Apricorn Aegis NVX: 30-second review

The Aegis NVX 1TB is a relatively simple-to-use portable hard drive, but unlike the majority of portable hard drives, this device is all about security. As is common with this style of drive, there’s a 12-key keypad on the front of the device that enables you to enter a PIN to gain access.

There’s also an integrated USB Type-C cable that tucks neatly into the side of the aluminium body, giving it an ultra-tough look and feel.

While there are many secure drives available, the Aegis NVX 1TB takes things to another level with hardware data encryption built into the device. This means that all data is encrypted as soon as it enters the drive space. Even if someone were to bypass security and access the drive, without the hardware, they would not be able to read or decode any of the data.

This drive essentially separates the software on your computer from the storage drive. Access is only unlocked once the correct PIN code has been entered, after which it functions like any other external portable hard drive. What’s interesting here is that Apricorn has included an ultra-fast internal SSD, enabling transfer rates of up to 1000 MB/s. Unlike some other secure hard drives, this makes it more than capable of being used as a working drive as well as a secure storage solution for your digital data.

Using the drive is straightforward, with a series of button pushes on the keypad allowing you to code in an admin PIN, user PIN, read-only activation, and several other security features. Since all these features are controlled purely through the 12 buttons and confirmation through the three lights on the top of the device, it can take some time to figure out all the key combinations when setting up or changing settings. Having the manual at hand is essential during setup or configuration.

Once everything is set up, however, it’s very easy to use. Plug it in, enter the code, and you gain access. For businesses, the drive can be configured with an admin password and with individual user passwords. Permissions can also be adjusted; for example, you can set it so users only have read-only access. These settings can all be configured through the keypad using the appropriate key combinations.

As a secure solution for your digital data, the Aegis NVX is one of the smallest and most robust devices we’ve seen. Once it’s set up, it makes an ideal solution. However, as ever, there is a significant price premium for this level of secure data storage.

Apricorn Aegis NVX: Price & availability

The Apricorn Aegis NVX 1TB is widely available and ranges in price from $339 to $739 (£265 to £579), with the 1TB version we’re reviewing priced at $539 (£422). At the time of this review, the drive is available directly from the apricorn.com website as well as through most larger online retailers such as Amazon.

• Score: 5/5

Apricorn Aegis NVX: Design & build

The Apricorn Aegis NVX 1TB is designed as a secure portable hard drive that will help protect your data even from brute force and software attacks. While the hardware encryption ensures that everything on the drive stays safe, the design and build of the drive are equally robust.

The outer shell is made from solid, aircraft-grade 6061 aluminium, which is milled from a solid metal and then sealed. Inside this ultra-tough enclosure is the SSD. The entire drive is just smaller than an average smartphone, measuring 67 x 120 x 15 mm and weighing in at 200 g. While not overly heavy, it’s more than you might expect for such a small device.

The main feature of the drive is the 12-key keypad on the front, with numbers 0 to 9 allowing for plenty of unique number combinations to gain access to the drive. Once set, there are lock and unlock buttons, as well as three additional lights across the top to indicate the drive’s status and confirm keypress combinations.

Adding to the drive’s robustness and ensuring longevity, the keys are polymer-coated and wear-resistant. This prevents revealing commonly used buttons through signs of wear, ensuring continued security over many years of use.

The connection from the drive to a computer or other device is via a short USB Type-C cable integrated into the drive’s design. This cable wraps neatly around the side of the drive and tucks in securely when not in use.

The drive is also IP68 certified, which essentially means it can withstand being submerged in 1 meter of water for up to 30 minutes. However, while it is IP68-rated, the USB cable end remains exposed, so it’s advisable to let it dry out fully before plugging it into any devices.

• Design & build: 4/5

Apricorn Aegis NVX: Features

Looking at the features, the drive includes AegisWare, the company’s patented protected firmware. Thanks to this hardware approach and software-free data encryption, the drive enables 256-bit AES-XTS encrypted NVMe storage.

As mentioned in the design section, the enclosure is milled from aircraft-grade 6061 aluminium and is sealed with tamper-resistant security fasteners. The drive itself is cemented in place with hardened epoxy resin, meaning that even if someone tries a brute force attack to break into the drive, it is highly likely that the SSD will be destroyed in the process.

Another big feature of this secure drive, as with many other top-rated secure drives, is the polymer-coated, wear-resistant, onboard membrane hybrid keypad. This approach to security is highly effective as it stops all basic hardware and software keylogging techniques to capture passwords, essentially because it excludes the host system (your computer) from the authentication process.

