OWC Envoy 1TB portable SSD review

OWC Envoy 1TB: 30-second review

The OWC Envoy 1TB is an ultra-portable NVMe SSD that blends performance, capacity, size, and flexibility in its use. It is one of a growing number of high-performance portable SSDs aimed at the pro market and differs from standard portable SSDs in size, build quality, and performance. 

Sure enough, unboxing the Envoy reveals a sleek, palm-sized drive that instantly impresses with its aircraft-grade aluminium housing. Like many of the best portable SSDs, this housing provides both durability and heat dissipation when the drive is under pressure, all to prevent thermal throttling, especially useful when editing video. The only connection to the drive is a single USB Type-C connector, which provides the power and data transfer to keep things small and simple. 

Setting up the Envoy is straightforward. It comes pre-formatted with Apple File System (APFS) for immediate use with Mac devices, but Windows users can easily reformat using OWC's free Drive Guide or using their own choice of software to format to the desired file system. Whatever file system you choose, the USB-C cable ensures compatibility with a wide range of devices, from the present generation of Macs and iPads to PCs and Android tablet.

On first inserting the drive into a Windows machine it's worth noting that the SSD is OWC Mac HFS+ / APFS formatted and will need to be either reformated using the OWC Drive Guide for Windows or by purchasing MacDrive11. The OWC Drive Guide is a free utility to format/reformat OWC drives in a Windows drive format (NTFS & ExFAT) and a full OWC Drive Guide for Windows can be downloaded to help begin the process of reformatting the OWC device with Windows.

Performance-wise, the Envoy matches the build quality with an equally impressive performance. In our tests connected to a MacBook Pro M1 Max, the SSD achieved read speeds of 826MB/s and write speeds of 961MB/s using the AJA System Test Lite, while the ATTO Disk Benchmark recorded read speeds of 946.36MB/s and write speeds of 1010MB/s. Reformatting to ExFAT for use with an Intel NUC resulted in even better performance, with read speeds of 1036.84MB/s and write speeds of 1041.76MB/s on CrystalDiskMark.

The Envoy's robust build quality and high performance make it ideal for a variety of uses, and while it can be used in the office, out in the field is really where the build quality and performance will come into its own. Aside from the standard storage and backup that all drives offer, the design of the Envoy lends itself to use by creatives, who need to use the drive to create content and therefore need a drive that is able to cope with being used as an intensive working drive for editing video, photos, or audio production. It can also be connected, with the correct formatting, to iPad, Tablet, Smartphone, camera, and other devices to expand internal storage. The small size makes it easy to attach to a huge variety of devices. 

However, while the Envoy excels in many areas, it does have some limitations. Our review samples' maximum capacity of 1TB will be limited for some users, especially those who are shooting videos, however for most other users 1TB is still substantial. 

Overall, the OWC Envoy 1TB is a superb portable SSD that delivers on performance. Its combination of speed, portability, and rugged design makes it an excellent option, especially for creative professionals.

OWC Envoy 1TB: Price & availability

The OWC Envoy 1TB SSD is available for purchase from OWC's website and various retailers. Prices start at $149.99 for the 1TB model. The 2TB model is also available if you need additional storage capacity. The Envoy SSD also comes with a 3-year limited warranty, ensuring peace of mind for long-term use.

• Score: 4/5

OWC Envoy 1TB: Design & build

The appeal of these compact portable SSDs is not only their capacity and speed but also the fact that they can easily be connected to devices other than a PC or Mac. The Envoy's small size and weight mean that it can easily be attached to the back of an iPhone 15 Pro, for example, to enable ProRes video recording; likewise, if your iPad Pro is limited on space, then the Envoy's design is ideal and discrete for boosting the storage capacity. 

While the physical size is ideal for a multitude of uses, the design and build quality are also tuned to high-demand work. The full aluminium outer casing gives the drive a quality look and feel, but it also serves the dual function of helping to keep the drive cool under heavy workloads such as Editing in Final Cut Pro X. This should help prevent thermal throttling, something that many compact drives of this size can suffer from. 

