Samsung Electronics launches smaller, next-generation SSD

Samsung Electronics launched the T1 on Tuesday, a portable solid-state drive (SSD) that will likely replace the bigger and heavier hard disk drives currently for sale in the global market.

SSD, which stores information by using a semiconductor, is dubbed a next-generation device because it is more reliable and faster at processing information than hard disk drives, which use magnetic materials.

The T1 was selected as the most innovative semiconductor product at the Consumer Electronics Show 2015, which began Tuesday in Las Vegas.

It is the only SSD product based on the 3-D vertical NAND, a high-capacity chip produced by Samsung. It can store up to a terabyte of content on a device that weighs up to 30 grams and that is roughly the size of a business card.

The device also comes in smaller 256-gigabyte and 500-gigabyte versions. It will sell for $179 to $599, depending on how much storage capacity is provided.

Samsung will start shipping the T1 this month.

“The portable SSD T1 with its data reliability, high-storage capacity and stylish design will satisfy all PC users,” said Kim Eon-su, the marketing director at Samsung Electronics’ memory business unit.

“It will create a high growth market and satisfy consumer needs, acting as a game changer in the existing external storage market.”

Even though cloud storage is ubiquitous and can be obtained for free, the T1 will attract people who find uploading a huge amount of data and content over Wi-Fi or LTE networks laborious, according to Samsung.

BY KIM JUNG-YOON [kjy@joongang.co.kr]