Crypto hardware wallet comparison Trezor Safe 5 vs Trezor Safe 3

Our impressions

Trezor Safe 5

Trezor Safe 3

Pros
  • Small form factor and portable
  • Touchscreen with Gorilla® Glass 3
  • Excellent value at a reasonable price point
  • Small form factor and very portable
  • Excellent value at an affordable price point
  • Phenomenally intuitive and efficient on-device recovery, PIN and seedphrase entry

Cons
  • Requires constant USB connection to operate
  • In our tests touch input was not as accurate as with the older Model T. We experienced situations that felt like lag, where we had to press multiple times, and adjacent letters to the ones we tried to enter. It is not a deal-breaker, but hopefully something that can improve with future firmware updates.
  • Requires constant USB connection to operate
Verdict

The second product in the first line of Trezor products incorporating a secure element. The Trezor flagship model with touchscreen and successor of the Model T. Main difference being, that it lost the convenient magnetic dock, gained a Gorilla® Glass 3 front , snappier hardware, and a minimally sleeker form factor.

Is it worth it?
If you are in the market for a new hardware wallet this seems one of the most secure, versatile, and portable options.Trezor is the most veteran and one of the biggest players in the hardware wallet market for a reason. Their newest products belong to the best products you can get currently.

If you already have a Model T and use wallets with long custom 25th word there is not really a compelling need for the upgrade.

Even if you don’t have a Model T and are looking for a new hardware wallet, the Trezor Safe 3 is a very strong competitor. It too has a Secure Element, is even a tiny bit smaller and easier to carry, and has a phenomenal alternative text input method with two buttons – which does not feel much inferior to touchscreen input TBH. Given that it boasts almost the same feature-set, coin support, and costs less than half the Trezor Safe 5 we feel like the Trezor Safe 3 is the logical choice.

We recommend you go for the Trezor Model 5 only if you prefer touch input, want to make use of the advanced SD card feature, or need to have the latest and shiniest gadget.

Finally the first line of Trezor products incorporating a secure element has arrived. In our opinion it easily takes the lead in the current Trezor product lineup – in terms of security and portability. Even with the launch of the newer Trezor Safe 5 it’s easily our price/performance winner.

Even though the device uses only two buttons for input, like the Model One did, and does not offer a touch-screen, like the Model T and Safe 5, its on-device recovery, PIN and seedphrase entry are phenomenal. Trezor really did something truly special with the way they handle user input despite the minimalist form factor. At less than half the price of the Trezor Safe 5 it is an easy recommendation.

Read more about the new generation of Trezor Safe 3 products.

Disclaimer: Our impressions are based on a compilation of factors tailored to the average user’s perspective. It is also important to note that whether a feature is a “pro” or “con” can depend on your situation and preferences. What may be an advantage in one scenario could be a challenge in another, and vice versa. Therefore, while reviewing these points, it’s essential to consider your unique requirements and circumstances when making decisions. This list aims to provide an idea of what to anticipate, but it is not the ultimate guide to determining whether something will work for you or not.

Key features

Trezor Safe 5

Trezor Safe 3

Release year

2024

2023

Supported coins

Supports multiple coins, Bitcoin-only mode available

  • BTC, ETH, LTC, XLM , DOGE, DASH, ZEC, NEM,
  • and a thousand others. See a full list at trezor.io/coins

Supports multiple coins, Bitcoin-only mode available

  • BTC, ETH, LTC, XLM , DOGE, DASH, ZEC, NEM,
  • and a thousand others. See a full list at trezor.io/coins
Open source
  • Firmware
  • Companion software
  • Firmware
  • Companion software
Seedphrase support
  • BIP-39 (Mnemonic phrase)
  • SLIP-39 (Shamir backup)
  • Passphrase
  • BIP-39 (Mnemonic phrase)
  • SLIP-39 (Shamir backup)
  • Passphrase
Security protections
  • Secure element
  • On device PIN entry
  • Factory reset with wrong PIN
  • Factory reset with decoy PIN
  • On device passphrase entry
  • On device recovery

Secure Element protected Certified Chip EAL6+

  • Secure element
  • On device PIN entry
  • Factory reset with wrong PIN
  • Factory reset with decoy PIN
  • On device passphrase entry
  • On device recovery

Secure Element protected Certified Chip EAL6+

Platform compatibility
  • Windows
  • macOS
  • Linux
  • Android
  • iOS
  • ChromeOS

iOS view only, ChromeOS is not officially supported, but it should work via Google chrome WebUSB protocol.

  • Windows
  • macOS
  • Linux
  • Android
  • iOS
  • ChromeOS

iOS view only, ChromeOS is not officially supported, but it should work via Google chrome WebUSB protocol.

Authentication token
  • FIDO U2F
  • FIDO2 Webauthn
  • SSH
  • FIDO U2F
  • FIDO2 Webauthn
  • SSH

Technical specifications

Trezor Safe 5

Trezor Safe 3

Dimensions

65.9 mm x 40 mm x 8 mm
2.59 in x 1.57 in x 0.31 in

59 mm x 32 mm x 7.4 mm
2.32 in x 1.26 in x 0.29 in

Weight

23 g
0.81 oz

14 g
0.49 oz

Display
  • Color
  • Touchscreen

Color touchscreen with haptic feedback
240 x 240 px

  • Monochrome
  • OLED

Monochrome display
128 x 64 px

Connectivity
  • USB-C
  • USB-C
Storage
  • microSD card
Processor

160MHz embedded ARM processor (Cortex M33)

180MHz embedded ARM processor (Cortex M4)

Safety & Certifications

CE and RoHS certifications
Airplane and X-ray safe

CE and RoHS certifications
Airplane and X-ray safe

Housing

Durable PC-ABS plastic, tamper-evident casing, anodized aluminum backplates, and intricate laser engraving
Available in black and multiple colors

Robust plastics
Available in black and multiple colors

Where to buy

Trezor Safe 5

Trezor Safe 3