REVIEWED: OWC Envoy Pro FX Thunderbolt/USB-C SSD — Awesomely Fast

MPG tested the about $319 1TB Envoy Pro FX, sku OWCTB3ENVPFX01. Available in 240GB, 480GB, 1TB, 2TB models. MPG recommends the 2TB model for a modest upcharge for twice the capacity of the 1TB model.

SSD technology has evolved to fantastic performance, and the new OWC Envoy Pro FX SSD is proof of that, with the fastest read performance MPG has ever tested in a Thunderbolt SSD, all in a portable bus-powered ultra-durable form factor.

The OWC Envoy Pro FX delivers a combination of relatively compact size and light weight with robust build quality, no driver needed, bus power and insanely fast speed trouncing its predecessor, the OWC Envoy Pro EX. Indeed, MPG measured read speeds higher than ever before tested on Thunderbolt (results further below).

REVIEWED: OWC Mercury Envoy Pro FX Thunderbolt 3 SSD: Awesomely Fast!

OWC Envoy Pro FX Thunderbolt 3 / USB-C SSD

diglloydTools and IntegrityChecker Java Working Fine on macOS Big Sur

re: diglloydTools IntegrityChecker Java v2.0 fc4 Available for Download

What follows applies to Intel-based Macs as I don’t have an M1 Mac to verify the same. But M1 Macs have lots of problems for general use for developers, starting with OpenJDK supportbeing missing.

Having just “upgraded” to macOS Big Sur on my 2019 Mac Pro, I’ve tested diglloydTools and IntegrityChecker Java. Both run flawlessly.

“Upgraded” to macOS Big Sur on 2019 Mac Pro — No Workflow Benefits, All Downside So Far

re: OWC Thunderbolt Hub
re: OWC Thunderbolt Dock

Quality Apple engineering on display
aka state of the art incompetence

I wasn’t keen on upgrading to macOS Big Sur, since it still has tons of problems, but to test and use the OWC Thunderbolt Dock and OWC Thunderbolt Hub products, macOS Big Sur is required.

Get OWC Thunderbolt Dock and OWC Thunderbolt Hub at MacSales.com.

macOS Big Sure Install yuck

The install process is a nightmarish nail-biter of “will it screw my machine up?!” with display problems, many minutes of black screens, followed by another multi-gigabyte update, followed by half an hour of trying to get my NEC PA302W to work.

About as horrible an “upgrade” experience as I have yet seen from Apple. It’s clear that Apple never tests its software except on a single Apple display. Feckless management that show contempt for every pro user out there.

There is no going back because Apple mangles calendar and mail databases during the “upgrade”. To modify user data in an irreversible way without asking permission of the user is unacceptable.

No benefits, and a dumptruck full of bugs

I’m still looking for even a single benefit of macOS Big Sur (aside from Thunderbolt 4 support).

On the plus side, diglloydTools runs just fine, as does IntegrityChecker Java. Safari seems snappier.

Setting aside the desired Thunderbolt 4 support, just about everything has gotten worse from a usability standpoint:

• Severe display syncing problems with my NEC PA302W. After real scare in which I could not get the PA302W to sync at all (multiple reboots, etc), then syncing at low resolution, I finally got it working—about a 30 minute effort. And macOS has a new bug now such that sometimes even with the cable unplugged, the OS thinks the main display is still there, so no menu bar, and impossible to operate the machine. I’ve developed a voodo keypress sequence to get the display to sync coming out of sleep, but once in a while I have no choice but to let the machine sleep again (5 minutes or so), and try all over. Shame on Apple for their wanton engineering incompetence—this display performed flawlessly for years until Apple just started breaking things last year with macOS Catalina.
• Samsung T5 driver no longer works (and I reinstalled the latest and checked firmware). The only way I could get my Samsung T5's to work was to plug them into my iMac 5K running macOS Mojave, and turn off encryption. Apple, this is just unacceptable.
• The new toy alert dialogs cut off the very information I need to see.
• I use Spotlight as a calculator dozens of times a day. Now it has about a half-second delay every time—incredibly annoying when working quickly.
• Apple Mail is a cluttered undifferentiated mess, with mailboxes impossible to distinguish from each other (e.g., 3 different "Sent", "Inbox", etc) along with the loss of any distinguishing text (e.g. bold) along with much wider spacing for the list of messages. Who designs this garbage?
• I constantly find myself not being able to distinguish the new icons at a glance, making it take that extra half a second to locate something in the Application bar or Dock. Who designs/tests these user interface changes for functionality? Visualize a dog 'marking' a fire hydrant, and that’s about all the value that accrues.
• Graphics glitches in Photoshop that temporarily mangle images.
• Special effort is required to let critical developer tool mvn run without code-verification dialogs over and over.
• SoftRAID is compatible only in the 6.0 beta. Which I’m using, otherwise it would be a disaster. So far it seems to be OK.
• Still no fix for unbounded caching under steady read I/O (on machines with a lot of memory), so a fast PCIe SSD still drops from 6.5 GB/sec down to ~2GB/sec within a few minutes due to horrific inefficiency in the unified buffer cache. This is gross software engineering incompetence in place for over two years now.
• The crappy useless control panel like an iPhone occupies space in my menu bar, cannot be removed, and I have absolutely no use for it. I’d have no objection if I could check a box and just get rid of it, but it’s foisted on us, unlike every other control panel thing.
• You can no longer make a bootable clone with Carbon Copy Cloner except by erasing the entire volume. This is Apple’s fault, and a major headache should you like the idea of not being SOL if you boot drive fails. But I keep plenty of stuff on my boot volume and I’m not about to erase it every time and copy 240GB or so every day, every time. Nice job Apple! Blue ribbon for worse software engineering since MS DOS! Wait, DOS at least did not make pretenses!
• Image Capture is dumbed-down even more. To remove items from phone, you now must use Edit => Delete, and no command key shortcut or checkbox to do so after downloading. What idiot engineer thought that up? And it cannot even drawn its window properly, leaving blank spaces.
• The Finder cannot empty the Trash sometimes; it just gets into a state where this is impossible. You have to quit the Finder and relaunch it, where it is prone to hang, or logout and login.
• Searching with Spotlight for local files such as source code defaults to a USELESS web search (e.g searching for my source file “ICJ.java” suggests and defaults to a web search for that name, with the source file down th elist). What moron thinks this stuff up? There is no way to reorder Spotlight search order preferences to fix this!

