Samsung T7 1TB SSD abysmally slow on Mini M1 USB-c

[rjalex]

As per title, APFS formatted, connected with (tried 3 cables) one of the two USB-C/DP ports of my Mac Mini M1 2020.

Blackmagic gives 50-60MB/s R/Wspeed (yes fifty) and a more decent 550-600 MB/s in write.

Tried changing cable. Same.

Tried downloading and using SamsungPortableSSD_1.0.app which says there's a firmware update but it does not work/succeed (if you unmount the drive it says it has succeeded but then tells you there's still the same update).

Drive is 13 months old, 320GB empty - 678GB full.

On my 2023 M2 Macbook Pro 16" reliably get 700 MB/s.

But on the Mini if I connect the T7 with a USB-C to USB-A connector to the Mini's USB3 port then I get a "decent" 200 MB/s write and 266 MB/s read.

Can I do anything to understand what's going on or fix this? Thanks

 

[decat]

Did you try Samsung Magician to update the firmware?

 

[rjalex]

No Windows machine or emulator. I have connected the T7 to the Mini's USB3 port and at least it goes to 500MB/s which is decent. Thanks

 

[chrfr]

No Windows machine or emulator. I have connected the T7 to the Mini's USB3 port and at least it goes to 500MB/s which is decent. Thanks

There is a Mac version of Magician now. If you look in System Information with the T7 connected to the USB-C port, what does it show as connection speed?
The page below has the link to Magician as well as the Samsung software that'd allow you to update firmware on the T7, further down.
Samsung Magician & SSD Tools & Software Update | Samsung Semiconductor Global

 

[Mac Hammer Fan]

@chrfr I get an error after I download the MacOS version. (zip file can not be opened)

 

[chrfr]

@chrfr I get an error after I download the MacOS version. (zip file can not be opened)

It works for me, not sure what to tell you there. Try a different browser/network connection/etc.

 

[rjalex]

Thanks downloaded and installed Magician but I'm baffled by not finding any way to show the two USB connected Samsung drives (T7 and T5). I only see Apple's internal SSD.

 

[decat]

Did you check the manual? I'm guessing you still need to approve something.

 

[Fishrrman]

I have a Samsung t7 "shield" which I use for media storage (not a boot drive).
I just ran BlackMagic Speed Test after reading this thread.

I got
read 912
write 927

OP:
Could you try that drive (with more than one connecting cable) on ANOTHER Mac or PC?

Also... try it on the USBa ports (not USBc).

 

[Boyd01]

I have a 2tb T7 Shield and four regular 2tb T7's. They're all getting rather full and clock about the same in the Blackmagic test on my 2018 (Intel) Mini.

But there are a number of threads discussing problems with slow USB-C external SSD's on the M1 Mini. I don't think there was ever a resolution for the problem, but haven't really followed it since I'm still on Intel. Here's one of those threads, but there are more:

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...w-speeds.2379268/?post=32248733#post-32248733

 

[PaulD-UK]

On my M1 Mini I find I get up to 20% faster speeds connecting USB-C 10 Gbps SSDs to a Thunderbolt 3 dock.
900+ instead of 650-750.
And they seem more stable connected that way.

 

[Fishrrman]

PaulD --
Re your post above...
WHICH dock do you have?

 

[PaulD-UK]

WD D50 Gaming dock - because it was recently on sale for ~60% off…
Internal 2TB WD SN750 SSD, R/W 2800/2600.

 

[rjalex]

The disk works a bit better if connected to one of the M1 Mini's USB-A port (50MB/s). It works vastly better if connected to the 2023 Pro M2, so I guess this is the 2020 M1 Mini's problem, not the disk per se. Thank you all.

 

[chrfr]

The disk works a bit better if connected to one of the M1 Mini's USB-A port (50MB/s). It works vastly better if connected to the 2023 Pro M2, so I guess this is the 2020 M1 Mini's problem, not the disk per se. Thank you all.

What version of macOS do you have on each of these computers?

 

[decat]

I have a 2tb T7 Shield and four regular 2tb T7's. They're all getting rather full and clock about the same in the Blackmagic test on my 2018 (Intel) Mini.

**IMG**

But there are a number of threads discussing problems with slow USB-C external SSD's on the M1 Mini. I don't think there was ever a resolution for the problem, but haven't really followed it since I'm still on Intel. Here's one of those threads, but there are more:

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...w-speeds.2379268/?post=32248733#post-32248733

Mine's a tad slower but nothing I'm concerned of.

T7 Shield 2TB connected to an iMac M1.

 

[Fishrrman]

Could the drive be defective?
Could the drive be "counterfeit"?