When it comes to size, the dimensions are small at 71 x 38 x 12 mm and a weight of just 44.5 g. This not only makes the Envoy one of the smallest and lightest drives available, but it also means that it is exceptionally portable, fitting easily into a pocket or bag or sticking to the back of a device. As is common with these small drives, there is only one point of connection, and this is through a USB-C port, which offers compatibility with laptops and tablets to desktops and mobile devices.

When the SSDs arrive, the plug-and-play functionality means that you can plug it directly into a Mac, and the drive comes pre-formatted with APFS for Mac users. Windows and other OS users can reformat the drive using OWC's provided tools on a Mac, and while this can be done through a PC, it takes some technical know-how to do. On the front of the drives is a status LED indicator that shows whether it's connected and when it's in use and busy. 

• Design & build: 4/5

OWC Envoy 1TB: Features

The OWC Envoy 1TB SSD is advertised to offer data transfer speeds exceeding 1000MB/s, which should ensure that files for backup, storage, and work are handled with speed. This makes Envoy a good portable choice for creatives working with large media files, business professionals managing extensive documents, and even students.

The Envoy offers universal compatibility with USB-C, USB4, and Thunderbolt (USB-C) devices across various operating systems, including macOS, Windows, Linux, iPadOS, and Android. However, as mentioned previously, the drive arrives as an APFS file system, so you will need to reformat it to your desired format.

As with many OWC high-performance drives, the rugged aircraft-grade aluminium housing is a feature. This not only protects the internal components from damage when the drive is in a pocket or thrown in a kit bag but also prevents thermal throttling by dissipating heat when under load. 

If you're worried about security, the Envoy supports built-in encryption on macOS and Windows, enabling secure data protection with password security. This is all set through the PC or Mac's operating system rather than being part of the initial software solution that you use when setting up the drive. 

• Features 4/5

OWC Envoy 1TB: Performance

When the OWC Envoy 1TB SSD arrives, it can be plugged directly into a Mac with the provided USB Type-C cable and used without any need for setup. However, on the drive is the OWC Drive Guide (Mac) and a readme.txt file that guides you through the process of formatting the drive for its intended use. The software is very slick and easy to understand, although it is only single use, and once you select the option, this app is removed and replaced with a Start Here.pdf that guides you to the OWC website for support, including how to change the format if you need to. Essentially, this is all very typically OWC and well thought through. OWC has created a straightforward guide, OWC Drive Guide.

In this test, we have focused on the use of the OWC Envoy 1TB SSD with a MacBook Pro M1 Max with APFS formatting; throughout the Benchmark tests, it achieved impressive read and write speeds, making it suitable for high-speed data transfers and demands applications such as video editing in FinalCut Pro X. In all the Benchmark tests, the drive flew through with speeds matching those quoted by OWC over sustained periods, and while the drive did get warm, it was never overly hot to touch.

In use with Final Cut Pro X, the small drive performed incredibly well, keeping up with the demands of video editing with 4K RAW footage shot on the Canon EOS R5 C. Again, while the drive was warm to the touch, it wasn't overly so. Switching the real-world testing format to recording ProRes on the iPhone 15 Pro, the smartphone took a couple of seconds to recognise the drive before it flickered into life and enabled the ProRes Log mode recording. Likewise, when connected to cameras such as the Blackmagic 6K, which supports external SSD recording, the drive is instantly recognised once formatted properly.  

Overall, through real-world tests and the use of various computers and devices, the Envoy proved to be a great way to boost storage capacity, providing both speed and reliability.

• Performance: 4/5

Should you buy the OWC Envoy 1TB?

If you need a high-speed, portable SSD for a variety of tasks, the OWC Envoy 1TB is an excellent choice. While it will suit office work, especially if you're on the move, this drive's real strength comes when it is used for high-demand tasks such as creative work. 

While the drive comes pre-formatted in the APFS file system, it is easy enough to reformat into your desired file system. This gives it flexible compatibility with a range of devices. What's more and less common is the robust all-metal design, which helps not only keep the drive safe but also ensures that the speed of the drive remains consistent, making it ideal for a wide range of uses. 

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