Samsung Unveils USB4 P9 and P7 Portable SSDs

Overview

• Samsung unveiled the P9 and P7 at Gamescom on Wednesday and said both drives will go on sale globally starting August 31.
• The flagship P9 is rated for up to 4,000 MB/s sequential read and 3,800 MB/s sequential write and is offered in 1TB–8TB sizes with Samsung calling the 8TB model the first USB4 portable SSD to reach those speeds.
• The P7 brings USB4 to a mainstream portable model with drop, shock and vibration resistance and is pitched at mobile users, gamers and everyday desktop use.
• Both models are announced in 1TB, 2TB, 4TB and 8TB capacities with pricing from $339.99 to $2,699.99 for the P9 and $289.99 to $2,289.99 for the P7, and Samsung cautions that some capabilities and regional availability may arrive after the initial launch.
• Real-world throughput will depend on host hardware that supports USB4 or compatible Thunderbolt ports and the drives target heavy workflows such as direct 12K RAW video, large game installs and AI datasets while reflecting higher prices tied to current memory supply pressures.