Solid State Drives

How to format ASUS ROG Strix Arion and ASUS ROG Strix Arion Lite on PS5

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The ASUS ROG Strix Arion and ASUS ROG Strix Arion Lite external portable enclosure case adapters are compatible with the PlayStation 5 (as well as the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition).

You can check out this step-by-step tutorial at Seeking Tech to see how you can properly format the ROG Strix Arion and ROG Strix Arion Lite for the PS5.

1. The first step, if you haven’t done so already, is to install the NVMe solid state drive into your ASUS ROG Strix Arion or ASUS ROG Strix Arion Lite.

These adapters are compatible with the following form factors with a M key and B-M key:

  • M.2 PCI Express 2230
  • M.2 PCI Express 2242
  • M.2 PCI Express 2260
  • M.2 PCI Express 2280

2. If you have data already stored on the SSD you installed on your ASUS ROG Strix Arion or ASUS ROG Strix Arion Lite, then you might want to backup any important files.

This is because formatting your external drive on the PlayStation 5 will delete all of the current data that were stored on the SSD.

3. The next step is to connect your ASUS ROG Strix Arion or ASUS ROG Strix Arion Lite to the PlayStation 5.

With the PS5, as well as the PS5 Digital Edition, you can connect an external storage drive to the USB Type-C port at the front of the system or either of the two USB Type-A ports at the back.

The front USB Type-C port, as well as the two rear USB Type-A ports, are Superspeed USB, which means that you can get up to 10 Gbps in transfer speed.

While the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Digital Edition also come with a front USB Type-A port, that one can’t be used for external storage due to the slower transfer speed.

The ROG Strix Arion includes USB Type-C to USB Type-A and USB Type-C to USB Type-C cables. This mean that you can use either the front USB Type-C port or the rear USB Type-A ports to connect to the PS5.

The ROG Strix Arion Lite only includes an USB Type-C to USB Type-C cable. Therefore, you can only use the front USB Type-C port of the PlayStation 5 unless you have an extra USB Type-C to USB Type-A cable laying around.

4. With your ROG Strix Arion or ROG Strix Arion Lite connected to your PlayStation 5, turn on your console.

5. In the “Welcome back to PlayStation” screen, select your user profile to get to the Home Screen.

6. In the Home Screen, select the gear cog icon located on the upper right corner (it should be in between the search icon and your use profile picture) to head into Settings.

7. In the Settings screen, select Storage from the list of available options.

8. In the Storage screen, select USB Extended Storage from the list of options on the left side.

9. On the right side of the same Storage screen, select the “Format as USB Extended Storage” option.

What games can you store on ROG Strix Arion and ROG Strix Arion Lite?

Once your ROG Strix Arion or ROG Strix Arion Lite has been formatted for use with the PlayStation 5 system, you will be able to store native PS5 games in addition to backwards compatible PS4 games.

What games can you play on ROG Strix Arion and ROG Strix Arion Lite?

You will be able to play backwards compatible PS4 games on the PlayStation 5 system directly off of the solid state drive stored in your ROG Strix Arion or ROG Strix Arion Lite.

Unfortunately, you won’t be able to play native PS5 games directly from an external drive. In order to play a PS5 game stored on the SSD of your ROG Strix Arion or ROG Strix Arion Lite, you need to move the game files from the USB Extended Storage to the console storage. You should then be able to play the PS5 game from the internal SSD of your PlayStation 5 system.

What’s the difference between the ASUS ROG Strix Arion and Arion Lite?

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ASUS has two similar M.2 NVMe SSD external portable enclosure case adapters. So, what are the main differences between the ROG Strix Arion and ROG Strix Arion Lite?

You can find out in this comparison between the two external solid state drive enclosure case adapters.

Quick Summary

When compared to the ASUS ROG Strix Arion Lite, the ASUS ROG Strix Arion comes with a hanging protective holder. The regular version also includes cables to connect to USB Type-A ports and USB Type-C ports.

With the ROG Strix Arion Lite, you can only connect to USB Type-C ports right out of the box unless you already have an USB Type-C to USB Type-A cable.

These two SSD external portable enclosure case adapters are identical when it comes to interface speed, compatible SSD formats, system requirements, heat dissipation features, temperature ranges, humidity ranges and power usage.

So, if you need a hanging protective holder and/or USB Type-C to USB Type-A cable, then we recommend getting the ASUS ROG Strix Arion. Otherwise, the ASUS ROG Strix Arion Lite is the more affordable option.

ROG Strix Arion vs. ROG Strix Arion Lite Comparison Guide

You can take a look at Seeking Tech’s comparison table for the Strix Arion and Strix Arion Lite below.

ASUS ROG Strix Arion M.2 NVMe SSD External Portable Enclosure Case AdapterASUS ROG Strix Arion Lite M.2 NVMe SSD External Portable Enclosure Case Adapter
ColorBlackBlack
Dimension124.5 mm x 47.7 mm x 10.9 mm124.5 mm x 47.7 mm x 10.9 mm
Weight98 grams98 grams
Hanging Protective HolderIncludedNot included
InterfaceUSB 3.2 Gen 2x1USB 3.2 Gen 2x1
Interface SpeedUp to 10 GbpsUp to 10 Gbps
Operating System CompatibilityWindows 7

Windows 8

Windows 8.1

Windows 10

Mac OS X 10.6 or later

Android devices with USB On-The-Go		Windows 7

Windows 8

Windows 8.1

Windows 10

Mac OS X 10.6 or later

Android devices with USB On-The-Go
ASUS Aura Sync System RequirementsWindows 8 (64 bit)

Windows 8.1 (64 bit)

Windows 10 (64 bit)		Windows 8 (64 bit)

Windows 8.1 (64 bit)

