2TB in Australia: $749AUD. 4TB $1199AUD. I'll pass on these thanks.
Thunderbolt 5 is a technology that's only recently been adopted by Apple, and Thunderbolt 5 SSDs aren't yet common. Other World Computing, or OWC, has one of the first Thunderbolt 5 SSDs on the market.
The bus-powered Envoy Ultra is priced starting at $330, and it comes in 2TB or 4TB capacities. The SSD has a premium feel, with a black aluminum enclosure and an internal design meant to dissipate heat. It's not the most compact SSD, measuring in at 5.1 inches long, 3 inches wide, and 0.8 inches thick. It weighs 0.75 pounds, so while it tucks away easily in a bag, you're not going to want to haul it around in a pocket.
According to OWC, the SSD has an IP67 dust and water resistance rating, so it can hold up to temporary immersion in water (though make sure the cable end is dry before use). It's hefty and durable, but on a negative note, it has a built-in 9-inch Thunderbolt 5 cable that is not detachable. I am not a fan of built-in cables, but it does feel securely attached. How it'll hold up for years of use remains to be seen.
The SSD can reach speeds up to twice as fast as Thunderbolt 4/USB4 SSDs, maxing out at over 6,000MB/s. In testing with an M4 Pro MacBook Pro with Thunderbolt 5, I didn't quite hit that maximum. In benchmark tests with BlackMagic, it maxed out around 5,255MB/s write and 5,347MB/s read. Real world file tests were super quick, with 50GB transferring in about 15 seconds.
According to OWC, with sustained file transfers, write speeds will drop to around 1,350MB/s for the 2TB model and 1,700MB/s for the 4TB model, while read speeds stay consistent. I saw that dip in write speeds at around the 55GB mark.
Even when transferring large amounts of data, the Envoy Ultra did not get more than lukewarm, and since there's no fan inside, it offers silent operation.
To take advantage of the full speed of the Envoy Ultra, you need a computer that supports Thunderbolt 5. On the Mac side, that's Apple's latest Mac models with M4 Pro and M4 Max chips. Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4 Macs are backwards compatible with the SSD and you can still use it with them, but you're probably only going to want to opt for a Thunderbolt 5 SSD if you have the equipment for one.
If you do have a Thunderbolt 5 Mac and want the fastest transfer speeds you can get for tasks like moving huge video files around, you're not going to go wrong with the Envoy Ultra. It's well built, and comes from a reputable company known for its drives.
You could get the Envoy Ultra for use with an older Mac for the purpose of future proofing, but the price difference may not be worth it. There are so few Thunderbolt 5 SSDs on the market right now, so prices are on the higher side. Of course, USB4/TB4 SSDs are also not super affordable, and the Envoy Ultra will give you maximum Thunderbolt 4 speeds, too.
With an M1 Max MacBook Pro, I got consistent read/write speeds right around 3,000MB/s, so I did hit the Thunderbolt 4 limit.
2TB USB4 SSDs that operate at half of the Envoy Ultra's speed are priced at $180 to $250, and if you don't even need USB4 speeds, 2TB SSDs can be under $100.
Bottom Line
If you have a Thunderbolt 5 Mac or are going to get one in the future and you need super fast transfer speeds, check out the Envoy Ultra. It's a solid product and the only downside for some may be the attached cable.
How to Buy
The Envoy Ultra can be purchased from the OWC website. The 2TB model is priced at $330, and the 4TB model is priced at $549.
Note: OWC provided MacRumors with a 2TB Envoy Ultra for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.
Article Link: Review: OWC's Envoy Ultra SSD Delivers Thunderbolt 5 Transfer Speeds
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Review: OWC's Envoy Ultra SSD Delivers Thunderbolt 5 Transfer Speeds
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I went for a 1 TB internal and have two 4 TB TB5 SSDs attached to it. Apple's prices are just way too high.
I got an OWC thunderbolt 4 enclosure (basically a giant heat sink!) and put in my own M.2 to use as a scratch. It's lightning fast.
It also hard crashes adobe and Mac OS when waking from sleep. Better save everything if you are breaking for lunch!
I got an open box USB 4 drive from samsung for way less. Zero issues. Not as fast, but it doesn't hard crash everything.
It also hard crashes adobe and Mac OS when waking from sleep. Better save everything if you are breaking for lunch!
