Andrew O'Hara
OWC is launching a new version of its bus-powered Envoy Pro EX portable SSD with fast speeds over USB-C.
Envoy Pro EX is an external NVMe M.2 SSD with a durable enclosure and ultra-fast speeds, adding to OWC's massive lineup of storage solutions.
The enclosure is all aluminum which offers durable protection and shock resistance. It is sealed to prevent dust and water from entering the drive and can even be submerged down to a meter for up to 30 minutes, i.e. an IP67 rating.
OWC purports that the Envoy Pro EX is so fast — up to 980 MB/s — that it is the fastest USB-C SSD to ever hit the market.
"This is unquestionably the fastest USB-C SSD ever produced, period," said Larry O'Connor, OWC CEO and Founder. "Our Envoy Pro EX family of SSDs has been a massive hit with both our professional and prosumer customers, especially for demanding workflows in-studio or rugged environments."
The Envoy Pro EX works but on Mac and PC and is available in capacities up to 2TB.
OWC launched a Thunderbolt 3 version earlier this year at CES 2019.
You can pick up the Envoy Pro EX with USB-C starting at $94.99 for just the enclosure going up to $429.99 for the 2TB configuration. 250GB, 500GB, and 1TB options are also available.
Malcolm Owen
William Gallagher
4 Comments
Nice. So is this the controller or the SSD itself allowing for this speed, or a combination of the two? I ask as I always like the DIY set ups where it's easy to replace any part easily in the future e.g. when the SSDs price fall yet again or a controller dies.
That's pretty pricey for an empty enclosure, even if it is USB 3.1 Gen 2. If its effective speed does turn out to be "unquestionably the fastest USB-C SSD ever produced," as OWC claims, potential buyers will have still to think about whether their workflow justifies the cost.
Note: Here's the product page you really want, not the link given in the article.
https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/external-drives/OWC-Envoy-Pro
OWC makes radical, quality gear, the sort of stuff that folks think La Cie builds but actually doesn't.
I wish OWC would invest in a deep re-branding though, they look like some 90's era cheap electronics outlet.
$94? How is this better than this one for $24?
https://www.amazon.com/USB3-1-Type-C-Mobile-10Gbps-Enclosure/dp/B07H6CZRGY/