Feed aggregator

Fulaim X5M: one-minute review

The Fulaim X5M is yet another option in what has become a boom area of content-creation tech: the miniature wireless digital microphone. Designed for vloggers, podcasters and the like, this set is a competitor to the likes of the DJI Mic 2 and Rode Wireless Micro, with clip-on transmitters wirelessly beaming an audio signal to a receiver that can be connected to a smartphone, computer or camera.

Perhaps the main selling point of the X5M is its budget-friendly price, which undercuts premium rivals like DJI, Rode and Sennheiser by a wide margin. That makes it a tempting purchase for newbie content creators who are just getting started, particularly given the flexibility offered by its adapters, along with the ability to record directly onto the transmitter's own 4GB of internal storage.

I'd expect some concessions to be made with any budget product, and with the X5M I'd say the main ones are its rather cheap-feeling build quality, and the fact that its audio quality tops out at 16-bit where premium rivals offer 24-bit and even 32-bit float options. The display on the receiver could do with some tweaks to make it a little more readable too, but none of the above are what I'd call deal-breakers.

If more premium mics are out of your reach, and you want something a little more flexible than the smartphone-only Boya Mini, the Fulaim X5M is well worth a look.

The core Fulaim X5M set with two transmitters, the receiver and charging case (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen) Fulaim X5M: price and release date

• List price is $199 / £150 / AU$310 for dual TX set
• Cheaper non-recording edition available
• Sold only as a set

Dual-transmitter kits with a charging case don’t come much cheaper than the Fulaim X5M. Its list price is $199 / £150 / AU$311, but I’ve found it for far less at many online stores including Amazon US for around $90 / Amazon UK for around £100, so you’ll be paying a lot less than you would for the likes of the DJI Mic Mini or Rode Wireless Micro.

That’s the price for the version of the X5M I was sent for review, which includes built-in recording on the transmitters. An even cheaper version lacking that feature is also available, for around $30 / £22 / AU$35 less.

Both sets are available to buy now from a range of online stores, but it’s worth noting that you can only get the X5M in a full package that also includes two transmitters, one receiver, a charging case, USB-C / Lightning / 3.5mm adapters, two furry windscreens and a USB-C cable; aside from replacement bits like the adapters and magnets, the elements of this kit aren’t available for individual purchase, at least as far as I could tell.

The charging case with two transmitters, the receiver and all three adapters inserted (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen) Fulaim X5M: specs

The receiver with its three adapters for Lightning, USB-C and 3.5mm devices. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen) Fulaim X5M: Design

• Most elements slot into charging case for transport
• Entire package weighs 8.5oz / 240g
• Adapters for USB-C, Lightning and 3.5mm included

The X5M, like many wireless mic packages, comprises two wearable transmitters, a receiver that can be connected to smartphones, tablets, computers and cameras, and a case that not only holds them but recharges their internal batteries. The case also has space for three connector adapters for the receiver (USB-C, Lightning and 3.5mm), a USB-C port for charging, and four LEDs on the front to give you a quick indication of its own battery life.

The whole kit will fit easily in your coat pocket, making the X5M wonderfully portable. I would have liked some kind of pouch or carrying bag to be included in the set though, as there’s nothing to stop the case flipping open in your bag and disgorging its contents. Also, there’s no room in the charging case for included accessories like the two furry windscreens or USB-C cable, so having a bag to hold everything would have made a lot of difference.

I found the general build quality to be okay, if a little cheap and plasticky. Pricier mic sets like the DJI Mic 2, Sennheiser Profile Wireless and Saramonic Ultra are all much sturdier than this – but that’s one reason you have to pay more for them, I suppose. There’s also no waterproofing on any of the elements here – at least nothing mentioned by Fulaim – so if you want to record outdoors in inclement weather you’ll need to exercise caution.

A Fulaim X5M transmitter with its furry windshield attached. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

The transmitters are small and lightweight, and can be attached to clothing via a clip or magnet. The clip is nice and strong, but I found the magnet pull to be a little weak, and I wouldn’t want to risk using it on any garment thicker than a lightweight T-shirt, lest it fall off.