Windows 10 (64 bit)
Solid State Drive CompatibilityM.2 PCI Express 2230

M.2 PCI Express 2242

M.2 PCI Express 2260

M.2 PCI Express 2280		M.2 PCI Express 2230

M.2 PCI Express 2242

M.2 PCI Express 2260

M.2 PCI Express 2280
Included USB CablesUSB Type-C to USB Type-A

USB Type-C to USB Type-C		USB Type-C to USB Type-C
Heat DissipationAluminum alloy case

Thermal pads		Aluminum alloy case

Thermal pads
Screwdriver-Free Installation?YesYes
Operating Temperature Range0 ℃ (or 32 ℉) to 40 ℃ (or 104 ℉)0 ℃ (or 32 ℉) to 40 ℃ (or 104 ℉)
Storage Temperature Range-20 ℃ (or -4 ℉) to 60 ℃ (or 140 ℉)-20 ℃ (or -4 ℉) to 60 ℃ (or 140 ℉)
Operating Humidity Range15% to 80%15% to 80%
Storage Humidity Range10% to 90%10% to 90%
Voltage5V5V
PricingCheck price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)

Color

The ROG Strix Arion and ROG Strix Arion Lite are both only available in black.

Dimension

The two enclosures are identical in size.

You can find the measurements, which is displayed as Length x Width x Height, below:

  • 124.5 mm x 47.7 mm x 10.9 mm

Weight

The products also weigh the same at 98 grams.

Hanging Protective Holder

The ASUS ROG Strix Arion is the only one of the two solid state drive enclosures to come with a hanging protective holder.

Interface

The ROG Strix Arion and ROG Strix Arion Lite both use USB 3.2 Gen 2×1 as the interface.

Interface Speed

The two storage drive enclosures in this versus showdown have an interface speed of up to 10 Gbps.

Operating System Compatibility

The two products are compatible with the following operating systems:

  • Windows 7
  • Windows 8
  • Windows 8.1
  • Windows 10
  • Mac OS X 10.6 or later
  • Android devices with USB On-The-Go

ASUS Aura Sync System Requirements

Both of these enclosures also feature RGB lighting as you can use ASUS Aura Sync if you have the following operating systems:

  • Windows 8 (64 bit)
  • Windows 8.1 (64 bit)
  • Windows 10 (64 bit)

Solid State Drive Compatibility

The ASUS ROG Strix Arion and ASUS ROG Strix Arion Lite M.2 NVMe SSD External Portable Enclosure Case Adapters can be used with the following solid state drive types:

  • M.2 PCI Express 2230
  • M.2 PCI Express 2242
  • M.2 PCI Express 2260
  • M.2 PCI Express 2280

Included USB Cables

The ROG Strix Arion comes with USB Type-C to USB Type-A and USB Type-C to USB Type-C cables. As a result, you will be able to connect the enclosure with USB Type-A and USB Type-C ports.

The ROG Strix Arion Lite only comes with an USB Type-C to USB Type-C cable. So, you can only connect this enclosure to a USB Type-C port unless to have your own USB Type-C to USB Type-A cable.

Heat Dissipation

When it comes to heat dissipation, both of the enclosures use an aluminum alloy case and thermal pads.

Screwdriver-Free Installation

These two products also feature a screwdriver-free installation as these enclosures use pins and thumbscrews instead.

Operating Temperature Range

The ROG Strix Arion and ROG Strix Arion Lite have the same operating temperature range, which is from 0 ℃ (or 32 ℉) to 40 ℃ (or 104 ℉).

Storage Temperature Range

These enclosures also have the same non-operating temperature as you can store these products within a range of -20 ℃ (or -4 ℉) to 60 ℃ (or 140 ℉).

Operating Humidity Range

The regular and lite versions of the ROG Strix Arion have the same operating humidity range of 15% to 80%.

Storage Humidity Range

The two enclosures also have the same non-operating humidity range as both can be stored from 10% to 90%.

Voltage

When it comes to voltage, both ASUS products use 5V.

Resources:

How to update the firmware for Samsung X5 Portable SSD

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The Samsung X5 Portable Solid State Drive comes with upgradeable firmware. You can check out this step-by-step guide at Seeking Tech to see how you can update to the latest software version of the X5.

This tutorial will cover all capacity options of the X5, which includes the following products:

  • 500 GB Samsung X5 Portable Solid State Drive (MU-PB500B)
  • 1 TB Samsung X5 Portable Solid State Drive (MU-PB1T0B)
  • 2 TB Samsung X5 Portable Solid State Drive (MU-PB2T0B)

Downloading and Installing Samsung Portable SSD Software

In order to update the firmware of your Samsung X5, you need to do so through the Samsung Portable SSD Software. So, if you haven’t done so already, you can download and install the program from the official Samsung website.

Keep in mind that there are multiple versions available. So, make sure you are downloading the one that is compatible with your X5 as well as the operating system of your computer.

The Samsung Portable SSD Software has the following OS requirements:

  • Windows PC: Windows 7 or later
  • Macintosh: Mac OS 10.10 or later

How to update the firmware for X5 Portable SSD

With the aforementioned program installed, you now have the ability to update the firmware for the Samsung X5.

You can do so by taking the following steps:

1. Connect your X5 solid state drive to the Thunderbolt 3 USB Type-C port of your computer. Your PC or Mac should have the Samsung Portable SSD Software installed on it and should be connected to the Internet.

2. If the Samsung Portable SSD Software doesn’t automatically open when your X5 drive is detected, you need to manually open the program.

3. The Samsung Portable SSD Software should detect that your X5 SSD is connected. If you have security enabled for your external drive, you need to enter the password for it. Otherwise, you won’t be able to update its firmware.

If you forgot your password, then you can try performing a factory reset, which will restore your X5 drive to its original factory settings. While this will technically remove the password protection for the external drive, it will also delete all of the personal data you have on the SSD. So, we recommend doing this if you don’t mind erasing all of your data you have stored on the X5.

If you are still interested in doing a factory reset, you can check out more information with this tutorial.