All security for the drive is configured using the keypad. While this process can feel a little fiddly and requires the manual to show you the step-by-step set-up instructions, it does enable you to have a good range of options. Most notably, you can set up separate admin and user PINs. This is ideal for business use, as the admin PIN ensures you retain full access and control, preventing users from locking you out of the drive.

The admin PIN also enables the ability to create data recovery PINs, which can be used in the case of someone forgetting their user PIN. Additionally, the drive offers two read-only modes, enabling users to access the data without being able to alter it.

Another useful feature is the ability for the admin to set programmable PIN lengths, ranging from 7 to 16 characters; this prevents the use of overly simple PINs such as 1. There's also a brute force defence mechanism, which ensures that if a pin is entered incorrectly a pre-set number of times (minimum 4, maximum 20), the drive will trigger a crypto-erase, securely wiping all data on the drive.

Alongside these advanced features, the drive includes standard secure drive options, such as lock override, drive reset features, and self-destruct PINS. These are particularly useful in business settings, allowing admins to completely reset the drive and reconfigure it for different users depending on the use.

Apricorn Aegis NVX: Performance

Like almost all high-end secure portable hard drives, the initial setup is relatively straightforward but does require that you have the manual open and follow the instructions carefully. To get started with the Aegis NVX, you simply plug the drive in via the USB Type-C port into your computer. Once done, absolutely nothing will happen other than the locked padlock icon illuminating red. This indicates that power is going to the drive, but the drive itself is not yet being accessed. When you check your computer’s system settings and look for drives, you will see that it hasn’t mounted or been recognised. At this point, the USB Type-C cable is purely delivering power with no data transfer whatsoever.

To start using the drive, you need to set up an initial pin. To do this, hold down the number nine and the green lock button, then enter your desired PIN code. Confirm it by pressing the green button again, re-enter the PIN, and press the green button once more. Each time you perform these steps, the three lights across the top will flash red, green, or blue—or show a combination of blinks and solid lights—to indicate whether the commands have been recognised. Once the initial pin has been entered, you can unplug the drive, connect it to another machine, and it will be ready to use. When plugged into a new machine, the drive will not be recognised until you enter the PIN and press the green lock button, after which the drive will unlock and mount, ready for use.

This initial PIN that you set up acts as the admin PIN. Through this admin account, you can set up additional PINs for other users. This allows others to access the drive, but only with permissions that you define, and those users will not be able to change settings or lock out the admin. This is particularly useful for businesses where secure drives need to be distributed to team members for use on-site.

Additionally, the drive enables you to set up a read-only mode using the keypad. Setting the read-only mode and accessing the drive as a user enables you to view the contents of the drive but not modify or add files, which is useful for situations such as on-site presentations where the content must remain unchanged.

The drive also includes a series of more advanced protection features; for example, in the event of a brute force attack, you can configure the drive to trigger a crypto-erase after a set number of failed attempts (minimum 4, maximum 20). This process securely wipes all data from the drive. While these features are straightforward to set up, the manual is essential for understanding the required keypress combinations.

In terms of security, the Aegis NVX is well above most competitors. The milled aluminium casing gives it one of the most robust builds of any portable hard drive we’ve tested. Additionally, the hardware encryption ensures that host devices cannot attempt unauthorised access. Unless the correct PIN is physically entered on the keypad, both brute force and software attempts to access the drive are nearly impossible. In our testing, the drive exceeded durability expectations and kept the data inaccessible despite both physical and software access attempts.

Keeping your data safe from brute force and software attacks is crucial, but it’s equally important that the drive is physically durable for use in the field. The Aegis NVX is IP68-certified, meaning it can withstand being submerged in 1 meter of water for up to 30 minutes, and putting it on par with many of the best rugged hard drives we've reviewed. In our testing, the drive was dropped into puddles, thrown, and subjected to far more abuse than we’d usually subject a portable hard drive to. While the aluminium casing showed some scratches and wear, the drive continued to work perfectly once dried and reconnected to a computer.

One final point about the drive’s performance is its flexibility. Whether your company works on Mac, PC, or Linux systems, you can reformat the internal SSD to the file system you need. Since the drive’s encryption is handled entirely through hardware and not tied to the SSD or host machine, the admin account can reformat the drive for use just like any other SSD. By default, the drive is formatted in NTFS, but it can easily be reformatted to APFS, exFAT, or another format as required. In our testing, we used the macOS APFS file system and NTFS with Windows 11 Pro.

• Performance: 4.5/5

Should you buy the Aegis NVX?

Essentially, this is an ultra-rugged, fast, secure portable hard drive that is ideal for anyone who needs to keep their data safe. Whether for personal accounts and documents at home or for businesses of any size, it offers a great option. One standout feature of this secure drive is its small size and robust build, with that IP68 certification that takes it beyond most other secure drives.