Each transmitter has a USB-C port for charging and data transfer, as well as two buttons: one to switch power on/off and another that can be tapped to engage noise reduction tech and held down to start recording. It also has a 3.5mm input, enabling users to attach a third-party lavalier mic.

The receiver has a USB-C port for charging, plus an interface on the back that can accept one of the adapters, allowing it to be connected directly to products with Lightning, USB-C or 3.5mm ports. I tried it on my iPhone 13 and Panasonic GH6 II camera (with the Lightning and 3.5mm ports respectively) and found it to be a secure and fairly low-profile fit.

It also has a small non-touchscreen display that indicates battery life, recording mode, connection status and audio gain. This is a little hard to see from a distance at times, due to the choice of font and icons and its tiny size, but better to have than to not, I suppose.

The receiver also has two hardware buttons: one for power and one to toggle through five levels of gain adjustment.

Fulaim X5M: Performance

• 16-bit audio quality with noise reduction
• Stereo, mono and safety recording modes
• Transmitter can be used solo

There’s no sign of 24-bit or 32-bit audio here. The X5M, as befits its budget status, sticks with 16-bit audio – and I think that’s fine for a cheap wireless mic. Having tested the recording quality both indoors and outdoors on a blustery day, I’m more than happy with it – and I strongly suspect anyone who’s upgrading from a built-in mic on their phone or camera will feel the same. The sound is so much richer and fuller from a dedicated mic, while the furry windshield succeeds in cutting out wind noise when you're recording outdoors.

There’s even a noise reduction mode that, while I wouldn’t rely on it in truly challenging conditions, is very effective at reducing background hums – the likes of fans, air conditioners and road noise.

The X5M can record in three different modes: mono (which uses a single transmitter), stereo (where both transmitters record in tandem to create a single recording) and safety (where the second transmitter records at a slight gain reduction, as a backup track in case of the primary track experiencing a sudden loud noise or similar).

Each transmitter can be used for solo recording too, so you can ditch the rest of the set if you’re traveling really light. With 4GB of internal storage, it can record around nine hours of audio.

The X5M's receiver attached to an Apple iPhone 13 via its Lightning port. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

Battery life runs closer to six hours, however, with two full-recharge cycles being held in the charging case. In theory, with the charging case in your pocket you can get 18 hours of use out of the X5M before having to track down a wall socket or power bank, which is about average for a wireless mic set.

As for wireless range, Fulaim claims the X5M can work up to a range of about 650ft / 200m – that is, the distance between the transmitter and receiver. That’s in perfect conditions, of course, and I would expect the real-world figure to be a lot lower, although for the vast majority of users range is never going to be an issue. I certainly had no problems with connectivity or transmission during my review period.

Should I buy the Fulaim X5M? Buy it if…

You want a versatile wireless mic on a budget

With its trio of adapters for connecting to all types of smartphone plus laptops and cameras, plus solo recording, this is a cheap package that isn’t restricted to a single mode of audio capture.

You’re a beginner content creator

The 16-bit audio recorded by the X5M is so much crisper, weightier, and richer than the sound you’d get from a smartphone or camera’s built-in mic, making it a cheap and simple way to elevate vlog audio.

Don’t buy it if…

You want to record in pro-quality audio formats

The X5M sticks with ‘good enough’ 16-bit audio recording, so demanding professionals who require 24-bit or even 32-bit float recording should look elsewhere – and be willing to spend more money.

You want super-tough build quality

The plasticky build quality, lack of weatherproofing, and lack of a carrying case or bag make this a mic set that needs to be handled with a little care. It’s not necessarily designed for the rough and tumble of frequent outdoor use.

Fulaim X5M: also consider

Boya Mini

This ultra-cheap, ultra-compact and ultra-lightweight wireless microphone is designed to work only with smartphones, meaning you can’t connect it to a camera. Like the Fulaim X5M, it records at 16-bit quality rather than the 24-bit offered by some pricier alternatives.