4. After inputting the password, if necessary, click the OK button.

5. You should be in the main menu of the Samsung Portable SSD Software with your Samsung X5 Portable Solid State Drive fully unlocked.

6. In the bottom left corner of the screen, you should see Update. Click on the Update option.

7. In the Update screen, you will see the current firmware versions of Samsung Portable SSD Software and your Samsung X5 Portable Solid State Drive.

If you have updates available for both, we recommend updating the firmware for the Samsung Portable SSD Software first.

8. If your Samsung Portable SSD Software’s firmware is up to date, you can then update the firmware for your Samsung X5 Portable Solid State Drive from the same Update screen.

To avoid potential damages, your X5 should not be reading, writing or transferring any data when you are updating to a new firmware. You should also avoid disconnecting your external drive when it is updating. Finally, make sure you don’t unplug your computer from the power outlet.

9. After updating your Samsung Portable SSD Software and/or your Samsung X5 Portable Solid State Drive, you should be back in the Update screen. Here, you can click on the Refresh button to see the latest firmware versions applied to the software and hardware.

10. If you want your Samsung Portable SSD Software and/or your Samsung X5 Portable Solid State Drive to automatically update whenever there is a new firmware available when you connect the X5 to your computer, you can do so from the aforementioned Update menu.

In the Update screen of the Samsung Portable SSD Software, you should find the “Check for Updates Automatically” setting. Make sure that this setting is set to ON as it will enable automatic firmware updates.

How to change, remove and recover password for Samsung X5

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The Samsung X5 Portable Solid State Drive comes with an optional security mode that you can use to locked the SSD from being accessed by someone without a password.

You can check out this tutorial at Seeking Tech to see how you can change, remove and recover your password for the X5.

It should be noted that this guide will be covering the following capacity versions of the X5:

  • 500 GB Samsung X5 Portable Solid State Drive (Model Number: MU-PB500B)
  • 1 TB Samsung X5 Portable Solid State Drive (Model Number: MU-PB1T0B)
  • 2 TB Samsung X5 Portable Solid State Drive (Model Number: MU-PB2T0B)

Samsung Portable SSD Software

In order to setup, change and remove the password for your Samsung X5 Portable, you need to use the Samsung Portable SSD Software.

If the program is not already installed, then you can download the installation files from the official Samsung website with this link.

Make sure you are downloading the correct version as there are multiple iterations of the program available for different external Samsung storage drives as well as operating systems.

How to change password for Samsung X5

To change the password for your Samsung X5 Portable Solid State Drive, you need to take the following steps:

1. Plug your X5 into the Thunderbolt 3 USB Type-C port on your computer.

2. The Samsung Portable SSD Software should automatically open. If you don’t see the program pop up, you can manually open it.

3. On the password screen, you need to enter the current password you previously set for your Samsung X5. Afterwards, you need to click Unlock.

4. You should now be in the main menu of the Samsung Portable SSD Software with your X5 fully unlocked. Here, you need to click Settings.

5. In the Settings screen, you will need to reinput your current password in addition to inputting your new password twice.

Make sure you write down your password and keep it in a safe space. This is because Samsung is not liable when it comes to you losing data stored on the X5 as a result of you forgetting the password.

6. Once you are done, you click on Save to confirm the password change.

How to remove password protection for Samsung X5

In order to remove password protection for your Samsung X5 Portable SSD, you need to disable its security mode.

To do so, you need to do the following:

1. Connect your external drive to your computer.

2. If the Samsung Portable SSD Software doesn’t open right away, make sure you manually launch the program.

3. In the password screen of the Samsung Portable SSD Software, enter the current password for your X5 and then click on the Unlock option.

This will bring you to the main menu of the program with your X5 fully unlocked.

4. From the main menu, click on Settings.

5. In the Settings screen, you should see Security Mode. If this setting is set to ON, make sure you click the switch to the right of it in order to set it to off.

With the security mode disabled, you no longer need a password in order to fully accessed your Samsung X5 Portable Solid State Drive every time you connect it to a computer.

How to recover password for Samsung X5

Unfortunately, there is no way you can recover the password for your Samsung X5 if you don’t remember what you previously used.

Without the correct password, only around 128 MB of your external solid state drive, which is allocated for the Samsung Portable SSD Software, will be shown. All of your personal data you have on your X5 will be locked out without a password.

If you don’t mind losing all of your personal data stored on the X5, then you can do a factory reset. This procedure will restore your external solid state drive to its original factory settings, which will erase the current password of the X5 as well as all personal data you have on it.

In order to factory reset your Samsung X5 Portable Solid State Drive, you need to do so through an online service from a Samsung Service Center.

What’s the difference between LaCie Portable and Samsung T7 Portable SSDs?

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If you are looking into getting an external solid state drive, then you may have run into the LaCie Portable and Samsung T7 Portable during your research.

You can check out this comparison guide to see what the main differences are between these two SSDs.

Quick Summary

The Samsung T7 Portable Solid State Drive is nearly twice as fast as the LaCie Portable Solid State Drive at maximum sequential reading. The T7 Portable is also lighter and smaller when compared to the competition, making it easier to carry around.

Furthermore, you can connect the T7 to USB Type-A and USB Type-C ports right out of the box. The LaCie Portable only comes with an USB Type-C cable; so, you need to acquire an USB Type-A cable to connect to USB Type-A port.

On the other hand, the LaCie Portable SSD is the only one of the two products to come with a one-month subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps along with offering Rescue Data Recovery Services.

Overall, we recommend getting the T7 is you want the best speed, portability and versality. The LaCie Portable is only suitable for those who want access to the Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps trial and/or the Rescue Data Recovery Services.

You can also check out how the LaCie Portable SSD compares to the LaCie Mobile SSD with this guide. You can also see how the Samsung T7 compares to the SanDisk Extreme Pro Portable V2 with this link.

LaCie Portable SSD vs. Samsung T7 Portable SSD Comparison Chart

You can take a look at Seeking Tech’s comparison table for the LaCie Portable and Samsung T7 Portable below.