Who designs this stuff? Does anyone at Apple test anything for usability, let alone usefulness and function?

Get OWC Thunderbolt Dock and OWC Thunderbolt Hub at MacSales.com.

OWC Thunderbolt Dock

TESTED: OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual USB-C Enclosure, Aggregate Bandwidth with Multiple Drives

OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual USB-C

re: Installing an 18TB Hard Drive into the OWC Mercury Elite Pro
re: Formatting a new Hard Drive or SSD in Apple Disk Utility
re: TESTED: Western Digital 18TB Ultrastar DC HC550 hard drive in OWC Mercury Elite Pro USB 3.2 enclosure

This page looks at aggregate bandwidth of the OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual USB-C when multiple drives are in simultaneous use, using two Western Digital 18TB hard drives along with an OWC Elektron USB-C SSD on the rear port of the Elite Pro Dual.

OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual: Aggregate bandwidth

Looking good except for some impairment with three simultaneous devices reading at once at maximal throughput, which is not a likely scenario.

CLICK TO VIEW: Recommended Storage from Large to Huge

Aggregate write and read bandwidth using various devices in OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual USB-C

TESTED: OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual USB-C Enclosure, RAID-0 Striping Performance

OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual USB-C

re: Installing an 18TB Hard Drive into the OWC Mercury Elite Pro
re: Formatting a new Hard Drive or SSD in Apple Disk Utility
re: TESTED: Western Digital 18TB Ultrastar DC HC550 hard drive in OWC Mercury Elite Pro USB 3.2 enclosure

Added to the MPG review of the OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual USB-C Enclosure is the RAID-0 stripe performance for both hardware RAID and SoftRAID.

OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual: RAID- Performance

Pretty awesome performance! This is about as fast as MPG has ever tested for dual hard drives.

CLICK TO VIEW: Recommended Storage from Large to Huge

Western Digital 18TB hard drive: speed vs transfer size, two samples simultaneously in OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual USB-C enclosure

TESTED: OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual USB-C Enclosure

OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual USB-C

re: Installing an 18TB Hard Drive into the OWC Mercury Elite Pro
re: Formatting a new Hard Drive or SSD in Apple Disk Utility
re: TESTED: Western Digital 18TB Ultrastar DC HC550 hard drive in OWC Mercury Elite Pro USB 3.2 enclosure

Now published is an overview page as well as how the OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual USB-C performs used with dual 18TB hard drives used independently.

OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual: Overview

OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual: Performance with 2 X 18TB Hard Drives

RAID-0 and other tests coming soon.

CLICK TO VIEW: Up to 36TB Dual Drive Solution

CLICK TO VIEW: Recommended Storage from Large to Huge

Western Digital 18TB hard drive: speed vs transfer size, two samplesimultaneously in OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual USB-C enclosure

Rear Panel of OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual USB-C

Thunderbolt 4 Is Here, Delivering Thunderbolt Hub and Thunderbolt Dock Possibilities, Guaranteed Charging Power and Bandwidth, 8K Video

re: Intel: What Is Thunderbolt 4?
re: At Last! Thunderbolt 4 Makes Connecting Stuff a Lot Cleaner: OWC Thunderbolt Hub
re: OWC Thunderbolt 4 Dock Adds Ports, and a Thunderbolt Hub

Get OWC Thunderbolt Hub and OWC Thunderbolt Dock and Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C Cables MacSales.com...

Thunderbolt 4 takes the Thunderbolt 3 specification and adds requirements designed to make life a lot easier for connecting stuff.

