For us desktop/laptop lovers, storage devices usually amount to hard drives, but it looks like the future of storage just may be SSD (solid state drive). During CES a couple weeks back, Samsung unveiled their own external USB 3.0 SSD T1, a sleek and surprisingly small option for the modern (and fancy) digital consumer. The T1 comes at the perfect time, giving secure local storage that business professionals, travelers, and creators need (Cio Today).

Who knew a storage drive could be good looking? When it's up to Samsung, anything can look sexy, and this SSD card certainty is stylish. Less than three inches long, two inches wide, and a third of an inch thick (53.2 x 71.0 x 9.2 mm), the T1 is about the size of a shrunken credit card, and comes shipped with a USB 3.0 cable. In all its 26 grams, it's hard to believe each model packs 250GB, 500GB, or 1TB of storage.

Samsung also gave the T1 some added security. For example, upon plug-in, you must give a name and password, which earns you a 256-bit AES encryption (NSA-level protection) that will not interfere with the device's performance. Speaking of, the T1 boasts as a top notch performer, hence the USB 3.0 port for faster file transfer (thanks for opting for standard, Samsung!). But of course, transfer speeds will vary depending on your drive and cable interface. As far as read/write time for the T1, it measured an average of 450MB/S. This quick performance is usually in lieu of SSD's lack of spinning disks. Lastly, according to Samsung, the T1 is “up to 3.5x faster than an external HDD” (Slash Gear). That's kind of like a 15GB 4K movie transferring from a Mac Book Air to the T1 in 37 seconds, a work load that takes a regular ol' hard drive up to three minutes.

So, for the ability to transfer a “3G movie in eight seconds”, store up to 1TB of data, all while carrying this little guy in your pocket, wallet, or clutch, how much do we have to pay? For the 250GB, 500 GB, and 1TB options, prices are premium- $179, $299, and $599, respectively. Isn't this a hard pill to swallow, considering a regular hard drive that holds 1TB usually runs for less than $100? Yes. So, maybe this isn't for the average consumer, but for professionals who desire such a luxurious high-speed product. Time is money, isn't it?