samsung T7 shield: drop, water & dust-resistant portable SSD

t7 shield wins the red dot design award 2023

Samsung unveils T7 Shield – a portable SSD that is dustproof, water-resistant, and absorbs shock from drops of up to three meters. The 2023 Red Dot Design Award winner is compatible with various devices, including PCs, Macs, Android smartphones, and game consoles, and can transfer data up to 9.5 times faster than traditional external hard disk drives. The credit card-sized device is characterized for its exceptional performance, reliability and security. A rugged silicon rubber shell makes it ideal for outdoor content creators and travelers.

watch above: designboom interviews Susanne Hoffmann, Head of Product Marketing IM Storage at Samsung, and Gyejin Jun, Product Designer at Samsung, on the tech company’s Red Dot Design Award winner, T7 Shield.

Samsung T7 Shield Portable Solid State Drive (PSSD) wins the 2023 Red Dot Design Award

all images courtesy of Red Dot Design Award

T7 Shield withstands three-meter drops

‘While I was developing this product I was trying to maintain our design identity, the one that Samsung portable SSD has. I was trying to visualize a design where exceptional durability is merged with memory, so I created T7 Shield’s exterior in the form of a rugged shield made of rubber,’ begins Gyejin Jun, Product Designer at Samsung.

One of the characteristics that sets the Samsung T7 Shield Portable Solid State Drive (PSSD) apart from others is that it is the company‘s first SSD that is IP65-certified as waterproof and dustproof. Not only that, but the device is also durable enough to withstand a drop shock of up to three meters – one meter higher than the previous model (T7 Touch). These qualities make it ideal for outdoor content creators or travelers who need data-rich experience without having to worry about data loss from any external, unwanted exposure. Despite the rugged exterior, T7 Shield is compact and lightweight, weighing just 98 grams.

‘The T7 Shield is made for demanding surroundings like a workshop or the outdoors. It can withstand shock, dust and water. The product does everything it needs to make your very valuable memories safe. Winning the Red Dot Design Award for a storage device is of course a great honor. We know that our products are good, but the combination between design and technology in the end makes the cutting edge so we are very proud to receive this award,’ adds Susanne Hoffmann, Head of Product Marketing IM Storage at Samsung.

T7 Shield is Samsung’s first SSD that is IP65-certified as waterproof and dustproof

the device’s rubber shell minimizes heat transfer

In terms of performance, the T7 Shield delivers lightning-fast data transfer speeds, with a read speed of 1,050 megabytes per second (MB/s) and a write speed of 1,000 MB/s. This makes it approximately twice as fast as its predecessor, the T5, and up to 9.5 times faster than traditional external hard disk drives (HDDs). Essentially, Samsung has addressed performance degradation and overheating issues that occur when transferring large files by optimizing. The external shell is made of a rubber material that has low thermal conductivity, helping users to comfortably handle the device with minimal heat transfer. As a result, there is no performance drop, even when moving files as large as 2TB. This ensures stable data transmission like high-quality video recording, editing, encoding, and rendering.

the portable SSD delivers lightning-fast data transfer speeds, with a read speed of 1,050 megabytes per second (MB/s) and a write speed of 1,000 MB/s

T7 Shield is compatible with various devices – including PCs, Macs, Android smartphones, and game consoles – to allow users to store large amounts of photos, games, and 4K/8K videos. It also prioritizes data security, featuring 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) hardware encryption to protect user data in case the drive is lost. Additionally, the embedded Samsung’s Magician Software enables users to check the performance and status of their SSD – such as the amount of storage used and temperature – conduct firmware updates, initialize the software and more.

‘The T7 Shield is an external SSD, which can be attached by USB to nearly every electronic device like a game console, a smartphone, or a laptop. Samsung always tries to inspire people with technology and design to improve their everyday lives. We always take guidance by user feedback and by what’s going on in the market and, in this case, we especially listened to the needs and demands of people who need the product in their workplace,’ continues Susanne Hoffmann.

the T7 Shield is compatible with various devices, including PCs, Macs, Android smartphones, and game consoles,

Samsung is committed to eco-conscious packaging. As with the company’s other portable SSD line-ups, the T7 Shield uses one-third of the tray packaging compared to prior generations, while minimizing greenhouse gas emissions during its production through efficiency.

‘It is Samsung’s philosophy to do as much as possible in-house. That applies to technology, development, production and also design. We will continue to do so and I’m looking forward to seeing many new designs in the future,’ she concludes.

the device features a 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) hardware encryption to protect user data in case the drive is lost

designboom partners with Red Dot Design Award to announce a selection of 2023 winners in exclusive video interviews. The series highlights the inventive, artistic and undeniably designed ideas of the award winners. Watch the full set of videos – here.

Founded in Germany in 1954, the Red Dot Design Award is an annual competition that recognizes the best of design. From robot technology to vehicles and household aids, the competition is pursued by companies and studios as a credible endorsement of their design excellence. Awarded works receive the winner’s label, certificates, and invitation to the awarding ceremony where Red Dot awardees are presented on stage. Moreover, the winning products are granted publication in the yearbook, as well as exhibited at Red Dot website’s online exhibition and at the Red Dot Design Museum Essen, Germany.

1/6