Read our Boya Mini review

DJI Mic Mini
A premium and versatile alternative that’s currently quite a bit pricier than the Fulaim X5M, the Mic Mini features 24-bit audio and Bluetooth connectivity, meaning you can bypass the receiver altogether. Its transmitters are quite a bit smaller than the Fulaim X5M’s too, which is handy if you want something a little more discreet.

Read our DJI Mic Mini review

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen) How I tested the Fulaim X5M

• I used it regularly for a week
• I tested outside and indoors
• I used it solo, and paired with iPhone 13 and Panasonic Lumix GH6 II

In order to see how it fared in different environments I tested the Fulaim X5M in a range of scenarios, from the quiet and relatively controlled environment of my home office to the windy coast of southeast England.

I also recorded with it in several different ways: using the transmitter’s built-in recording capability; with the receiver connected to my Apple iPhone 13 using a Lightning adapter; and with the receiver connected to my Panasonic Lumix GH6 II mirrorless camera via its 3.5mm analog adapter.

• First reviewed: March 2025
• Read more about how we test

Users with verified profiles will get a special badge.

Having your entire library at your fingertips anytime can help you keep your reading habit. We've tested and picked the finest e-readers available this year.

Staten Island is home to a slew of broadband providers. Our broadband experts have hand-picked the best ISPs and plans to get you the best service possible.

Check out the best streaming options for the men's and women's college basketball tournaments.

• Security pros spot a new LockBit variant in the wild
• A potential affiliate abused two Fortinet flaws to deploy the encryptor
• There are multiple overlaps with LockBit 3.0

LockBit affiliates are using vulnerable Fortinet endpoints to target businesses with an updated ransomware strain, experts have warned.

Cybersecurity researchers at Forescout found the threat actor is using two vulnerabilities in Fortinet firewalls, tracked as CVE-2024-55591, and CVE-2025-24472, to deploy an updated ransomware strain named SuperBlack.

Both vulnerabilities had been used in the past before, and both were patched in January 2025 - so the best way to defend against the attacks is to make sure your Fortinet firewalls are up to date.

At least three victims

Forescout named the group running the attacks “Mora_001”. Since there are some overlaps in its tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP) with LockBit, the researchers believe the group could be a LockBit affiliate.

Apparently, SuperBlack is based on the builder that was used in LockBit 3.0 attacks, and which leaked in the past. Furthermore, the ransom note in both LockBit and Mora_001 attacks uses the same messaging address.

Speaking to TechCrunch, senior manager of threat hunting at Forescout, Sai Molige, said there were at least three confirmed cases, but added that “there could be others”.

LockBit was one of the most disruptive and influential ransomware groups around, however, in late February 2024, it was struck by the FBI, and it never fully recovered. The law enforcement seized its website, the data it held, and obtained “thousands” of decryption keys.

It also obtained information about its affiliates which, at the time, counted around 200 groups, and later urged the affiliates to come forward. In February this year, the bulletproof hosting service provider, allegedly used by LockBit, was sanctioned by the US and the UK.

LockBit took roughly a week to get back on its feet and resume operations, but it is possible that many of its affiliates pivoted to other groups, such as RansomHub or Medusa.

You might also like

• US, UK crack down on Russian bulletproof hosting service ZServers for LockBit partnership
• We've rounded up the best password managers
• Take a look at our guide to the best authenticator app

Germany's would-be next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, won lawmakers' approval to loosen strict debt rules for higher defense spending as doubts mount about the strength of the trans-Atlantic alliance.

(Image credit: Ebrahim Noroozi)

The global supply chain is the backbone of the world’s economy. From suppliers and manufacturers to transporters, retailers, and consumers, every step is interconnected. Yet, as powerful and efficient as it usually is, this vast network is highly vulnerable to disruption.

A cyberattack can delay shipments, halt construction projects, or leave manufacturers unable to get the parts they need—whether it’s for electronics, medical supplies, or even everyday goods. For consumers, it means missing out on the products they rely on, facing longer wait times for deliveries, or even seeing prices skyrocket as shortages set in. When cybercriminals target supply chain operations, the ripple effects can be devastating.