LaCie Portable Solid State DriveSamsung T7 Portable Solid State Drive
Capacity Options500 GB

1 TB

2 TB		500 GB

1 TB

2 TB
Fingerprint Security Option?NoYes
What’s in the BoxLaCie Portable Solid State Drive

USB Type-C cable

Quick Install Guide

One month Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps plan

Rescue Data Recovery Services		Samsung Portable T7 Solid State Drive

USB Type-C to USB Type-A cable

USB Type-C to USB Type-C cable

Quick Start Guide and Warranty Statement
Weight100 grams58 grams
DimensionsLength: 93.5 mm

Width: 79.0 mm

Depth: 9.1 mm		Length: 85.0 mm

Width: 57.0 mm

Depth: 8.0 mm
USB Interface SpeedUp to 10 gigabits per secondUp to 10 gigabits per second
Maximum Sequential Read SpeedUp to 540 MB per secondUp to 1050 MB per second
Warranty3-year warranty3-year warranty
PricingCheck price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)

Capacity Options

With these LaCie and Samsung external storage drives, you can choose between the 500 GB, 1 TB and 2 TB capacity options.

Fingerprint Security Option

The T7 is the only one of the two to come with an optional finger print security option.

The Samsung T7 Touch includes a fingerprint sensor that lets you use your finger to unlock the content stored on the external solid state drive.

What’s in the Box

The LaCie Portable SSD comes with an USB Type-C cable you can use to plug the drive to an USB Type-C port. If you want to connect this solid state drive to an USB Type-A port, then you need to get an USB Type-C to USB Type A cable.

The Samsung T7 Portable SSD includes cables you can use to connect it to USB Type-A as well as USB Type-C ports.

On the other hand, the LaCie product is the only one of the two to come with a one-month trial for the Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps in addition to Rescue Data Recovery Services.

You can check out the contents included inside each box for the LaCie Portable and Samsung T7 below:

LaCie Portable SSD:

  • LaCie Portable Solid State Drive
  • USB Type-C cable
  • Quick Install Guide
  • One month Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps plan
  • Rescue Data Recovery Services

Samsung T7 Portable SSD:

  • Samsung Portable T7 Solid State Drive
  • USB Type-C to USB Type-A cable
  • USB Type-C to USB Type-C cable
  • Quick Start Guide and Warranty Statement

Weight

The Samsung T7 weighs a lot less when compared to the LaCie Portable.

You can take a look at the weight specifications below:

  • LaCie Portable SSD: 100 grams
  • Samsung T7 Portable SSD: 58 grams

Dimensions

The T7 is also all around smaller than the LaCie external storage drive.

You can take a look at the length, width and depth measurements for both products below:

LaCie Portable SSD:

  • Length: 93.5 mm
  • Width: 79.0 mm
  • Depth: 9.1 mm

Samsung T7 Portable SSD:

  • Length: 85.0 mm
  • Width: 57.0 mm
  • Depth: 8.0 mm

USB Interface Speed

When it comes to the USB interface speed, both of the portable solid state drives in this comparison guide feature up to 10 gigabits per second, or up to 1250 MB per second.

Maximum Sequential Read Speed

The Samsung T7 is significantly faster than the LaCie Portable at maximum sequential reading.

The 500 GB, 1 TB and 2 TB versions of the Samsung T7 are 510 MB per second faster than the 500 GB, 1 TB and 2 TB versions of the LaCie Portable.

In terms of percentages, the T7 has a 94.44% speed advantage in this category.

You can take a look at the maximum sequential read speeds for each capacity of both SSDs below:

  • 500 GB LaCie Portable SSD: Up to 540 MB per second
  • 1 TB LaCie Portable SSD: Up to 540 MB per second
  • 2 TB LaCie Portable SSD: Up to 540 MB per second
  • 500 GB Samsung T7 Portable SSD: Up to 1050 MB per second
  • 1 TB Samsung T7 Portable SSD: Up to 1050 MB per second
  • 2 TB Samsung T7 Portable SSD: Up to 1050 MB per second

Warranty

The LaCie Portable Solid State Drive and Samsung T7 Portable Solid State Drive each comes with a 3-year warranty.

Resources:

What’s the difference between the Samsung T7 and X5?

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The two fastest external Samsung solid state drives are the T7 and X5. So, what are the main differences between these two models?

You can find out in this comparison between the two portable Samsung SSDs.

Quick Summary

The Samsung X5 Portable Solid State Drive has a maximum interface speed that is four times faster than the Samsung T7 Portable Solid State Drive. The X5 is also at least twice as fast as the T7 when it comes to maximum sequential reading and maximum sequential writing.

So, assuming that you meet the Thunderbolt 3 requirements of the Samsung X5, then we recommend getting it over the Samsung T7 due to the much faster speeds.

On the other hand, the T7 is lighter and smaller. So, it is more suitable for being a portable storage drive if you don’t mind the slower speeds.

The T7 is also the only model to offer a fingerprint security option with the T7 Touch. So, if you want added security, then the T7 may be the better option.

T7 vs. X5 Comparison Chart

You can take a look at Seeking Tech’s comparison table for the T7 and X5 below.

