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Put a 500GB portable SSD in your pocket for $160

Samsung's blazing-fast drive normally runs $190.
Written by Rick Broida, Contributor

ZDNet's Business Bargain Hunter scours the web for great deals on computers, phones, services and much more. Prices and availability are accurate at the time deals are shared. Some products and services may not be available outside the U.S. Follow BBH on Facebook and Twitter, where he's known as The Cheapskate. Plus: You'll find more Cheapskate deals on CNET.


samsung-portable-ssd-t5.jpg

Admit it: You've always wanted to carry 500GB in your pocket.

Samsung

And you thought USB 3.0 drives were fast?

USB 3.0 drives aren't fast. USB 3.1 Gen-2 drives are fast, with a bandwidth of up to 10Gbps -- twice what your typical external storage can manage.

Of course, pokey old mechanical drives can't take full advantage of that bandwidth. But solid-state drives can, and that's what makes today's deal exciting.

For a limited time, you can score the Samsung T5 Portable SSD (500GB) for $159.99 shipped. It normally runs $190.

I hope the accompanying photo gives you some idea as to just how compact this thing is. It's in the ballpark of business-card dimensions, and just 0.4-inch thick and 1.6 ounces. It's quite literally 500GB you can carry in your pocket.

Just plug it into a USB-C port and presto: an external drive that's on par with your internal one (provided it's an SSD; if it's mechanical, this will blow it out of the water). There's also a Type-A cable for connecting the drive to legacy ports.

Equally nice, Samsung backs the T5 with a three-year warranty.

I haven't used the drive myself, but around 440 Amazon buyers collectively rated it 4.7 stars out of 5. That's a pretty high score for any kind of external drive.

If you're familiar with the T5, or you've found something similar you like better, by all means share your thoughts in the comments!

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