OWC Thunderbolt Dock

• A Thunderbolt hub and/or Thunderbolt Dock are now possible—never before has it been possible to use a hub; it was always finicky and unreliable daisy-chaining until now.
• 8K display support.
• Guaranteed/required 32 Gbps potential bandwidth (up from 16 Gbps).
•  VT-d based DMA protection helps prevent security threats by remapping requests from external devices and checking for proper permissions.
• Gauranteed minimum power delivery.
• Wake from sleep — allows a PC to be brought out of hibernation with peripherals that are connected through a dock.
• Cable specifications that guarantee interoperability between Thunderbolt and USB-C devices with guaranteed available bandwidth. See Universal and Fully Compatible Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C Cables.
• Compatible with many connection standards, including previous versions of Thunderbolt, USB, DisplayPort, and PCle.

OWC Thunderbolt Hub

Limitations of Thunderbolt 4

macOS requirements

For Macs, using a Thunderbolt hub or Thunderbolt dock requires macOS Big Sur. This single requirement might be what pushes me to upgrade from macOS Catalina on my 2019 Mac Pro, as it is a real benefit.

Bandwidth

The 40 Gpbs specification includes both data and video bandwidth, so it’s slightly misleading—the limit on data bandwidth has been and remains 32 Gbps (3.5 GB/sec with 9-bits per byte) for both Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4.

While Thunderbolt 4 requires minimum data bandwidth of 32 Gbps (up from 16 Gbps), it does not increase the maximum bandwidth versus Thunderbolt 3.

Thus, with a single Thunderbolt cable from the computer to a Thunderbolt hub or Thunderbolt dock or other device, the total data bandwidth is still limited to 40 Gpbs (total of display and data bandwidth, max of 32 Gbps for writes and 32 Gpbs for reads, bidirectionally).

However, for most users it is rarely the case that all peripherals are demanding bandwidth at the same time*. For example, reading at maximum speed from one device to write to another device is not a problem as there is 64Gpbs available in total, 32 Gbps for writes and 32 Gbps for reads.

When/if more simultaneous read or write bandwidth is required, you still must use another port on a separate Thunderbolt bus for devices that must have full bandwidth simultaneously. Some Macs have only one Thunderbolt bus (e.g. 2019 iMac 5K, and some laptops).

8K video vs write bandwidth

Thunderbolt 4 allows for 8K video using new compression techniques (otherwise the bandwidth would not suffice). However, an 8K display will eat up nearly all of the Thunderbolt write bandwidth. So don’t plug in something like an ultra-fast OWC Thunderblade SSD along with an 8K display on the same bus (or hub) or write speed will plummet on the SSD.

CLICK TO VIEW: OWC Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C Cables

CLICK TO VIEW: Recommended Storage from Large to Huge

At Last! Thunderbolt 4 Makes Connecting Stuff a Lot Cleaner: OWC Thunderbolt Hub

OWC Thunderbolt Hub

re: Thunderbolt 4 Is Here...
re: OWC Thunderbolt Dock

Thunderbolt 4 is essentially Thunderbolt 3 with additional specifications, including the ability to use a Thunderbolt hub, required 40 Gpbs performance, power-delivery requirements, 8K display support, and USB-C.

Get OWC Thunderbolt Hub at MacSales.com...

But perhaps most practical of all, Thunderbolt 4 makes it possible to use a hub, which heretofore has not been possible with any prior Thunderbolt specification.

The new OWC Thunderbolt Hub solves a thorny problem for Macs with only two Thunderbolt ports by in effect turning a single Thunderbolt port from the Mac into three Thunderbolt ports and one 10 Gbps USB 3.2 port. Of course any of those 3 ports can also be used for USB-C devices.

• Performance — Your devices will deliver the same performance and compatibility as when they’re plugged directly into your computer.
• Reinvents the daisy chain —  Create multiple independent “tree branches,” and connect multiple bus-powered devices.
• Adjustable LED — Customize the illumination for your work setting.
• Thunderbolt certified —comes Thunderbolt Certified with built-in OWC reliability and dependability.
• More Ports = more devices — Connect more storage, two 4K displays or one 5K/6K/8K display, accessories... you name it, you can use it.
• Dynamic charging — Up to 60W to keep the power flowing through real-world uses.
• Securable — Kensington Nano slot for anti-theft cabling.
• Cable included —  0.8m Thunderbolt cable. It’s in the box.

For users who need even more, the OWC Thunderbolt Dock incorporates the OWC Thunderbolt Hub functionality with even more more ports.

Bandwidth

With a single Thunderbolt cable from the Mac to the Hub, the total bandwidth is still limited to 40 Gpbs (bidirectionally), but it is rarely the case that all peripherals are demanding bandwidth at the same time*. For example, if you are reading at maximum speed from one device to write to another device, no problem as there is 80Gpbs available (40 Gpbs each way).

8K video vs write bandwidth

Thunderbolt 4 allows for 8K video using new compression techniques (otherwise the bandwidth would not suffice).

An an 8K display can be connected to one of the Thunderbolt ports of the OWC Thunderbolt Hub. But since 8K eats up nearly all the Thunderbolt write bandwidth, it is probably best to connect an 8K display on its own Thunderbolt bus/port, and not through a hub since other devices on the hub are presumably going to need write bandwidth. In other words, don’t plug in an OWC Thunderblade SSD along with an 8K display on the same bus (or hub).

