Tested: Make sure this solid metal 2,800MB/s OWC Envoy PRO portable SSD is on your radar

We feature loads of different portable SSD options around here, but there are so many out there a few models will inevitably slip between the cracks and the OWC Envoy PRO portable SSD is one of them that really shouldn’t. Clocking in with pro-grade speeds faster than most of the competition out there and a build quality reminiscent of the robust metal offerings we have seen from the brand time and time again, the OWC Envoy PRO portable SSD should be on your radar and we have recently been giving it a run for its premium price tag to see if it’s worth the cash. 

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Hands-on with OWC’s Envoy PRO FX portable SSD:

OWC’s Envoy Pro FX is a speedy portable SSD that comes in four capacities ranging from 480GB all the way up to 4TB, not unlike most options out there. It delivers plug and play action with just about any modern computing system out there from Macs and Windows PCs, to Linux, iPad Pro, Chromebook, and Surface devices. 

The whole thing comes packed inside of a fanless, heat dissipating aluminum housing with universal support for Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 machines via both USB-C and USB-A connectivity options. OWC Aura SSD powered (an “advanced storage technology with TRIM support works with Thunderbolt to deliver the fastest and most reliable portable drive performance”), it delivers speeds up to 2,800MB/s. It is a particularly fast, weighty, and robust metal portable SSD. 

The first portable SSDs on the market  were one small step in mobile storage  advancement, often with limited capacity, speeds, and reliability. The Envoy Pro FX is one giant leap For All Computerkind

OWC’s Envoy PRO FX portable SSD starts at $194.99 shipped via its official Amazon storefront.

Here’s a closer look at the specs:

• Speeds up to 2800MB/s
• Heat dissipating aluminum housing
• IP67-rated
• MIL-STD810G certified military-level drop toughness
• LED for at a glance confirmation of power and activity status
• Non-skid rubber feet keep drive in place
• USB-C cable included
• Thunderbolt (USB-C) to USB-A adapter included
• 3-Year OWC Limited Warranty

gadgetnewsonline’ Take

Before we get into the performance, let’s discuss the build quality here. It, at this point, should come as no surprise that it is built like a solid little metal tank. After going hands-on with a number of the brand’s other gear – the Envoy Mini SSDs and, most recently, the OWC Thunderbolt Go docking station – I would expect no less. OWC takes its build quality seriously and I, for one, particularly appreciate that. I’m not fan of plastic housings in almost any case, and neither is OWC it would appear. 

There’s some notable weight to the drive, and it is a little bit larger a footprint than some of the other models we have reviewed from the big storage brands out there, but it is in no way cumbersome. It is more than small enough to throw in a small EDC kit, and certainly isn’t going to break with regular use (or far less careful applications, for that matter). 

Nice smooth, etched cutout lines along the sides add some interest to the tapered rectangular design. Rubberized feet along the bottom keep the drive in place and are joined by a pleasing blue activity LED on the front edge. No complaints on the build, look, or size from me. 

Ok so let’s talk speed. There’s no denying how fast the up to 2,800MB/s OWC rates this drive at – most popular consumer portable SSDs come in at 1,050MB/s with some models starting to push into the 1,600MB/s range and pro variants clocking in at 2,000MB/s or more. Very rarely do we ever see portable SSDs from the big brands come in at over 2,500MB/s unless they are full on docking stations and even then, it’s rare. This OWC model is very fast. 

Here’s a look at the Black Magic Speed Test results if that means anything to you:

I don’t particularly care what the speed test apps say, it’s all about real-world application and, for me, that means copying data and files from a modern Apple machine directly over USB-C to the drive. 

A 9GB transfer from my Mac mini directly over USB-C to the Envoy PRO FX goes so fast you’ll miss it happening if you blink – I mean that quite literally. A 21.69GB folder full of audio samples, Logic Pro assets, and even some video content copies over under the the same conditions in less than 1 minute’s time. I don’t know about you, but no matter what the speed test apps say, that’s more than fast enough for me. 

While many folks might immediately run to the Samsung and Western Digitals of the world when it comes to portable storage and the like, if you’re looking for serious performance and a high-quality piece of kit, I might suggest you reconsider. OWC has been doing the storage game for many years and does it very well. Pricing can come in at above the competition sometimes, but greatness isn’t cheap and neither are 2,800MB/s, solid metal portable SSDs. As someone who has reviewed, regularly uses, and has tested out a large number of portable SSDs over the years from all of the big brands, I can confidently say I love this drive so far, can’t imagine that changing any time soon, and that it should, at the very least, be on your radar. 

Buy the OWC Envoy PRO FX portable SSD

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