I got an open box USB 4 drive from samsung for way less. Zero issues. Not as fast, but it doesn't hard crash everything.
Crucial X9 Pro 2TB Portable SSD
Up to 1050MB/s Read & Write, 3.2 USB-C, External Solid State Drive,
Durable Storage for PC & Mac, for Content Creators & Videographers, Silver
CT2000X9PROSSD902
$129.99
$330? I would love to understand the reason for this price. I'm not suggesting OWC are price gouging, but it seems insane.
From what I understand, the most expensive part (other than a premium m.2 inside) is the cost of the chipset that enables TB5. There were EXTREMELY few products available last year, and I was watching all announcements and production sample demonstrations by YouTubers before the first ones were available to buy. First this OWC, then Sabrent, and then finally the enclosure manufacturers ACASIS and Trebleet were first to market. All of them apparently have specific chip from Intel, which reportedly had production issues and delays and ultimately still sits at a high price point. I believe TB4 went though such a progression but has obviously dropped price over time.
***For those of you who are itching to pipe in about getting a Samsung USB SSD or similar for MUCH less money, those drives are not in the same category at all. For a casual user backing up their machine or pulling up documents or shuttling video files, it's fine. But thunderbolt 5 is for users who need MUCH higher consistent speed, for things like editing video files/projects directly on the drive without duplicates or proxy media, running virtual machines speedily that exist only on the external SSD, and keeping a large installed game library. I can personally attest that all 3 activities perform far better on TB5.
Last edited:
Which model enclosures did you go with? Because I was going to using the drive for media and rendering that might take a while to complete, I avoided thermal throttling during continuous use by opting for one with a fan. I have one M4 mini on an ACASIS TBU401 that I've had a while now, and the SSD inside stays a lot cooler which should help with longevity if you stress them hard like I do.
I didn't know you could open the enclosure and swap the cable! I think that would alleviate most concerns about cable longevity.
Edit: I looked into this more. The cable does appear to be swappable, but it sounds like you would need to send the SSD to OWC for a repair since it's not sold separately. I did update the review to make a note of that.
Last edited:
I went with the Acasis TB501 Pro with a WD850x in one and a 990 Pro in the other. They are both very fast. The enclosures do get warm, but I have never noticed them getting hot.
Well, "2x faster than TB4 storage drives", not "2x faster than TB4".
It does make me curious where the bottleneck is.
Is there a ton of overhead somewhere, or was it just the arbitrary implementation of the bridge chips being used?
I think it would depend on what you are comparing it to. By principle, the OWC TB5 model can’t beat a TB4 drive with an identical m.2 drive inside, as they both connect to the host at 40GB. So this OWC drive would not outperform their own tb4 enclosure with something like a 990 Pro inside, as both speeds are constrained by the bus connection being TB4
Especially since they market it as "rugged." Sure, the case may be rugged, but I doubt the cable can take much beating. At minimum, the cable should have a "fold away channel" to slot into for storage so that it isn't just loose in your bag able to get caught on things. Not just dangling off the end. Replacable would be better. Even if the "device end" is behind an access door (as one of my Thunderbolt 3 docks is - it LOOKS built-in, but you can unscrew a small access door to gain access to the actual TB3 socket inside and replace the cable with a longer one.)
Depends on the TB4 SSD. This one can completely max out TB4, even in MacRumors' slower-than-advertised speed. If you have a TB4 SSD that can already max out TB4, you won't see any benefit from this one. If you have an older TB4 SSD that doesn't come close to TB4's maximum speed, this will be faster.
I always toss out those cables that come included. Haven't even tried the one that came with my T7 and T9. Use TB5 cable when they came to market.
The cable, although 'fixed' is actually replaceable should the need ever arise. It has a rubber seal, however, which helps keep the internals protected from dust/water, although the cable can be replaced quite easily should the need ever arise, as can the internal 2280 NVMe SSD.
The drive has an internal rubber gasket too, again sealing the two halves together to protect the internals. I was also happy to see adequate use of thermal pads on not just the SSD, but all chipsets, helping with heat dissipation.
My full video review will be up in the next day or two........
NOTE: While it can easily be opened via 4 screws, the drive is not sold as a user serviceable drive. Opening it will void any warranty, and is not encouraged with a drive at this price point!
Last edited:
This is what should be seen by anyone who is worried about cable longevity. Nicely presented.Full video review, also showing internals!