* Use another port on another Thunderbolt bus if you have two max-performance devices that both need full 40 Gpbs bandwidth at the same time.

CLICK TO VIEW: OWC Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C Cables

CLICK TO VIEW: Recommended Storage from Large to Huge

OWC Thunderbolt Hub

OWC Thunderbolt 4 Dock Adds Ports, and a Thunderbolt Hub

OWC Thunderbolt Dock

re: Thunderbolt 4 Is Here...
re: Thunderbolt hub

Thunderbolt 4 makes a Thunderbolt hub possible and the new OWC Thunderbolt Dock not only incorporates the capabilities of a Thunderbolt hub, but adds additional ports of its now.

Get OWC Thunderbolt Dock at MacSales.com...

The new OWC Thunderbolt Dock solves a multitude of connectivity challenges, expanding on the capabilities of the OWC Thunderbolt Hub:

• Performance — Your devices will deliver the same performance and compatibility as when they’re plugged directly into your computer.
• Reinvents the daisy chain —  Create multiple independent “tree branches,” and connect multiple bus-powered devices.
• Adjustable LED — Customize the illumination for your work setting.
• Reliable streaming — Great for IP-based workflows and secured network access.
• Speedy content transfers —  Import photos and video footage quickly via the SD card reader.
• Thunderbolt certified —comes Thunderbolt Certified with built-in OWC reliability and dependability.
• More Ports = more devices — Connect more storage, two 4K displays or one 5K/6K/8K display, accessories... you name it, you can use it.
• Powerful — 90W of power to charge your laptop + power delivery to your connected devices.
• Securable — Kensington Nano slot for anti-theft cabling.
• Cable included —  0.8m Thunderbolt cable. It’s in the box.

CLICK TO VIEW: Recommended Storage from Large to Huge

CLICK TO VIEW: OWC Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C Cables

OWC Announces New Thunderbolt Dock – Adding to its Line of Thunderbolt Solutions

New Dock adds the ports you know and more Thunderbolt ports too

OWC®,the premier zero-emissions Mac and PC technology company,and a respected provider of Memory, External Drives, SSDs, Mac & PC docking solutions, and performance upgrade kits announces the new OWC ThunderboltTM Dock for Mac and PC. The OWC Thunderbolt Dock massively expands the functionality of the latest Intel 11th Gen Core and Evo PCs with Thunderbolt 4, as well as expanding the functionality of the new M1 Macs and Thunderbolt 3 equipped Macs once they are upgraded to the new Apple MacOS 11 'Big Sur'. Connect more, display more, and charge more with this new Thunderbolt solution. The OWC Thunderbolt Dock joins OWC's award-winning and Thunderbolt certified line of docking solutions for Mac and PC like the Thunderbolt 3 Pro Dock, Thunderbolt 3 14-port Dock, and Thunderbolt 3 Mini Dock.

With the OWC Thunderbolt Dock you can now have four Thunderbolt ports, plus four USB ports, as well as a port for your SD Card, Gigabit Ethernet, and a combo audio in/out. You gain convenient access for all of your essential Thunderbolt and USB devices all through a single cable to your Mac or PC. Utilizing the latest Thunderbolt technology, the OWC Thunderbolt Dock enables users with Intel 11th Gen Core and Evo PCs with Thunderbolt 4, existing Macs or new M1 based Macs to add a mix of ports, including additional Thunderbolt ports. OWC Thunderbolt 3 docks without the Thunderbolt hub are compatible with OS 10.12 or later. Our Thunderbolt 4 based docks will continue to work great with our existing Thunderbolt 3 solutions such as storage, adapters, and more.

"Being a leader in Thunderbolt integration and accessories, OWC is excited to offer the Thunderbolt  Dock," said Larry O'Connor, CEO and Founder of OWC. "These new solutions will give users, especially on the Mac side, what they have been asking for, for years. The ability to expand upon the number of Thunderbolt devices they can add to their machines and create new workflows to optimize their workflows better."

OWC Thunderbolt Dock Highlights:

• The Thunderbolt hub you've always wanted:  Have four fully functional Thunderbolt 4 ports for your computer.  All Thunderbolt ports also support USB devices and monitors 
• Plug it all  in: The same  Thunderbolt  device compatibility and performance, whether plugged into this  dock  or directly into your machine   
• Reimagining the daisy chain: Create three separate device chains, so you can remove devices from one chain without affecting or disconnecting the others. You can even add three Thunderbolt bus-powered devices.
• Powerful charging capabilities: Thunderbolt 4 host port also keeps your notebook charged  with 90W power delivery
• Four USB ports: Connect and charge through USB  
• Manage additional devices:  Connect more storage, up to two 4K displays or one 5K/6K/8K display, or other accessories, you name it, you can use it 
• More reliable sharing and streaming: Gigabit Ethernet  eliminates low-quality, patchy Wi-Fi - ideal for IP-based workflows and secured networks   
• More content: Access photos and movies via the SD card reader  at speeds up to 312MB/s  
• More audio: Plug headphones and mics into the audio combo jack  
• Adjustable LED: Customize the illumination for your work setting  
• Built-in security: Kensington Security Slot™ and Nano Security Slot™ for anti-theft cabling  

“OWC Thunderbolt dock, with up to four multi-purpose Thunderbolt 4 ports, makes it simple to connect your monitors and favorite accessories while charging your laptop.  Thunderbolt™ 4 ports, cables and accessories are tested and certified to help increase reliability”, said Jason Ziller, General Manager, Client Connectivity Division at Intel. “Thunderbolt 4 docks deliver the performance and capability headroom that content creators need, to improve their workflows.”

