Question Inconsistent Speeds on Samsung T7 Shield: Is My SSD Failing?

[FaithOnHuman]

Hello there!

I purchased a Samsung T7 Shield 2TB back in 2022 and have been using it extensively as my main SSD for editing footage and other tasks. Recently, I returned from a work trip during which I didn’t use the SSD for about 6–7 months. Upon plugging it in again, I noticed the following issue:

Sometimes, the disk becomes extremely slow, with write speeds dropping to as low as 2 MB/s. I thought it might be a firmware issue, so I updated it using the Samsung Magician application. After the update, the speed improved, and testing showed a write speed of around 850 MB/s.

However, subsequent tests revealed inconsistent results. Sometimes, I get the expected 850 MB/s, but other times, the speed drops back to 2 MB/s. This issue occurs on both macOS and Windows.

Is this a sign that the SSD is failing? Or is there something else I can do to fix it?

Thank you in advance!

 

[rgd1101]

how full is the ssd?

 

[ruby05guy]

Hello,

One thing to check is whether the SSD is overheating during intensive tasks, especially after being idle for several months. Also, consider testing it on a different USB port or with another cable to rule out connectivity issues. Running a health check using tools like Samsung Magician can provide insights into the drive's lifespan and any potential issues. If all else fails, it could be worth backing up your data immediately and edfinancial studentaid gov contacting Samsung support. They may offer a replacement if it’s still under warranty—it’s better to act now than risk data loss if the drive is indeed failing.