OWC Launches Thunderbolt 3 M.2 NVMe SSD Enclosure

Touted as the world's first Thunderbolt 3 bus-powered external enclosure, the new OWC Envoy Express will help you squeeze every bit of performance out of your M.2 NVMe SSD.

The Envoy Express has a black anodized aluminum exterior that protects your M.2 SSD and looks stylish in the process. The enclosure is specially designed for M.2 drives that measure 80 mm long so the overall length of the Envoy Express is shorter than your average ballpoint pen. It weighs in at 3.3 ounces, which makes it very pocket-friendly to accompany you on the go.

Having your favorite M.2 SSD at your fingertips can prove to be useful in many scenarios. The OWC Envoy Express can serve you as a backup device, and a very fast one at that. OWC recorded a transfer speed of 1,553 MBps with the brand's own Aura Pro P12 SSD and an iMac Pro Late 2017 (iMacPro 1.1). 

The OWC Envoy Express will most likely function as medium for backup, however, you could also use the enclosure to house a M.2 NVMe drive to act as a high-speed boot device.

The OWC Envoy Express communicates with your PC or Mac through the Thunderbolt 3 interface with a corresponding 10.2-inch cable that's connected nto the enclosure itself. This makes the enclosure rather inconvenient since you'd need to take it apart to remove the cable if you fancy lugging it around.

The enclosure targets mobile users that are always on the road. OWC has developed a primitive, but functional mounting system for the Envoy Express. A lightweight plastic holder, which comes with removable adhesive gel, can be attached to the back of your Mac or laptop. Then all you have to do is slide the Envoy Express into the adapter, and it'll sit happily behind your mobile device.

OWC sells the Envoy Express for $79.99. However, for a limited time, you can pre-order it for just $68 and you can probably get it for less with an OWC promo code. The enclosure is backed with a limited two-year warranty.