Pricing & Availability

The OWC Thunderbolt Dock is available for order now through MacSales.com for $249. OWC Thunderbolt 3 docks are available ranging from $119.00 for the OWC Thunderbolt 3 mini Dock, $249.00 for the OWC Thunderbolt 3 14-port Dock, and $299.00 for the OWC Thunderbolt 3 Pro Dock.

OWC Thunderbolt Dock

Smart Move: Universal and Fully Compatible Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C Cables

OWC Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C cables in MacBook Pro

re: Intel: What Is Thunderbolt 4?
re: OWC Thunderbolt Hub
re: OWC Thunderbolt 4 Dock

Thunderbolt 4 is essentially Thunderbolt 3 with additional specifications, including the ability to use a Thunderbolt hub, required 40 Gpbs performance, power-delivery requirements, and USB-C.

Macs and PCs with mixes of Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C and differing devices and power requirements make cable compatibility a real concern, particularly for those of us with multiple devices and/or multiple computers.

For example you can plug in a high performance SSD like the OWC Thunderblade using a 20 Gbps Thunderbolt cable and the system won’t warn you that the speed is throttled-down. I’ve done this myself, and it’s why I never buy intermediate-speed Thunderbolt cables.

It’s not like it’s easy to tell at a glance which cable supports what, particularly rooting around under a desk or in dim light. All Thunderbolt 4 connectors are marked with the Thunderbolt symbol and the number 4, so all you need to be able to see is the “4”.

Till now, my practice was to only buy 40 Gbps cables. Now, the smart move is to buy Thunderbolt 4 cables free of limitations. Then you can plug in your stuff on convenient new devices like the OWC Thunderbolt Hub.

Cable length, color

So far, the new OWC Thunderbolt 4 cable is available in 0.8 meter lengths and only in black.

A great start, but with eight or so Thunderbolt 3 cables streaming out of my Mac Pro along with daisy-chaining, it’s hard to tell which is which under my desk, so I’m hoping for some color variations and longer lengths also.

CLICK TO VIEW: Recommended Storage from Large to Huge

OWC Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C Cables

Cables wish list • Deals on OWC

$28 SAVE $2 = 6.0% OWC 0.8 Meter (31") OWC Thunderbolt 4/USB-C Cable in All Other Categories

OWC Announces The Only Universal and Fully Compatible Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C Cable You Will Ever Need

One cable that can do it all - 100% compatible and certified reliable solution for interconnecting devices, and hundreds of millions of Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3, USB-C, and USB4 equipped Macs, PCs, tablets, and phones.

OWC®,the premier zero-emissions Mac and PC technology company,and a respected provider of Memory, External Drives, SSDs, Mac & PC docking solutions, and performance upgrade kits, announces its next-generation connectivity solution, the OWC Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C Cable. Whether connecting accessories, power, video or even networking the OWC Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C Cable is universal for everything making it the only cable you will ever need. Connecting with USB-C on both ends, this cable is safe, certified, and always reliable for Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3, USB 4, USB 3.2, USB 3.1, USB Power, Video, etc. And you get 100% of both the maximum power allowed and the full data capability supported from/between any USB-C port-equipped device and host.

No matter what kind of device or power level; be it a Mac, PC, tablet, or mobile device, the OWC Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C Cable never lets you down for your USB-C to USB-C connectivity needs. Contrast this with USB-type cables, which often carry no certification, have more limited and varying data speeds, and are not all rated and safe for the power level a system can demand. OWC Thunderbolt 4 cables take all the guesswork out for your USB-C to USB-C connectivity needs. Full certification for power and data capabilities provides peace of mind and ensured reliability regardless of what you need connecting.

From our research and first-hand experience, USB-C to USB-C cables are among the largest causes of technical support headaches. While many USB-C to USB-C cables 'look' and feel of quality, even being the highest quality USB cable doesn't mean it supports Thunderbolt or even high-speed USB-C 5Gb/s or 10Gb/s needed for modern USB-C docks and drives. This causes frustration, lost time, and lost productivity as devices fail to operate correctly, if at all, and with no apparent reason to the end-user. Using some USB cables for power connections is even dangerous when overpowering can risk excessive heat or worse.  

"With the OWC Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C Cable, you never have to worry or wonder if you have the right cable because it's a perfect cable for all of your C-to-C connectivity needs," said Larry O'Connor, Founder, and CEO of OWC. "If it fits your ports, it 100% does support. No other USB-C cable, other than one that is Thunderbolt 4 certified, can make this claim. As I introduce these new cables to individuals and groups, I can't tell you how many people have said they will be cutting all their other USB-C cables. Incorrect cable use is a real issue and headache we are excited to have solved."

