Samsung
Samsung T9 Portable SSD
$140
Released 2023-10
Best Portable Ssds · head-to-head
Samsung T9 Portable SSD vs SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD is cheaper at $60. Every spec and price links to its source.
SK Hynix
SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD
$60Cheaper
Released 2022
Which is better: the Samsung T9 Portable SSD or SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD?
The Samsung T9 Portable SSD wins 3 of the 4 specs we compare head to head; the other wins 1. The SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD is the cheaper at $60. Get the Samsung T9 Portable SSD for the stronger spec sheet, the SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD to spend less.
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Key specs, head to head
The numbers that decide it, drawn to scale — longer bar wins, the accent bar is the stronger figure.
Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | Samsung T9 Portable SSD | SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $140 | $60 |
| Brand | Samsung | SK Hynix |
| Released | 2023-10 | 2022 |
| Capacity (GB) | 1000 | 512 |
| Read (Mbps) | 2000 | 1050 |
| Write (Mbps) | 1950 | 1000 |
| Interface | USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20 Gbps) | USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) |
| Encryption | AES 256-bit hardware | — |
| IP rating | — | — |
| Weight (g) | 122 | 53 |
| Release | 2023-10 | 2022 |
Sources — Samsung T9 Portable SSD: storagereview.com (verified 2026-06-15). SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD: ssd.skhynix.com (verified 2026-06-15).
What's the difference between the Samsung T9 Portable SSD and SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (5 of 7). Matching specs are omitted.
- Capacity (GB): Samsung T9 Portable SSD 1000 vs SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD 512
- Read (Mbps): Samsung T9 Portable SSD 2000 vs SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD 1050
- Write (Mbps): Samsung T9 Portable SSD 1950 vs SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD 1000
- Interface: Samsung T9 Portable SSD USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20 Gbps) vs SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps)
- Weight (g): Samsung T9 Portable SSD 122 vs SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD 53
What reviewers say
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
Samsung T9 Portable SSD
Across three whitelisted lab reviews (StorageReview, TechRadar, PCWorld), the Samsung T9 is a fast, rugged USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 portable SSD that nears the ~2,000 MB/s interface ceiling, but is only a middle-of-the-pack 20Gbps performer, is overpriced at launch, and needs a rare USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 port to hit those speeds. (3 sourced reviews, 3 lab-tested.)
Praised: Fast Gen 2x2 performance, near the theoretical interface limits (roughly 1,900-2,000 MB/s reads); Rugged, premium build with a grippy textured/sculpted exterior; Strong sustained-write / large-file transfer behavior, especially on higher capacities.
Flagged: Expensive at launch versus the T7 and rival 2x2 drives; Only middle-of-the-pack among 20Gbps drives; SanDisk Extreme Pro V2 / Crucial X10 Pro faster; Requires a rare USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 port or speed is roughly halved.
SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD
Solid but not class-leading. Three testers benchmarked it hands-on — PCWorld (July 2023) and StorageReview (February 2024) on 1TB, Tom's Hardware (December 2024) on 2TB. All three measured sequential throughput at or near the practical ~1,000 MB/s ceiling of the 10 Gbps interface, and all three note the compact rounded shell with non-slip feet. The two outlets that ran long continuous writes both hit a cache cliff. Pricing is contested rather than agreed: two outlets call it expensive, one calls it market-rate. (3 sourced reviews, 3 lab-tested.)
Praised: Sequential throughput lands at or near the ~1,000 MB/s practical ceiling of the 10 Gbps interface; Compact, rounded pebble-shaped body with non-slip feet on the bottom; Metal shell feels rugged and solid in the hand.
Flagged: Sustained write collapses once the secondary cache is exhausted on large continuous transfers; Priced above competitors that are equally fast or faster; Middling PCMark 10 result — lands in the lower half of the 2024 comparison set.