One of the growing threats in this space is phishing scams – specifically, double brokering fraud attacks. In the past few years, freight and transportation companies have faced an alarming rise in these scams. Complaints relating to double brokering have surged by 400% since 2022, with 50% of freight brokers naming it their top concern.

Attackers impersonate legitimate transport companies, tricking victims into divulging sensitive shipment details, which are then intercepted or redirected for financial gain. The consequences can be severe: financial losses, uninsured loads, delayed deliveries, and lasting reputational damage.

Double brokering: The hidden cyber threat affecting global transport

Double brokering scams are particularly effective because they exploit the fast-paced nature of the logistics industry, where efficiency and cost savings often outweigh thorough vetting processes.

Here’s how they work: Scammers pose as legitimate freight brokers or create fake transportation companies. Using phishing emails, they gain access to shipment details – such as pick-up, destination, size, and scheduling. They then offer a lower rate than competitors for their services, in order to win contracts from unsuspecting businesses.

Once they secure the job, instead of transporting the shipment themselves, they pass it off to a legitimate carrier – often a real trucking company that believes it has been hired for a normal job. The scammer collects payment from the original client but never pays the actual carrier, pocketing the money and then disappearing – long before the fraud is discovered.

These scams have gained traction due to the sheer number of transportation companies out there, many of which – surprisingly in this digital age – operate without websites, making them much easier to impersonate. Meanwhile, phishing emails have become increasingly sophisticated, with scammers using real carrier numbers and forged (but legitimate looking) documents to avoid detection.

Why phishing is the perfect vehicle for double brokering

Phishing is the go-to tactic for double brokering scams because it doesn’t rely on hacking technical systems – it preys on human error. A simple click on a malicious link or an unwitting disclosure of shipment details can be enough to set a scam in motion. Since email is so ingrained in the supply chain, it provides cybercriminals with an easy, high-reward entry point.

Scammers often register fake domains that mimic legitimate ones (e.g., xyzshippingllc.com instead of xyzshipping.com). Once they deceive a victim into sharing shipment details, they act fast – hijacking the load and redirecting payments before anyone realizes what’s happened. The fallout extends far beyond financial losses. Businesses face delayed deliveries, lost or damaged goods, and a tarnished reputation that can have long-term consequences – leaving businesses to pick up the pieces long after the scam is over.

With cybercriminals becoming increasingly sophisticated, staying one step ahead requires a proactive approach to security, verification, and fraud prevention.

Staying ahead

The foundation of any cybersecurity strategy is awareness. Phishing may be subtle, but it’s preventable. Employees must be trained to recognize the warning signs of fraudulent emails – such as unusual variations, where cybercriminals swap out characters or add extra words like "LLC" or "INC" to make an email look legitimate. When in doubt, always verify. A quick call to confirm the sender’s identity before sharing sensitive shipment information can prevent costly fraud.

Technology plays a crucial role in strengthening defenses, but it’s not foolproof. Solutions like zero trust security postures help businesses secure their applications and data, ensuring only verified users and legitimate requests can access critical systems, reducing the risk of phishing-based fraud.

Email security protocols including DMARC, DKIM, and SPF, help reduce phishing threats, but they aren’t perfect – 89% of phishing emails still slip through traditional filters. This is where advanced technologies like machine learning and artificial intelligence provide additional benefits, identifying patterns and flagging suspicious activity with greater accuracy and in real time to detect fraud before it hits.

Beyond prevention, businesses must also focus on cyber resilience – the ability to withstand and recover from cyberattacks without significant disruption. It’s not just about preventing threats but ensuring operations can continue even if a breach occurs. Strengthening cyber resilience starts with evaluating your risks and vulnerabilities across the entire supply chain, from internal systems to third-party logistics partners, and making sure there is no weak link.

By combining awareness, advanced security tools, and a cyber-resilient mindset, organizations can stay ahead of cybercriminals and protect their operations from the growing threat of double brokering scams.

Collaboration is key

Protecting the global supply chain against phishing and cyber threats isn’t just an individual responsibility – it requires industry-wide collaboration. Given the complexity of modern logistics, mitigating cyber risks depends on businesses, industry groups, and regulators sharing knowledge, threat intelligence, and best practices.