OWC Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C Cable Highlights

• 100% USB-C Compatible: connect to today’s, tomorrow’s, and yesterday's Macs, PCs, iPads, Chromebooks, Surface and other devices with a Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3, USB-C, or USB4
• Certified for All Uses: enjoy lab test certified safe power delivery up to 100W of power, up to 40Gb/s of data performance, and up to 8K of video capability 
• Versatile Connections: connect any drive, dock, display, eGPUs, PCIe expansion, external SSDs, RAID storage, Power adapters, accessories, anything that goes USB-C to USB-C 
• Powerful: Certified safe delivery of up to the maximum 100 watts of power/charging from docks, adapters, and other devices that USB-C and Thunderbolt support. 
• Stunning visuals: connect up to 4K, 5K, 6K and 8K Thunderbolt or USB-C display 
• Guaranteed quality: 3 Year OWC Limited Warranty

Pricing & Availability
The OWC Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C Cable is available now for $27.99 in 0.8 m length on MacSales.com.

Up to a Whopping 36TB Storage in the *NEW* OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual USB-C Enclosure

re: Installing an 18TB Hard Drive into the OWC Mercury Elite Pro
re: Formatting a new Hard Drive or SSD in Apple Disk Utility
re: TESTED: Western Digital 18TB Ultrastar DC HC550 hard drive in OWC Mercury Elite Pro USB 3.2 enclosure

With four OWC Thunderbay 4 units I have plenty of backup storage, but these are rather bulky and heavy for my Sprinter van on my photography trips.

The up-to 18TB OWC Mercury Elite Pro solves the storage capacity issue for most people.

But what if you need more portable storage and/or more performance or data safety via fault tolerance?

Enter the up-to 36TB OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual USB-C enclosure with 3-port hub.

CLICK TO VIEW: Recommended Storage from Large to Huge

OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual USB-C

OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual-Drive Hardware RAID Storage Solution with 3-Port Powered USB Hub

View more product info at MacSales.com.

A key advantage of the OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual is hardware RAID: no special software needed. Use two drives independently, or RAID-0 stripe for performance, or RAID-1 mirror for fault tolerance.

Two independent drives could serve separate purposes, or one could be a clone backup of the other. Striping gets you double the speed and double the capacity. Or mirroring protects you against failure of one drive.

• Universally compatible: works with any USB-equipped Mac, PC, or mobile device such as iPad Pro, gaming consoles, and anything that supports external storage 
• Pro-grade storage with real-world tested performance 
• Connect and charge: Three USB ports for audio or video mixers, cameras, card readers, tablets, keyboards, mice, anything USB 
• Configurable capacity: up to 36TB of high-performance data storage 
• Plug and play & ready to go: no drivers needed and includes USB connecting cables 
• Optional, user configurable hardware RAID settings for 0, 1, Span, or independent mode operation for advanced users with specific application requirements 
• Whisper-quiet: heat-dissipating aluminum with high-efficiency cooling fan 
• Easy drive monitoring: front panel activity LEDs offer instant status update 
• Quality and reliability assured: all solutions undergo rigorous multi-step testing and performance certification 
• Worry-free: up to 3 Year OWC Limited Warranty with 1 Year Level 1 data recovery, and lifetime US-based support

MPG will be looking at the OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual USB-C in more detail soon.

Up to 36TB Dual Drive Solution

Hard Drives wish list • Deals on HGST

$1299 OWC 36.0TB OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual RAID Storage Solution with… in Storage: Mercury Elite Pro Dual

$779 OWC 24TB OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual RAID Storage Solution with U… in Storage: Mercury Elite Pro Dual

$599 OWC 16TB OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual RAID Storage Solution with U… in Storage: Mercury Elite Pro Dual

$149 OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual RAID Storage Enclosure with USB (10Gb… in Storage: Enclosures

OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual USB-C

Rear Panel of OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual USB-C

Reader Comment: “so wish I saw your blog post before purchasing 2019 MacBook Pro”

re: 2019 MacBook Pro Seems to Have a High Failure Rate

Reader Jan S writes:

I just got my 7-month old Computer back from repair from Apple and I had the exact same issue. It was restarting or shutting down when sleeping nearly from the start. A few calls to Apple and reinstalling the operating system seemed to fix it. But then out of the blue last week it would just shut down after only being on for a few minutes. The computer would go to the login screen and the fan would make a quick spin noise and shut down.

I called Apple support since the stores are still closed in California and we reinstalled the OS again, and tried the several things but nothing work. Thankfully my computer was backed up with Time Machine and I was able to turn off all of my personal info before sending it in.

Apple quickly sent me a box which I received on Tuesday, I shipped the computer out the same day. Apple received it on Wednesday, repaired it and shipped it back the same day and it was back with me on Thursday. The parts were listed below on the AppleCare service product repair summary.
605-06168 - Logic Board, 2.3 GHZ, 64GB, AMD Radeon Pro 5500M, 1 TB
605-06552 - Touch ID Board

It came back with Catalina OS, so I did have to also update the OS, but it’s up and running good as new (hopefully).

