OWC Envoy Ultra Thunderbolt 5 reviewed: world's fastest external SSD rivals internal PCIe 4.0 X4 models
Other World Computing is currently the only storage solution provider to offer a 2 TB external SSD with Thunderbolt 5 connectivity. The company kindly supplied us with two Envoy Ultra 2 TB units for testing and the results presented in our review show that Thunderbolt 5 allows an external PCIe 4.0 X4 NVMe SSD to essentially match or at times outpace popular internal solutions like the Samsung 980 Pro.
With a theoretical maximum of 80 Gbps for data transfers, the Thunderbolt 5 connector would also work with PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSDs. However, the maximum speed for the external drive would be capped at ~10 GB/s, while high-end internal PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSDs can already break the 14 GB/s barrier. Keeping in mind that the Envoy Ultra 2 TB with its PCIe 4.0 X4 interface comes with an already high price point of $399.99, PCIe 5.0 solutions will most likely emerge at an even higher premium.
As far as speeds in practical scenarios are concerned, sequential reads are clearly as advertised, since the SSD exceeds 6 GB/s. Write speeds are somewhat slower in sequential mode, but when it comes to random modes, read and write speeds are almost equal in multi-thread loads. The PCMark 10 storage bandwidth as well as the latest storage tests reveal that the Envoy Ultra is a tad faster than internal PCIe 4.0 solutions. We also included the brand new DirectStorage test in 3DMark.
The design of the Envoy Ultra is solid, with an IP66 certification for the rugged metallic case that can withstand drops and protect against dust and water. It also features radiator-like patterns on the edges, increasing the cooling efficiency. In our tests, the Envoy Ultra did not go over 45 C.
All in all, the Envoy Ultra is a slick solution with the fastest speeds we have ever tested for an external SSD, but pricing is definitely not for everyone. Additionally, in order to benefit from the 6 GB/s speeds, the Thunderbolt 5 port is a must, but this is available only on high-end devices at the moment.
Source(s)
