Side-by-side comparison based on expert reviews and community consensus.
Corsair EX400U Portable SSD
Best Editor's PickSamsung T9 Portable SSD
Best High-Speed OptionPrice
$70-$120
$100-$250
Summary
Wirecutter's top pick after testing 24 drives, offering the best mix of affordability, speed, and features. A strong choice if you trust lab-tested benchmarks.
The fastest Samsung portable SSD, with USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 support delivering blazing speeds up to 2,000MB/s. Best for Mac users and video professionals who need maximum throughput.
Pros
- Wirecutter's top pick after testing 24 portable SSDs
- Best mix of affordability, speed, and features per expert testing
- Strong benchmark performance
- Competitive pricing at 1TB entry point
- USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 interface for up to 2,000MB/s speeds
- Available up to 4TB capacity
- PCMag highlighted as high-performance pick for Mac users
- Trusted Samsung reliability in a faster package
Cons
- Less community ownership data compared to Samsung T7 Shield
- Corsair is newer to the portable SSD market than Samsung
- Limited Reddit discussion and long-term reliability reports
- Full speed only achievable with compatible USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 ports
- More expensive than the T7 Shield
- Overkill for basic backup and file storage use cases
Our take
Wirecutter doesn't pick lightly — they tested 24 drives and landed here. If you want a data-driven choice rather than crowd wisdom, the EX400U is your answer.
If you have a modern Mac or PC with USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 and you're moving large video files, the T9 is the Samsung to get — the speed jump over the T7 is real and noticeable.
Buy
