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If you're in the market for a top-notch portable SSD in performance, OWC has some exciting news. Today, the storage vendor unveiled its first: the Envoy Ultra Thunderbolt 5 SSD.
Envoy Ultra Thunderbolt 5 SSD: A potentially non-compromising portable drive
As the name suggests, this is a portable SSD that uses the Thunderbolt 5 standard to connect to a host. OWC says it'll sport a copy speed "exceeding 6,000MB/s", which is the fastest to date if it is true.
Thunderbolt 5 in brief
First introduced by Intel in 2023, Thunderbolt 5 is the new peripheral standard with up to 80Gb/s (10,000MB/s) of bi-directional data speed and up to 120Gb/s for display bandwidth needs. The new standard is compatible with Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 4, USB4, and USB-C devices.
What's so significant is the flexibility of the new TB5 standard, which allows the new drive to be natively compatible with USB4 and, therefore, works with a computer with USB-C ports.
This backward compatibility is important because, right now, there are hardly any computers that feature TB5. Even the most expensive laptop and latest desktop motherboards feature Thunderbolt 4 at most, which is faster than most daily needs anyway.
Still, you need Thunderbolt 4 or 5 to get the best performance out of it. That said, the Encoy Ultra Thunderbolt 5 SSD is not designed for casual users who are happy with standard USB portable SSDs. Instead, it's made for professionals who have no time to wait.
Other than the support for Thunderbolt 5 and the speedy performance, here are its other highlights per OWC:
- Ready for Anything: Easily handle daily data needs to pro-level creative projects while matching internal storage performance.
- Versatile: Works with Macs, PCs, iPad Pros, Chromebooks, and Surface devices.
- Rugged: Water-resistant, dust-resistant, and crushproof.
- Convenient: Bus-powered with built-in Thunderbolt cable.
- Silent: Fanless, heat-dissipating aluminum design.
The new drive comes with a Thunderbolt 5 cable permanently attached. It's bus-powered without a second USB-C port, meaning in a daisy-chain setup, it has to be at the end of the chain—you can't connect another USB or Thunderbolt device to it.
Like other portable SSDs from OWC, the Envoy Ultra Thunderbolt 5 SSD is rugged and can handle rough environments.
Envoy Ultra Thunderbolt 5 SSD: Hardware specifications
| Envoy Ultra Thunderbolt 5 SSD | |
| Compatibility | USB4 Thunderbolt 3 Thunderbolt 4 Thunderbolt 5 |
| Port | 1x USB-C (bus-powered) |
| Capacities | 2TB, 4TB |
| Dimensions (WHD) | 2.8 x 0.8 x 4.9 in (7.1 x 2.0 x 12.4 cm) |
| Weight | 11.5 oz (327.2 g) |
| Rated copy speed | Up to 6,000MB/s |
| Ruggedness | Waterproof, dustproof, and crushproof |
| Security | None |
| System Requirements | Works with Thunderbolt 3/4 Macs and USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 iPad Pros; Thunderbolt 4/5 or USB4 Windows PCs, Chromebooks, and Surface devices: • Mac with Thunderbolt 4 or Thunderbolt/ • USB4: macOS 14.4 or higher • Mac with Thunderbolt 3: macOS 15.0 • PC with Thunderbolt 5: Windows 11 • PC with Thunderbolt 4: Windows 10 or 11 |
| Boot drive support | Yes |
| Warranty | 3-Year |
| Availability | October 2024 |
| MSRP | $399.99 (2TB) and $599.99 (4TB) |
Availability and pricing
OWC says the new Envoy Ultra Thunderbolt 5 SSD is available for pre-order today and will start shipping next month. It's slate to cost $399.99 (2TB) and $599.99 (4TB).
Apart from the new portable SSD, OWC also announces its Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C) cables that are available now in lengths of 12 in (.3 m), 31 in (.8m), and 39 in (1m) for $22.99, $27.99, and $39.99, respectively.
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