For transport companies, cyber resilience must be a priority. Raising awareness, investing in advance technology, and promoting a secure culture can significantly reduce the impact of phishing scams and double brokering fraud. Meanwhile, consumers who interact with logistics platforms must also remain cautious, as cybercriminals exploit vulnerabilities at every level of the supply chain.

A stronger, more secure supply chain starts with identifying and reinforcing weak links. By making cybersecurity a shared mission, businesses can protect not just their own operations but the broader economy – ensuring a safer, more resilient future for global trade.

We profile the best Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

• Chiral semiconductors use a few tricks from Mother Nature
• The same brightness with much less energy usage
• Big implications for future computers as well as displays

A breakthrough new OLED technology could mean smartwatches with longer battery life, more energy-efficient TVs, and even brighter displays all around.

The breakthrough comes from researchers at the University of Cambridge and the Eindhoven University of Technology, and it revolves around what are called chiral semiconductors.

The research shows that these semiconductors can deliver "record-breaking" brightness and efficiency, and that could be a really big deal for any device with a display from the smallest smartwatch to the most massive OLED TV.

Here comes the science bit

One of the biggest energy drains in screens is the use of polarization layers, which in OLED TVs are generally used to reduce ambient light leakage, ensure the precise contrast the tech is known for. But this filtering process absorbs a lot of light – the firm American Polarizers Inc says that any polarizer absorbs more than 50% of the light going through it; that's a lot of wasted energy.

This new technology is different because it does its own polarization.

According to Eindhoven University of Technology, the semiconductor that the researchers have developed emits circularly polarized light that "carries information about the ‘left or right-handedness’ of electrons." Where normal silicon semiconductors are symmetrical, chiral molecules are left- or right-handed and mirror one another. The most famous example of that is in DNA, where they form the double helix we know so well.

Making chiral semiconductors has proven to be very difficult, but the researchers have found a way. Taking their inspiration from nature, the researchers created right- and left-handed spiral columns from stacks of semiconducting molecules. And those columns could transform the best OLED TVs, the best smartwatches, and everything in between.

According to Professor Sir Richard Friend from Cambridge University, who co-led the research, “Unlike rigid inorganic semiconductors, molecular materials offer incredible flexibility – allowing us to design entirely new structures, like chiral LEDs. It’s like working with a Lego set with every kind of shape you can imagine, rather than just rectangular bricks.”

The semiconductor the team has created is based on a material known as triazatruxene, or TAT for short. It self-assembles into a helix and electrons can spiral along it; the university describes it as being like the head of a screw.

Those structures can be incorporated into OLED panels, as co-first author Rituparno Chowdhury, from Cambridge’s Cavendish Laboratory, explains. "We’ve essentially reworked the standard recipe for making OLEDs like we have in our smartphones, allowing us to trap a chiral structure within a stable, non-crystallising matrix."

The circularized, polarized LEDs demonstrated "record-breaking efficiency, brightness and polarization, making them the best of their kind," Eindhoven University of Technology says.

We're still years away from seeing this technology in any of the best TVs. But it's a big breakthrough that's relevant not just to TVs and other electronic items. According to Eindhoven University of Technology it also has big implications for quantum computing and what's known as "spintronics": a field of research that uses electrons' spin to store and process information, and that one day may lead to faster, more secure computers.

You might also like

• The TV tech to watch out for in 2025
• 5 innovations we saw at CES that'll transform televisions
• The best OLED TVs you can buy right now

An apparent battery breakthrough could be good news for the EV industry from a Chinese company that previously pledged to work with Tesla.

Samsung 9100 Pro: Two-minute review

It's very hard to say that a drive that sequentially reads nearly 12,500MB a second doesn't live up to expectations, especially not when its performance everywhere else is better than anything else I've tested, but that sticker on the box of the Samsung 9100 Pro that promises up to 14,800MB/s sticks in the craw of an otherwise perfect M.2 PCIe 5.0 SSD.