Samsung T7 Portable Solid State DriveSamsung X5 Portable Solid State Drive
Capacity Options500 GB

1 TB

2 TB		500 GB

1 TB

2 TB
What’s in the BoxSamsung Portable T7 Solid State Drive

USB Type-C to USB Type-A cable

USB Type-C to USB Type-C cable

Quick Start Guide and Warranty Statement		Samsung X5 Portable Solid State Drive

Thunderbolt 3 cable

Quick Start Guide and Warranty Statement
Weight58 grams150 grams
Dimensions85 mm x 57 mm x 8 mm119 mm x 62 mm x 19.7 mm
InterfaceUSB 3.1 Gen 2 (10 Gbps)Thunderbolt 3 (40 Gbps)
Maximum Sequential Read Speed500 GB Samsung T7 Portable: Up to 1050 MB per second

1 TB Samsung T7 Portable: Up to 1050 MB per second

2 TB Samsung T7 Portable: Up to 1050 MB per second		500 GB Samsung X5 Portable: Up to 2,800 MB per second

1 TB Samsung X5 Portable: Up to 2,800 MB per second

2 TB Samsung X5 Portable: Up to 2,800 MB per second
Maximum Sequential Write Speed500 GB Samsung T7 Portable: Up to 1000 MB per second

1 TB Samsung T7 Portable: Up to 1000 MB per second

2 TB Samsung T7 Portable: Up to 1000 MB per second		500 GB Samsung X5 Portable: Up to 2,100 MB per second

1 TB Samsung X5 Portable: Up to 2,300 MB per second

2 TB Samsung X5 Portable: Up to 2,300 MB per second
EncryptionAES 256-bit hardware encryptionAES 256-bit hardware encryption
Optional Fingerprint Security?YesNo
Drop Protection2 meters (or 6.6 feet)2 meters (or 6.6 feet)
CertificationsBSMI

CB

CE

C-tick

FCC

IC

KC

RoHS2

TUV

UL

VCCI		BSMI

CB

C-tick

CE

EAC

FCC

IC

KC

RoHS2

TUV

UL

VCCI
Warranty3-year limited warranty3-year limited warranty
PricingCheck price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)

Capacity Options

The two SSDs in this versus guide come in 500 GB, 1 TB and 2 TB capacities.

What’s in the Box

Right out of the box, you can connect the Samsung T7 to USB Type-A and USB Type-C ports. With the Samsung X5, you can only connect to a Thunderbolt 3 port.

You can check out the lists of content included in each box below:

Samsung T7 Portable:

  • Samsung Portable T7 Solid State Drive
  • USB Type-C to USB Type-A cable
  • USB Type-C to USB Type-C cable
  • Quick Start Guide and Warranty Statement

Samsung X5 Portable:

  • Samsung X5 Portable Solid State Drive
  • Thunderbolt 3 cable
  • Quick Start Guide and Warranty Statement

Weight

When it comes to weight, the X5 is nearly three times heavier than the T7.

You can find the weight specifications below:

  • Samsung T7 Portable: 58 grams
  • Samsung X5 Portable: 150 grams

Dimensions

The X5 is also all around bigger than the T7.

You can find the measurements for the length, width and thickness of both portable SSDs below:

  • Samsung T7 Portable: 85 mm x 57 mm x 8 mm
  • Samsung X5 Portable: 119 mm x 62 mm x 19.7 mm

Interface

When it comes to the interface, the Samsung T7 Portable uses USB 3.1 Gen 2, which provide speeds of up to 10 Gbps.

The Samsung X5 Portable uses Thunderbolt 3, which provide speeds of up to 40 Gbps, four times faster than the T7’s maximum interface performance.

Maximum Sequential Read Speed

The Samsung X5 Portable is 1750 MB per second faster, or 166.66% faster, than the Samsung T7 Portable.

You can take a look at the maximum sequential reading speeds below:

  • 500 GB Samsung T7 Portable: Up to 1050 MB per second
  • 1 TB Samsung T7 Portable: Up to 1050 MB per second
  • 2 TB Samsung T7 Portable: Up to 1050 MB per second
  • 500 GB Samsung X5 Portable: Up to 2,800 MB per second
  • 1 TB Samsung X5 Portable: Up to 2,800 MB per second
  • 2 TB Samsung X5 Portable: Up to 2,800 MB per second

Maximum Sequential Write Speed

When you compare the same capacity options, the 500 GB Samsung X5 Portable is 1,100 MB per second faster, or 110% faster, than the 500 GB Samsung T7 Portable.

The 1 TB and 2 TB capacities of the Samsung X5 Portable are 1,300 MB per second faster, or 130% faster, than the 1 TB and 2 TB capacities of the Samsung T7 Portable.

You can check out the maximum sequential write speeds below:

  • 500 GB Samsung T7 Portable: Up to 1000 MB per second
  • 1 TB Samsung T7 Portable: Up to 1000 MB per second
  • 2 TB Samsung T7 Portable: Up to 1000 MB per second
  • 500 GB Samsung X5 Portable: Up to 2,100 MB per second
  • 1 TB Samsung X5 Portable: Up to 2,300 MB per second
  • 2 TB Samsung X5 Portable: Up to 2,300 MB per second

Fingerprint Security

The T7 is the only one of these two portable SSDs to provide an optional finger print security version with the T7 Touch.

Encryption

The two external SSDs in this comparison utilize AES 256-bit hardware encryption.

Drop Protection

Both storage drives are protected against drops at up to 2 meters (or 6.6 feet).

Certifications

You can find the lists of certifications for the two Samsung solid state drives below:

Samsung T7 Portable:

BSMI

  • CB
  • CE
  • C-tick
  • FCC
  • IC
  • KC
  • RoHS2
  • TUV
  • UL
  • VCCI

Samsung X5 Portable:

  • BSMI
  • CB
  • C-tick
  • CE
  • EAC
  • FCC
  • IC
  • KC
  • RoHS2
  • TUV
  • UL
  • VCCI

Warranty

The Samsung T7 Portable Solid State Drive and Samsung X5 Portable Solid State Drive each comes with a 3-year limited warranty.

How to update the firmware for Samsung T5, T7 and T7 Touch

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The Samsung T5 Portable Solid State Drive, Samsung T7 Portable Solid State Drive and Samsung T7 Touch Portable Solid State Drive, all feature upgradeable firmware.

You can check out this tutorial from Seeking Tech to see how can update to the latest firmware versions of these SSDs.

