection and fingerprint
acquisition routine again to turn it back on.
As I said, it’s kind of fun. Give it a whirl if you
buy a T7.PERFORMANCE
If you saw nothing but the CrystalDiskMark 6
and AS SSD 2 synthetic benchmark results,DESIGN AND SPECS
The T7 is a USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps) SSD
that’s roughly the shape of the older T5,
but at 3.3 x 2.2 x 0.3 inches, it’s thinner
and weighs a mere 2 ounces. It’s
light. Very light. I’d
actually prefer if it
were a bit more
substantial in the palm
of my hand. The
improved performance is largely
because the unit is NVMe on the inside,
but Samsung was mum as of the time of this
writing as to which type of NAND is
employed, whether TLC or QLC.
The T7 ships in three capacities: Our
500GB test unit ($130 on Amazon [go.
pcworld.com/smt7]), plus 1TB ($230 on
Amazon [go.pcworld.com/t71t]), and 2TB
($400 on B&H Photo [go.pcworld.com/
bht7]). That’s about what you’d pay for similar
non-secure drives, and far less than FIPS-
certified units or Thunderbolt SSDs. The drive
is available in basic, businesslike charcoal and
silver hues. Samsung’s three-year warranty is a
bit skimpy, and the company also declined to
provide a TBW (Terabytes written) reliability
rating, but it’s unlikely you’ll come close to
maxing out whatever is inside in even 10 years.
By far the most salient new feature on the
T7 is the square fingerprint scanner on top of
the unit. It’s inactive by default, but you can
enable it using the Windows/macOS app
that ships with the drive.
The Samsung T7 has a
fingerprint scanner, but
its use is strictly optional.