Starting at $199.99 for a 1TB capacity drive (about £155/AU$315), the 9100 Pro is Samsung's first 'true' PCIe 5.0 SSD after the Samsung 990 EVO and Samsung 990 EVO Plus. Both those drives are PCIe 5.0, but they only use two PCIe 5.0 lanes, which limits their practical speeds to PCIe 4.0 standards.

The 9100 Pro, meanwhile, is a full-fat PCIe 5.0 x4 M.2 drive, meaning its theoretical max speed for sequential reads is upwards of roughly 15,000MB/s and 14,000MB/s for sequential writes (this number has been edging up over the past 3-5 years, so take that theoretical maximum with a grain of salt at this point).

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

Samsung promises that its latest drive can hit up to 14,800MB/s sequential read and 13,400MB/s sequential write, and the Samsung 9100 Pro gets there somewhat. It clocks in a max sequential write rate of 13,066MB/s in my testing, but the 9100 Pro's maximum sequential read speed only hit 12,427MB/s. This is still incredibly fast—but, it's not what's promised on the box.

Could that change with BIOS or firmware updates, sure. Possibly. But it's not like other PCIe 5.0 drives like the Crucial T705 aren't hitting close to 14,500MB/s. The T705 hits a max sequential read speed of 14,390MB/s in CrystalDiskMark 8 on the same testbench with a Gigabyte Aorus X870E motherboard, AMD Ryzen 9 9950X processor, and 32GB Corsair Dominator DDR5 running at 6,600MT/s and integrated graphics, so there's no interference from a graphics card.

Meanwhile, compared to its predecessor, the Samsung 990 Pro, the 9100 Pro is a much better overall drive, but there are circumstances where the 990 Pro still manages to outperform its successor such as same and secondary drive copy time and random read and write speeds.

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

On balance, the Samsung 9100 Pro isn't the undisputed best SSD you can buy, and for some users (such as gamers or general-use enthusiasts), you will likely be happier with other PCIe 5.0 or even PCIe 4.0 drives on the market, many of which will be cheaper than the 9100 Pro.

That said, this is a drive for professional users and for those who need to save or otherwise write large files to disk regularly, and for that, the Samsung 9100 Pro is the best M.2 SSD on the market.

Gamers won't find much here worth the investment, unfortunately, with even the 990 Pro outperforming the 9100 Pro in 3DMark's SSD benchmark, which is a gaming-exclusive test. It also falls about 17% behind the Corsair MP700 Elite PCIe 5.0 SSD on this benchmark as well.

For general business users, the 9100 Pro is better than its predecessor but lags behind the Crucial T705 in PCMark 10, which tests general productivity speed and performance as well as its performance as a data drive rather than your main system drive.

Given all this, you'd think that the 9100 Pro should score lower, but it really comes in strong on sequential write performance, which is a very big deal for professional users who might need to save media projects that are many, many gigabytes large.

Nothing disrupts a workflow more than a project autosaving for up to half a minute or more, and this is where the 9100 Pro shines. Offering up to 39% faster sequential write performance than the Crucial T705, its nearest competitor in this category, the Samsung 9100 Pro really leans into its pro branding here.

The 9100 Pro unit I tested did not come with a built-in heatsink, so its thermal performance is largely a factor of the excellent PCIe 5.0 heatsink on the Gigabyte Auros X870E motherboard I used for testing (I also used the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X and 32GB of Corsair Dominator DDR5 RAM at 6,600MT/s), so I can't speak much to the heatsink's quality in this review.

Also, I tested a 9100 Pro with a 4TB capacity, whereas every other drive I tested had a 2TB capacity. This, in itself, shouldn't impact baseline scores too much, if at all, but it's worth pointing out that while I still consider this an apples-to-apples comparison, it's more of a Cosmic Crisp-to-Red Delicious comparison, so your actual experienced performance might vary slightly from mine.

All that said, the other major problem with this drive is its price. It's an expensive drive, and for a lot of gamers and those who are more interested in faster loading times for their programs and files, the Crucial T705 is simply a better option with comparable write speeds but close-to-max read speeds for a lower price.

