Samsung X5
Score: 86/100
Transcend ESD410 2TB
Score: 86/100Rankings
The Samsung X5 Portable SSD 2TB delivers Thunderbolt 3 performance with up to 2,800 MB/s read speeds and a rugged magnesium-alloy chassis. Its need for a Thunderbolt 3 port and premium price limit its appeal to non-professional users. Ideal for creators who require top-tier speed and durability.
The Transcend ESD410 provides 2 TB of storage with 2,000 MB/s read/write performance, MIL-STD-810G shock resistance, IPX5 water resistance, and 256-bit AES encryption. Sustained write speeds fall after the 64 GB pSLC cache and full speed requires a compatible host. Perfect for field-working videographers needing rugged, high-speed storage.
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
2 GB | 2,048 GBbest | |
2,800 MB/sbest | 2,000 MB/s | |
2,300 MB/sbest | 2,000 MB/s | |
| ↓ lower better | 150 g | 65 gbest |
3 years | 5 yearsbest | |
2 m | 3 mbest |
Click an attribute name to sort · Green = best, red = worst (relative to this comparison)
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
General(2) | ||
Warranty (years) | 3 years | 5 years |
Operating Temperature (°C) | 45 °C | 0-60 °C |
Connectivity(2) | ||
Interface | Thunderbolt 3 | USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20 Gbps) |
OS Compatibility | macOS 10.2+, Windows 10+ | iPhone17/15/16/iPad/Mac/Tablets/PS5/Windows/Android |
Build & Design(3) | ||
Weight (g) | 150 g | 65 g |
Dimensions (L×W×H) (mm) | 119×62×19.7 mm mm | 42×79×14.5 mm mm |
Drop Resistance (m) | 2 m | 3 m |
Accessories(1) | ||
Included Accessories | Integrated cable | USB‑C to‑C cable, USB‑A to‑C cable |
Storage(2) | ||
Capacity (GB) | 2 GB | 2048 GB |
NAND Type | TLC | 3D NAND |
Performance(2) | ||
Sequential Read Speed (MB/s) | 2800 MB/s | 2000 MB/s |
Sequential Write Speed (MB/s) | 2300 MB/s | 2000 MB/s |
Products in the top-left offer the best value (high score, low price).
Professional reviewers overwhelmingly praise the X5 for its blistering real-world performance, noting read speeds around 2.5 GB/s and write speeds over 2 GB/s that closely match the advertised figures. They highlight the dramatic speed advantage over the T5 and USB-based competitors, the ability to transfer large 4K video files in seconds, and the rugged magnesium-alloy build with 6-foot drop resistance. However, they also point out the mandatory Thunderbolt 3 interface, lack of macOS firmware support, larger footprint, and high price as notable drawbacks that limit its appeal to users without Thunderbolt ports or tight budgets.
Professional reviewers such as SSD-Tester and Guru3D highlighted the drive's lightning-fast peak throughput-over 2 GB/s in synthetic benchmarks-and its rugged construction that meets MIL-STD-810G and IPX5 standards. They praised its suitability for high-resolution video workflows but cautioned that sustained write speeds dip after the 64 GB pSLC cache is used up and that full performance requires a USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 host.