This guide will be covering all capacity sizes of the T5, T7 and T7 Touch. The list includes the following model numbers:

Samsung T5 Portable SSD:

  • 250 GB: MU-PA250B
  • 500 GB: MU-PA500B
  • 1 TB: MU-PA1T0B
  • 2 TB: MU-PA2T0B

Samsung T7 Portable SSD:

  • 500 GB: MU-PC500R, MU-PC500H and MU-PC500T
  • 1 TB: MU-PC1T0R, MU-PC1T0H and MU-PC1T0T
  • 2 TB: MU-PC2T0R, MU-PC2T0H and MU-PC2T0T

Samsung T7 Touch Portable SSD:

  • 500 GB: MU-PC500 and MU-PC500S
  • 1 TB: MU-PC1T0 and MU-PC1T0S
  • 2 TB: MU-PC2T0 and MU-PC2T0S

Requirements

You can only update the firmware of the Samsung T5, T7 or T7 Touch Portable Solid State Drive by using the Samsung Portable SSD Software.

If you don’t have this program already installed on your Mac or Windows PC, then you can download it from the official Samsung website. After you finished downloading the file, make sure you install the Samsung Portable SSD Software on your computer.

How to update firmware for T5, T7 and T7 Touch

To update the firmware for your Samsung T5 Portable Solid State Drive, Samsung T7 Portable Solid State Drive or Samsung T7 Touch Portable Solid State Drive, you need to take the following steps:

1. Connect your solid state drive to the USB Type-A port or USB Type-C port of the computer that have the Samsung Portable SSD Software.

2. If the Samsung Portable SSD Software doesn’t automatically launch, make sure you manually open the program.

3. If you turned on the Security Mode for your T5 or T7, then you will need to input your password in order to unlock the solid state drive.

If you turned on the Security Mode for your T7 Touch, then you need to input your password and/or use your fingerprint to unlock the solid state drive.

If you can’t unlock your SSD, then you won’t be able to update its firmware. To find out how you can unlock your T5, T7 or T7 Touch without using a password or fingerprint, you can check out this tutorial.

4. You should also make sure that your SSD isn’t being used when you are updating its firmware. If your drive is copying, deleting or formatting at the same time as it is being updated, then this may cause damage to the T5, T7 or T7 Touch.

So, you should wait until your Samsung SSD finished all of its tasks before starting the update.

5. With your solid state drive unlocked, you should see the “Update” option on the lower left side of the menu in the Samsung Portable SSD Software. Select that option.

6. In the Update menu, you will see the options to update the Samsung Portable SSD Software and the solid state drive hardware. Select the option to update the software first if there is a new version available.

7. Once the Samsung Portable SSD Software has done updating, select the refresh option in the Update menu to see the latest updated firmware information for the software.

8. Once the software’s firmware is up to date, you can then update the firmware for your T5, T7 or T7 Touch in the same Update menu. During the update process, make sure you don’t disconnect the SSD from your computer as doing so may cause damage.

9. Once you installed the new firmware version of your SSD hardware, select the refresh option from the Update menu once again to view the latest updated firmware version of the hardware.

10. If you want to enable the option to automatically update to the latest available firmware version when you connect your T5, T7 or T7 Touch to your computer, you can enable that setting by turning on the “Check for Update Automatically” option located in the aforementioned Update menu.

How to change, remove and recover password for Samsung T5, T7 and T7 Touch

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The Samsung T5, T7 and T7 Touch Portable Solid State Drives feature a password protection security mode that you can use to locked data stored on the SSD in order to prevent others from assessing.

You can check out this tutorial from Seeking Tech to seek how you can change, remove and recover the password that you used on your T5, T7 or T7 Touch.

Model Numbers

This guide will cover all capacities of the Samsung T5 Portable Solid State Drive, Samsung T7 Portable Solid State Drive and Samsung T7 Touch Portable Solid State Drive.

You can find the model numbers of the products we will be covering in this tutorial below:

Samsung T5 Portable Solid State Drive:

  • MU-PA250B
  • MU-PA500B
  • MU-PA1T0B
  • MU-PA2T0B

Samsung T7 Portable Solid State Drive:

  • MU-PC500R
  • MU-PC500H
  • MU-PC500T
  • MU-PC1T0R
  • MU-PC1T0H
  • MU-PC1T0T
  • MU-PC2T0R
  • MU-PC2T0H
  • MU-PC2T0T

Samsung T7 Touch Portable Solid State Drive:

  • MU-PC500
  • MU-PC500S
  • MU-PC1T0
  • MU-PC1T0S
  • MU-PC2T0
  • MU-PC2T0S

Samsung Portable SSD Software

You can change your password for your T5, T7 or T7 Touch through the Samsung Portable SSD Software.

So, if you haven’t done so already, you can download the program for Windows PC or Mac with this link.

How to change password for Samsung T5, T7 and T7 Touch

In order to change the password for your Samsung T5 Portable SSD, Samsung T7 Portable SSD or Samsung T7 Touch Portable SSD, you need to take the following steps:

1. Connect your external storage drive to the Windows PC or Mac that have the aforementioned Samsung Portable SSD Software installed.

2. Once your computer detects your external SSD, you should see the password screen from the Samsung Portable SSD Software program.

3. Enter the password you have previously set for your solid state drive and then click the “Unlock” option located underneath.

4. With your external drive fully unlocked, select the Settings option from the main menu of the Samsung Portable SSD Software.

5. In the Settings menu, Select the Change option to the right of Password.

6. In the next screen, you need to input your current password, the new password and repeat the new password again.

For your password, you can input anywhere between 4 to 16 characters. Spaces aren’t accepted as characters.

7. Once you are done inputting the password fields, click on the Save button located on the bottom to confirm your password change.

How to remove password protection for Samsung T5, T7 and T7 Touch

If you no longer want to use password protection for your Samsung T5, Samsung T7 or Samsung T7 Touch, then you need to do the following:

1. Connect your external Samsung SSD to a Windows PC or Mac with the Samsung Portable SSD Software installed.

2. In the Samsung Portable SSD Software program, enter your password and then click the Unlock option in order to fully unlock the external drive.

