OWC has introduced its new external SSD designed to offer high performance, rugged design, and broad compatibility. Offering up to 2800 MB/s sequential read speeds, the Envoy Pro FX can handle virtually all kinds of bumps while providing compatibility with Thunderbolt 3/4, USB 3.2, and USB 4 hosts.
OWC's Envoy Pro FX packs a standard Aura P12 Pro SSD module (PS5012-E12S, 3D TLC NAND) behind Intel's JHL7740 (Titan Ridge) as well as Realtek's RTL9210 controllers to guarantee compatibility both with Thunderbolt 3/4 as well as USB 3.2 Gen 2 hosts at full speed. OWC says that Thunderbolt 3/4 or USB4 host the drive will provide up to 2800 MBps of read throughput, whereas with a USB 3.2 Gen 2 host, the SSD will offer speeds of around 1000 MBps.
The OWC Envoy Pro FX comes in a strong-featured charcoal grey aluminum chassis that acts as a heatsink for the SSD inside, is MIL-STD810G-certified for ruggedness (no details about drop heights) as well as IP67-certified for protection dust and humidity (i.e., completely protected against dust, can survive one meter of immersion for up to 30 minutes).
While Thunderbolt 3 accessories/peripherals are officially compatible with USB-C hosts, not all TB3 devices can work with all USB-C hosts. By using a dual-drive architecture with two controllers, OWC can guarantee that the Envoy Pro FX will work both with a shiny new Apple Mac with an Apple-designed TB4 controller as well as a mature machine with a USB 3.x Gen 2 port. Such compatibility is required by those who need to physically share data between different systems.
"The OWC Envoy Pro FX is a giant leap For All Computerkind," said Larry O'Connor, CEO and Founder of OWC. "It's the first portable SSD with out-of-this-world performance and compatibility. With the OWC Envoy Pro FX, you plug into past, current Thunderbolt and USB equipped Macs and PCs, or future Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 machines."
OWC plans to offer its Envoy Pro FX if four different versions with 240GB, 480GB, 1.0TB, and 2.0TB of 3D NAND. The cheapest 240GB flavor will be available for $169 shortly, whereas the most advanced 2.0TB model is already available for $479. All drives come backed by a three-year warranty and you might be able to find an OWC promo code to bring down the cost.
