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OWC Envoy Pro Elektron USB-C SSD, 4TB
Related: backup, Other World Computing, OWC Envoy Pro, OWC Envoy Pro Elektron, Samsung, SSD, storage, USB, USB-C
Get OWC Envoy Pro Elektron at MacSales.com, 1TB and 2TB capacities.
Consult with Lloyd to design a storage and/or backup system and/or high performance workflow.
This page evaluates the 4.0TB OWC Envoy Pro Elektron.
MPG reviewed the 1T B OWC Envoy Pro Elektron USB-C SSD back in late 2020. All the positive attributes have carried forward into 2024, where it now is available in up to 4TB capacity.
The 2024 Elektron is now OWC Innergize™ Enabled — custom OWC software for complete health, performance, and field upgrade management.
Overall
The Elektron offers outstanding performance in an ultra-compact form factor, ultra-durable build quality, bus-power, and totally silent operation.
As shown further below, the 4TB OWC Elektron offers consistently high performance across the entire capacity that makes it a superior choice over the competition.
Is it as fast as the OWC Express 1M2? Not by a long shot—but the Elektron is an ultra compact solution designed for USB-C. But among this class of SSD, it offers fantastic performance.
With its ultra-high performance that maxes-out the USB-C bus (tests follow), the OWC Envoy Pro Elektron is suitable for Mac or PC and for desktops or laptops.
Elektron is a great way to pocket all your stuff while traveling. And so compact is the Elektron that affixing it in place to the rear of an iMac or Mac Mini with velcro is an option eg for those who bought a Mac with too small an internal SSD.
The Elektron’s supplied cable can be plugged into either a USB-C or USB-A port, for outstanding convenience on older machines, or between differing ones.
- About $300 for 2TB and $190 for 1TB and $580 for 4TB (as this was written).
- 3 Year OWC SSD Limited Warranty
- Super-fast for all: save, backup, and edit personal and work files with up to 1011MB/s real-world performance1
- Universally compatible: Plug and play with Thunderbolt and USB Macs or PCs as well as devices like the iPad Pro and Chromebooks
- Built like a tank: Crushproof, dustproof and waterproof IP67 rated2
- Tiny: pocket-sized to go anywhere easily
- Bootable: launch apps and start working in seconds (Mac only)
- Informative: LED for at glance confirmation of power and activity status3
- Cool: heat dissipating aircraft-grade aluminum housing for silent, throttle-free performance
- Innergize™ Enabled: custom OWC software for complete health, performance, and field upgrade management.
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Tested: Sustained transfer speed
Performance testing by DiskTester, part of diglloydTools.
Read and write speed across the entire 4TB capacity shows as high a performance level as one might hope for on USB-C. This is as good as it gets for USB-C performance, and under a sustained maximal I/O load far exceeding anything resembling normal usage.
What is remarkable is the exceptionally consistent performance, particularly the Elektron’s ability to maintain 983 MB/sec across the entire 4TB capacity... impressive!
Throughput figures are real-world transfer speed through the macOS file system.
Write speed: 937 MiB/sec = 983 MB/sec
Read speed: 937 MiB/sec = 982 MB/sec
Note: first graph uses MiB/sec. Multiply by (1024/1000)^2 = 1.048576 for MB/sec.
Read speed, continuous real world usage
Below, read speed over 4TB of capacity in a real-world data verification task using IntegrityChecker Java. The OWC Elektron passes with high marks at 941 MiB/sec = 987 MB/sec. A 2nd repeated test showed exactly the same results.
Tested: Transfer speed vs transfer size
Performance testing by DiskTester, part of diglloydTools.
disktester run-sequential-suite -s 16K -e 512M --iterations 5 --test-size 2G
Write speed pegs-out at 940 MiB/sec even on small transfers—outstanding.
For reads, even 32 KiB transfers hit 336/sec and this quickly improves at larger sizes. Typical of all SSDs, transfer size needs to hit about 2MiB in order to reach 95% of peak speed.
This is a very strong performance that rapidly approaches the limits of the USB-C bus. It is also substantially better read-speed performance for smaller transfers than the Samsung T9.
Conclusions
The 4TB OWC Envoy Pro Elektron USB-C SSD is a class-leading performer at an attractive price for its capacity and exceptional build quality. And with a 3-year warranty, OWC stands behind their products three times as long as Apple does for its Macs.
The OWC Envoy Pro Elektron is the perfect add-on for anyone looking for ultra high performance for any computer with USB-C that is flagging in its internal storage. Being bootable, it is also a highly attractive upgrade for a clone backup of the system volume.
For laptop users on the go, high performance plus ultra durable build in an extremely compact size is an unbeatable combination.
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