80 Gb/s: New variant of fast OWC housing for M.2 SSDs
The provider OWC has reissued a compact SSD housing. The speed is potentially doubled.
OWC Express 1M2 80G: Visually no difference to its predecessor.
(Image: OWC)
Users who recently bought a USB-C SSD case from Other World Computing (OWC) may now be annoyed: the provider specializing in Apple accessories has launched a new model in the 1M2 series, which doubles the potential data throughput. The name of the product, which looks just like its predecessor: 1M2 80G. The 80G stands for the possible 80 GB/s that the device can now pass on with a suitable remote station (and suitable SSD).
From 40 to 80 GB/s via USB 4.0 or Thunderbolt 5
The previous model still connected PCIe x4 M.2 latches at a maximum of 40 GB/s – via USB 4.0 or Thunderbolt 4. The successor should be able to handle up to "over 6000 MB/s" via a USB 4.0 host with support for 80 GB/s or a Thunderbolt 5 device (such as Apple's Mac mini M4 Pro). 40 GB/s hosts with USB 4.0 achieve "real-world speeds" of "over" 3800 MB/s, Thunderbolt 4 devices up to 3800 MB/s. Thunderbolt 3 only works with Macs and promises up to 2800 MB/s according to OWC.
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The hardware itself hardly changes, apart from the new, faster board: The 1M2 is still housed in a 2.5-inch aluminum case and accepts NVMe strips of the 2280 and 2242 types. Power is supplied via the computer. A USB 4 cable (not Thunderbolt 5) is included. Apart from a small front section with the logic, the entire case consists of cooling fins, which means it should get comparatively less hot during operation. Nevertheless, care must be taken to install the M.2 correctly.
From 219 to 1299 dollars, with and without memory
OWC sells the 1M2 80G in different versions. Without M.2, you currently pay the manufacturer 219 US dollars plus taxes, shipping, and customs duties. 1 TByte costs 349, 2 TByte 499, 4 TByte 699 and 8 TByte 1299 dollars. The modules come from OWC itself, but it initially remained unclear who the OEM is.
For comparison: The old 1M2 variant is already available in stores without an M.2 module at a significantly lower price (starting from 124,90 €). Here too, models with OWC SSDs of 1 TByte, 2 TByte, 4 TByte and 8 TByte can be purchased. Anyone who has purchased the predecessor but does not have a Mac or PC that supports USB 4.0 with 80 GB/s or Thunderbolt 5 does not need to worry about the new model. However, it is less future-proof than its successor. It is not yet clear when euro prices for this will be available.
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