If you're looking for a drive that you can use in more of a professional capacity with frequent saves of very large files like video projects or video game packages in Unreal Engine, the Samsung 9100 Pro is the best SSD you're going to get for that purpose and it will absolutely speed up your everyday workflow considerably.

Samsung 9100 Pro: Price & availability

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

• How much does it cost? Starting at $199.99 (about £155/AU$315)
• When is it available? Available now
• Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia

The Samsung 9100 Pro is available in the US, UK, and Australia starting on March 18, 2025, for $199.99 (about £155/AU$315) for a 1TB drive.

Higher capacities will cost you more, with the 2TB capacity going for $299.99 (about £230/AU$470)and the 4TB capacity going for $549.99 (about £425/AU$865).

The 9100 Pro 8TB capacity drive is expected to launch in H2 2025, though its price hasn't been released yet.

This puts the 9100 Pro roughly 30% more expensive to start over the Crucial T705 1TB, and slightly more expensive than the launch MSRP of the Samsung 990 Pro it replaces.

Samsung 9100 Pro: Specs Should you buy the Samsung 9100 Pro?

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler) Buy it if...

You need pro-level sequential write performance
Are you writing 20GB files to disk every time you save your architecture project? This drive is for you.

You want an M.2 SSD with high-capacity options
With a 4TB drive available now and 8TB capacity coming later this year, this is one of the most spacious M.2 SSDs on the market.

Don't buy it if...

You're on a budget
This is hardly the cheapest PCIe 5.0 drive out there, even at this level of performance.

You're looking for a PS5 SSD
If you want a new SSD for your PS5 console, this drive is way too fast for the PS5's PCIe 4.0 interface. You're better off getting the 990 Pro.

Samsung 9100 Pro: Also consider

If my Samsung 9100 Pro review has you looking for other options, here are two more M.2 SSDs to consider...

Crucial T705
The Crucial T705 is the best all-around PCIe 5.0 drive you can buy, with stellar performance across the board and a fairly accessible price point.

Read the full Crucial T705 review

Samsung 990 Pro
The Samsung 990 Pro is the best PCIe 4.0 SSD going, and for 95% of users, this drive will be more than enough for your needs at a decent enough price.

Read the full Samsung 990 Pro review

How I tested the Samsung 9100 Pro

• I spent about two weeks testing this SSD
• I used it for gaming, content creation, and general storage use
• I used my standard suite of SSD benchmarks as well as daily use

To test the 9100 Pro, I ran it through our standard benchmark suite, including CrystalDiskMark 8, PassMark, PCMark 10, 3DMark, and our proprietary 25GB file copy test.

I used this drive as my main system storage (C:\) drive for over a week on my test bench, where I used it extensively for loading games for graphics card benchmarking purposes, content creation, and more. This included loading games and large batches of photos for editing in Lightroom and Photoshop for various reviews.

I've been testing hardware components for TechRadar for over three years now, including several major SSD reviews from Samsung, PNY, and others, so I know what the latest SSDs are best for and whether they are worth your hard-earned money.

First reviewed March 2025

Protect yourself from spam calls, scammy texts and data breaches with one convenient app.

The Fed's plan to hold interest rates steady on Wednesday won't provide relief for the housing market.

President Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 against Tren de Aragua members, provoking a legal fight. Here's what to know about the controversial law, which was last used during World War II.

(Image credit: El Salvador presidential press office)

Find high speed internet in the Good Life City, from fiber to cable internet.

This week brings a number of promising new reads — but none more eagerly awaited than Sunrise on the Reaping. We offer 5 books to consider picking up.

This slate gray mouse feels buttery smooth but is outshined by its cheaper non-pro sibling.

About 80,000 documents related to the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy are expected to be released, but presidential historians don't expect any bombshell revelations.

(Image credit: Jim Altgens)

If you're dealing with a puffy or swollen face, you might think you have cortisol face. Here are the facts.

Feeling stressed? We asked experts about who should take ashwagandha to potentially help with anxiety, sleep, stress and more.