3. In the main menu of the Samsung Portable SSD Software, select the Settings option.

5. In the Settings menu, you should see the Security Mode. You need to set the Security Mode setting to OFF in order to remove the password protection for your external drive.

How to recover password for Samsung T5, T7 and T7 Touch

Unfortunately, you can’t recover a password with the Samsung T5 Portable Solid State Drive, Samsung T7 Portable Solid State Drive or Samsung T7 Touch Portable Solid State Drive.

If you want to access any files you have stored on the external drive, then you will be out of luck unless you can remember the password you previously set.

If you don’t mind losing all of the data currently stored on your external Samsung drive in order to remove its password protection, then you can do a factory reset. In order to reset your SSD to its factory settings, you will need to do so through an online service by a Samsung Service Center.

If you want to know what are the major differences between the Samsung T5 Portable Solid State Drive, Samsung T7 Portable Solid State Drive and Samsung T7 Touch Portable Solid State Drive, then you can take a look at our comparison guide.

How to format Samsung T5 and T7 for PS5

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The Samsung T5 Portable Solid State Drive and Samsung T7 Portable Solid State Drive can be used as external storage drives on the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Digital Edition.

You can follow this guide at Seeking Tech to see how you can format your T5 or T7 for use with the PS5 system.

Compatible Model Numbers

The 250 GB, 500 GB, 1 TB and 2 TB versions of the Samsung T5 Portable Solid State Drive in addition to the 500 GB, 1 TB and 2 TB versions of the Samsung T7 Portable Solid State Drive are compatible with the PlayStation 5.

You can check out a list of the supported model numbers of the two external SSDs below:

Samsung T5 Portable Solid State Drive:

  • MU-PA250B
  • MU-PA500B
  • MU-PA1T0B
  • MU-PA2T0B

Samsung T7 Portable Solid State Drive:

  • MU-PC500R
  • MU-PC500H
  • MU-PC500T
  • MU-PC1T0R
  • MU-PC1T0H
  • MU-PC1T0T
  • MU-PC2T0R
  • MU-PC2T0H
  • MU-PC2T0T

What games can you store on T5 or T7?

On the PlayStation 5, you will be able to store backwards compatible PS4 games in addition to native PS5 games.

Normally, you would store these games on the internal solid state drive of the system. However, the console only comes with an 825 GB SSD. Not to mention that the system files are going to take up a huge chunk of space. Therefore, you will be left with an extremely limited amount of space even before you install a game.

By using an external storage drive, such as the Samsung T5 or T7, you will be able to free up space on the internal SSD of the PS5.

What games can you play on T5 or T7?

You should be able to play backwards compatible PS4 games on the PlayStation 5 directly off of the Samsung T5 Portable SSD and Samsung T7 Portable SSD.

Since native PS5 videogames are designed on the super-fast internal solid state drive on the PlayStation 5, you won’t be able to play PS5 games directly off of the T5 or T7. Instead, you need to transfer the PS5 game data files from the T5/T7 to either the internal SSD of the PS5 or the SSD in the storage expansion slot in order to play PlayStation 5 games.

Do you need to format your T5 or T7 for PS5?

If you already formatted your Samsung T5 Portable SSD or Samsung T7 Portable SSD on a PlayStation 4, PlayStation 4 Pro, another PlayStation 5 or another PlayStation 5 Digital Edition, then you don’t need to format it again.

If your external Samsung storage drive is brand new, or were previously used on a non-PS4/non-PS5 device, then you will need to format.

How to format T5 and T7 for PS5

To format your Samsung T5 Portable Solid State Drive or Samsung T7 Portable Solid State Drive for the PlayStation 5, you need to take the following steps:

1. Before you begin the formatting process, you should make sure that you don’t have any important data stored on T5 or T7. This is because formatting your T5 or T7 for the PS5 will delete everything off of your external storage drive.

So, if you have any important files on your drive, you should backup the files to another storage device.

2. You should also make sure that your Samsung T5 or T7 is not password protected. Otherwise, you won’t be able to use your external storage drive with the PlayStation 5.

If your T5 or T7 is password protected, you can disable its security mode through the Samsung Portable SSD Software through your PC or Mac.

If you forgot the password of your T5 or T7, then you need to contact the Samsung Service Center to factory reset your external drive. Keep in mind that factory resetting your external SSD will delete all data that were previously stored on it.

3. Once you managed to get your T5 or T7 ready for the PlayStation 5, you can plug your external drive to either of the two USB ports located on the back of the system.

4. Turn on your PS5 system and then go to the home screen, which is the main menu where you can pick which game to play.

5. In the home screen, go to Settings, which you can find on the upper right corner of the menu.

6. In the Settings menu, go to Storage.

7. In the Storage menu, select Extended Storage from the options available on the left side.

8. On the right side of the same Storage menu, select the “Format as USB Extended Storage” option to format your T5 or T7 to be used as an external drive for your PlayStation 5 system.

What’s the difference between the LaCie Rugged and Rugged Pro SSDs?

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LaCie has two similarly named external solid state drives. So, what are the main differences between the Rugged and Rugged Pro?

You can find out in this comparison guide for the LaCie SSDs.

Quick Summary

When compared to the LaCie Rugged Solid State Drive, the LaCie Rugged Pro Solid State Drive is more than 2 and ½ times faster at maximum transfer speeds.

So, assuming you meet the requirements for both SSDs, we recommend getting the pro version if you want the best performance.

The two external storage drives are identical when it comes to drop resistance, dust resistance, water resistance and warranty coverage.

LaCie Rugged vs. LaCie Rugged Pro Comparison Chart

You can take a look at Seeking Tech’s comparison table for the Rugged solid state drives below.