I so wish I saw your blog post before purchasing or even after purchasing and added Apple Care. My computer was fixed under warranty, but now I’m worried it’s not going to last. Thanks again for the detailed post.

MPG: the good news is that such repairs usually seem to 'stick' from what I've heard.

Being forced into macOS Crapalina to accomplish a repair is unacceptable IMO.

Think of all the time wasted here that’s like a Dilbert cartoon, in which time-wasting reinstalls of a buggy OS are required to get common hardware problems fixed.

With the huge price premium Apple charges, a 1-year Apple warranty might be a puzzler. But it’s all about profit margin: Apple’s skillful marketing distortion field for shiny stuff makes it possible to offer a pathetic 1-year warranty and then charge another $350 for an adequate one. Gotta hand it to Apple for the upsell from bad value.

See also: Apple Core Rot.

James G writes:

Your recent post of your reader’s comments regarding their 2019 Macbook Pro reminded me of my own experience with my same vintage Macbook Pro. I detailed that experience for you in March or April 2020 ,  but it bears repeating.

My 2019 macbook pro arrived in mid December 2019 and I had the exact same problems as your reader -  kernel panics or crashing while asleep, starting right off the bat. When I was actually able to get it in to a genius bar, their hardware test immediately identified the logic board as faulty and my machine went in to Apple two days before they shut down nation-wide due to COVID. It took a about a month to get it back, they sent it to my office address despite instructions otherwise, and the keyboard cable was loose,  causing only half of the keyboard to illuminate and another trip to the Apple store, which had fortunately reopened by then.

Since that motherboard replacement the machine has been rock solid and a joy to use. It has a good keyboard with a nice touch. I have kept updating software within the OSX 10.15 Catalina family, fearing incompatible bugs if I upgrade to Big Sur. That OS update doesn't appear to have any real value-added functionality so I don't think I am missing anything by holding out. 

So based on your other reader’s experience it would appear that bad motherboards are a problem with the 2019 16” MacBook Pro. One would think Apple would actually test these things before shipping. And if your reader’s 16” macbook Pro was a later production run than mine its logic board failure makes me think they have not gone back and fixed the root cause of these logic board failures. 

At this point I am petrified to upgrade and will run this machine as long as it still has the speed to needs my needs.

MPG: maybe the Apple M1 series is faring better, but they’re not a viable alternative for serious use yet, due to software limitations and a cap of 16GB memory.

TESTED: Western Digital 18TB Ultrastar DC HC550 hard drive in OWC Mercury Elite Pro USB 3.2 enclosure

re: Installing an 18TB Hard Drive into the OWC Mercury Elite Pro
re: Formatting a new Hard Drive or SSD in Apple Disk Utility
re: TESTED: Western Digital 18TB Ultrastar DC HC550 hard drive in OWC Mercury Elite Pro USB 3.2 enclosure

This page evaluates the Western Digital 18TB Ultrastar DC HC550 hard drive for speed across the entire volume capacity as well as speeds for 32K to 512MB transfers.

The OWC Mercury Elite Pro USB 3.2 enclosure was used to house the drive. It is a fanless, USB 3.2, all-aluminum proven performer.

The WD18 is in effect a much faster 14TB hard drive than a 14TB-capacity hard drive.

TESTED: Western Digital 18TB Ultrastar DC HC550 Hard Drive

The Western Digital 18TB Ultrastar DC HC550 is the fastest hard drive that MPG has ever tested.

18TB Single-Drive Storage as Tested

Hard Drives wish list • Deals on HGST

$469 SAVE $130 = 21.0% Western Digital 18TB ULTRASTAR DC HC550 3.5 inch Enterprise SATA… in Storage: Other

$629 OWC 18TB OWC Mercury Elite Pro USB Storage Solution in Storage: Mercury Elite Pro

$45 SAVE $5 = 10.0% OWC 0TB OWC Mercury Elite Pro USB Storage Enclosure in Storage: Enclosures

CLICK TO VIEW: Recommended Storage

Western Digital 18TB hard drive: speed over volume capacity

Western Digital 18TB hard drive: speed vs transfer size

18TB Western Digital Hard Drive installed in OWC Mercury Elite Pro USB 3.2 Enclosure

(outer cover removed)

How-To: Formatting a new Hard Drive or SSD in Apple Disk Utility

re: Installing an 18TB Hard Drive into the OWC Mercury Elite Pro
re: Formatting a new Hard Drive or SSD in Apple Disk Utility
re: TESTED: Western Digital 18TB Ultrastar DC HC550 hard drive in OWC Mercury Elite Pro USB 3.2 enclosure

When buying a new hard drive or SSD, it needs to formatted before it can be used. This step-by-step walk-through shows how easy it is to get started.

CLICK TO VIEW: Recommended Storage

1. Warning dialog for new drives

When the Mac first sees the new drive, it might be in an unformattted, uninitialized state. So expect to see this dialog pop up. Click Initialize… to bring up Disk Utility.