LaCie Rugged Solid State DriveLaCie Rugged Pro Solid State Drive
Capacity Options500 GB

1 TB

2 TB		1 TB

2 TB
What’s in the BoxLaCie Rugged:

LaCie Rugged SSD

USB Type-C (USB 3.1 10Gb/s) cable

USB Type-C to USB Type-A cable

Quick Install Guide

Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps Plan		LaCie Rugged SSD Pro

Thunderbolt 3 (40Gb/s) cable

Quick Install Guide

Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps Plan
Weight0.22 lb. (or 0.1 kg)0.22 lb. (or 0.1 kg)
DimensionsLength: 0.669 in (or 17.0 mm)

Width: 2.555 in (or 64.9 mm)

Height: 3.854 in (or 97.9 mm)		Length: 0.669 in (or 17.0 mm)

Width: 2.555 in (or 64.9 mm)

Height: 3.854 in (or 97.9 mm)
Minimum Port RequirementsUSB Type-C

USB Type-A (USB 3.0)		Thunderbolt 3

USB Type-C (USB 3.1 Gen 1)

USB Type-C (USB 3.1 Gen 2)
Minimum Operating System RequirementsWindows 7 (or higher)

macOS 10.12 (or higher)		Windows 10 (or higher)

macOS 10.14 (or higher)
Minimum Recommended Free Disk Space600 MB600 MB
Supported ProtocolsHi-Speed USB 2.0: Transfer rates up to 480 Mb/s

SuperSpeed USB 3.0: Transfer rates up to 5 Gb/s

USB 3.1 Gen 1: Transfer rates up to 5 Gb/s

USB 3.1 Gen 2: Transfer rates up to 10 Gb/s

Thunderbolt 3: Transfer rates up to 40 Gb/s		USB 3.1 Gen 1: Transfer rates up to 5 Gb/s

USB 3.1 Gen 2: Transfer rates up to 10 Gb/s

Thunderbolt 3: Transfer rates up to 40 Gb/s
Transfer SpeedUp to 1050 MB per secondUp to 2800 MB per second
Ingress Protection RatingIP67IP67
Drop ResistanceUp to 3 metersUp to 3 meters
Warranty5-year limited warranty5-year limited warranty
PricingCheck price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)

Capacity Options

When it comes to capacities, both products offer a 1 TB and 2 TB option. The Rugged is the only version to provide a 500 GB option, however.

You check out a breakdown of the available capacity options for both products below:

LaCie Rugged:

  • 500 GB
  • 1 TB
  • 2 TB

LaCie Rugged Pro:

  • 1 TB
  • 2 TB

What’s in the Box

You can take a look at the content included inside each new box for both the Rugged and Rugged Pro below:

LaCie Rugged:

  • LaCie Rugged SSD
  • USB Type-C (USB 3.1 10Gb/s) cable
  • USB Type-C to USB Type-A cable
  • Quick Install Guide
  • Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps Plan

LaCie Rugged Pro:

  • LaCie Rugged SSD Pro
  • Thunderbolt 3 (40Gb/s) cable
  • Quick Install Guide
  • Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps Plan

Weight

The two external storage drives in this versus showdown are identical when it comes to weight.

You can find the weight specifications below:

  • 0.22 lb. (or 0.1 kg)

Dimensions

Both solid state drives are also identical when it comes to size.

You can find the exact measurements for the two SSDs below:

  • Length: 0.669 in (or 17.0 mm)
  • Width: 2.555 in (or 64.9 mm)
  • Height: 3.854 in (or 97.9 mm)

Minimum Port Requirements

When it comes to ports, you can plug the Rugged in USB Type-C or USB Type-A.

With the pro version, you can use USB Type-C or Thunderbolt 3.

You can find the minimum port requirements for both products below:

LaCie Rugged:

  • USB Type-C
  • USB Type-A (USB 3.0)

LaCie Rugged Pro:

  • Thunderbolt 3
  • USB Type-C (USB 3.1 Gen 1)
  • USB Type-C (USB 3.1 Gen 2)

Minimum Operating System Requirements

The pro version does feature higher requirements when it comes to the operating system.

You can find the OS requirements below:

LaCie Rugged:

  • Windows 7 (or higher)
  • macOS 10.12 (or higher)

LaCie Rugged Pro:

  • Windows 10 (or higher)
  • macOS 10.14 (or higher)

Minimum Recommended Free Disk Space

LaCie also recommends that you have at least 600 MB of free space on your computer or Mac.

Supported Protocols

The following protocols are supported by the external SSDs in this comparison guide:

LaCie Rugged:

  • Hi-Speed USB 2.0: Transfer rates up to 480 Mb/s
  • SuperSpeed USB 3.0: Transfer rates up to 5 Gb/s
  • USB 3.1 Gen 1: Transfer rates up to 5 Gb/s
  • USB 3.1 Gen 2: Transfer rates up to 10 Gb/s
  • Thunderbolt 3: Transfer rates up to 40 Gb/s

LaCie Rugged Pro:

  • USB 3.1 Gen 1: Transfer rates up to 5 Gb/s
  • USB 3.1 Gen 2: Transfer rates up to 10 Gb/s
  • Thunderbolt 3: Transfer rates up to 40 Gb/s

Transfer Speed

The pro version of the LaCie Rugged has a major speed performance advantage over the normal version.

The Rugged Pro is 1750 MB per second faster, or 166.67% faster, at maximum transferring when compared to the Rugged.

You can find the transfer speed specs below:

  • LaCie Rugged: Up to 1050 MB per second
  • LaCie Rugged Pro: Up to 2800 MB per second

Ingress Protection Rating

Both devices have an ingress protection rating of IP67.

This means that the external solid state drives are completely dust tight as no dust particles will be getting inside of the outer shell.

The SSDs can also be submerged underwater at up to 1 meters for around half an hour.

Drop Resistance

Furthermore, the two products have the same drop resistance as both can withstand being dropped from heights at up to 3 meters high.

Warranty

The LaCie Rugged Solid State Drive and LaCie Rugged Pro Solid State Drive each comes with a 5-year limited warranty.

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