If you do not see this, then the drive is either not seen by the system (diagnose/fix), or it is already formatted. IMPORTANT: if the drive is already formatted, it might be formatted for a Windows PC (e.g. FAT32)—erase it as per Step 2.

macOS alert with new unformatted drive

2. Erase the drive in Disk Utility

[See note] Select the new drive, and click Erase. When prompted, enter a name for the volume (“Work” as shown here), and choose the format and scheme, as shown below.

Use Format: Mac OS Extended (Journaled) for hard drives, and Format: APFS for SSD. Always use GUID Partition Map for macOS.

It is best to first choose View ==> Show All Devices so that both drives and volumes appear in the list at left (if not showing, choose View => Show Sidebar). This is important (in part) to make sure you are working with the new drive, which should not have any volume listed under it (“Mercury Elite…” as shown here).

macOS Disk Utility prompt to erase a drive

3. Observe the successful result

When Disk Utility finishes (up to a minute), confirmation will be given. Here, the new volume Work is now shown listed under the drive (Mercury Elite…).

An error should not occur, but Disk Utility has quite a few bugs. Occassionally it might be necessary to try again.

macOS Disk Utility confirmation after Erase

As a final verification, select the new volume in the Finder, and choose File => Get Info. In this case the drive is 18TB capacity, and that is confirmed as shown.

macOS Finder Get Info dialog showing 18TB volume

4. If the new volume is a backup, treat it as such

If this new volume is to be a backup, two things are advisable:

• You don’t want the system making backups of backups. Exclude all backup drives from Time Machine.
• Usually it is unwise to have backups indexed by Spotlight—this can result in opening the wrong files, working on them thinking they are originals, then having them wiped out at the next backup (yes this has happened to me!). So exclude all backup drives from Spotlight search (those that are not Time Machine backups themselves).

5. You’re done. The new volume is ready for use.

Installing an 18TB Hard Drive into the OWC Mercury Elite Pro USB 3.2 Enclosure

re: Installing an 18TB Hard Drive into the OWC Mercury Elite Pro
re: Formatting a new Hard Drive or SSD in Apple Disk Utility
re: TESTED: Western Digital 18TB Ultrastar DC HC550 hard drive in OWC Mercury Elite Pro USB 3.2 enclosure

Hard drives still have a huge price advantage over SSDs, so they are great for those with high capacity needs on a budget, or for backups or really massive storage requirements. For my everyday main storage, I use a 16TB OWC Mercury Accelsior 4M2 (fantastic!) in my 2019 Mac Pro, but for backups it’s hard drives for the foreseeable future (for cost reasons).

With four OWC Thunderbay 4 units I have plenty of backup storage, but it is always handy to be able to backup everything onto a single hard drive that I can easily take along in the field in my Sprinter van on my photography trips. Enter 18TB hard drives....

CLICK TO VIEW: Recommended Storage

18TB in a single easily transported enclosure

Test results to follow, but partial results show the highest hard drive performance yet tested by MPG.

I bought an 18TB Ultrastar DC HC550 hard drive to install into the OWC Mercury Elite Pro USB 3.2 enclosure, as shown below. It is just amazing to have a compact high-performance drive of this capacity compared to what we had only a few years ago!

18TB Ultrastar DC HC550 hard drive

• CMR technology works with all capacity enterprise applications & environments
• Reliable, field-proven, 6th generation design
• Industry’s first HDD with Energy-Assisted Magnetic Recording technology
• HelioSeal® design delivers outstanding power efficiency
• 2.5M hours (projected) MTBF2 rating
  

The OWC Mercury Elite Pro enclosure is fanless, relying on its all-metal heat-dissipating design. So it does not create any noise of its own above the hard drive—and I am happy to report that the Western Digital 18TB drive is very quiet. It can be positioned in the orientation shown (flat) or upright using the included metal bracket.

18TB Single-Drive Storage as Tested

Hard Drives wish list • Deals on HGST

$469 SAVE $130 = 21.0% Western Digital 18TB ULTRASTAR DC HC550 3.5 inch Enterprise SATA… in Storage: Other

$629 OWC 18TB OWC Mercury Elite Pro USB Storage Solution in Storage: Mercury Elite Pro

$45 SAVE $5 = 10.0% OWC 0TB OWC Mercury Elite Pro USB Storage Enclosure in Storage: Enclosures

Most users will probably want to purchase with a pre-installed hard drive.

But the enclosure can be bought empty for a DIY install-your-own hard drive. If you already have hard drives that need a home, then the DIY option may be just what you need. See the extensive OWC install videos for various DIY options.

Should you go with DIY, installing a hard drive into the OWC Mercury Elite Pro USB 3.2 Enclosure is about as easy as it gets for DIY computer stuff: two small screws open the enclosure, and then 4 larger screws go into the drive from two side. Insert things into the outer aluminum surround, screw in the two small screws and you’re done! Then erase the drive and put it to use.

18TB Western Digital Hard Drive alongside the OWC Mercury Elite Pro USB 3.2 Enclosure

18TB Western Digital Hard Drive installed in OWC Mercury Elite Pro USB 3.2 Enclosure

(outer cover removed)