In addition to its hardware encryption, the fact that you can easily set up both admin and user access is a great feature for businesses. This allows users to either read and write or just read the contents of the drive, which can be exceptionally useful. The brute force crypto-erase feature further enhances the drive’s usability and security and just helps to give you reassurance that your data will stay safe if the drive is lost or stolen.

As a standalone secure drive, the Aegis NVX is a great choice for companies, businesses, as well as individuals. While it has a large feature set, there are some capabilities found in other secure drives that the Aegis NVX lacks, such as online connectivity, remote monitoring, and login limits. These features enable drives to be deleted or tracked by the owner, even if stolen or accessed by an unauthorised user. However, as an isolated, standalone, secure drive, the Aegis NVX is as good as it gets, with virtually no way for anyone to break into its tough exterior or its highly advanced hardware-based 256-bit AES-XTS encryption.

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For more on-the-go storage, we reviewed the best portable SSDs.

OWC Atlas Pro CFExpress Type-A 480GB: 30-second review

The OWC CFexpress 4.0 Type-A Atlas Pro memory card is designed for the latest Sony Alpha and Cinema Line cameras that support the CFexpress Type-A card format. At present, Sony is the only manufacturer to adopt Type-A cards, with most other manufacturers opting for the larger CFexpress Type-B cards.

The format is closer in size to the common SD card format, but with the build quality, speed and capacity that we've seen from all models of CFexpress. This new Atlas Pro card offers some of the fastest transfer rates that we've seen for the format, with read speeds of up to 1700MB/s and 1500MB/s write speeds, which makes it a solid choice for shooting high-resolution images and video on the latest cameras. While its smaller size limits compatibility with CFexpress Type-A slots, OWC includes a CFexpress Type-B adapter that enables the card to be used in standard Type-B readers. However, this doesn't enable the card to be used in cameras that accept the Type-B format of CFexpress even though the card will fit the slot

Aside from the speed and capacity that the CFexpress cards offer over SD cards when it comes to durability, there's just no comparison. To cope with the increased demands of the latest cameras, the memory cards' build quality is on another level, with the metal casing boosting protection against physical damage and also aiding with heat dissipation. The 480GB version of the card that we've looked at in this review offers a decent amount of storage, which is ideal for capturing images on the Sony A7 IV and plenty of 4K video. If you are looking for a card primarily for video, then the larger-capacity card would probably be a good idea.

When it comes to cost, the price is higher compared to similar-sized SD cards, which balances out when you take into consideration the boost in performance and quality that the card offers. While it is only Sony that utilises the Type-A format at present, with Sony's line of still and video cameras leading the field in many sectors, there is a huge market for decent Type-A cards, and at present, there is a small amount of choice out there. However, backed by OWC quality, a robust performance throughout the test and the OWC software suite that helps to maintain the health and integrity of the card, if you're a professional photographer or videographer using one of Sony's latest cameras, then this should be your number one go-to.

OWC Atlas Pro CFExpress Type-A 480GB: Price & availability

The OWC CFexpress 4.0 Type-A Atlas Pro is available through OWC's official website and select online retailers.

• Score: 4/5

OWC Atlas Pro CFExpress Type-A 480GB: Design & build

The OWC CFexpress 4.0 Type-A Atlas Pro is designed for the latest Sony Alpha and Cinema Line cameras. It is tailored towards professionals rather than enthusiasts, enabling that camera to process high-resolution video and still at the camera's full potential. At the same time, enthusiasts will still benefit from the enhanced performance compared with the SD equivalent that most cameras will also accept, such as the Sony A7 IV that was used through this test, the rugged metal casing and robust build of the OWC type-A card help to ensure the additional durability that will reassure professionals and helps to protect the card against physical damage.

As professional photographers and videographers will testify, this additional durability offered by CFexpress cards is important when working in demanding environments where equipment can be subjected to all sorts of conditions and not always delicately handled.

The card's compact size adheres to the standard design profile of Type-A cards, and as such, it fits perfectly into the Sony A7 IV's CFexpress Type-A slot without issue. A nice touch from OWC is the inclusion of the Type-A to B adapter, which means that you can utilise the OWC Type-B card readers without needing to purchase a dedicated reader for this single card type.

• Design & build: 5/5

OWC Atlas Pro CFExpress Type-A 480GB: Features

The OWC CFexpress 4.0 Type-A Atlas Pro offers read speeds up to 1850MB/s, write speeds up to 1700MB/s, and a minimum sustained write speed of 400MB/s, making it ideal for storing high-resolution image and video files.

The card is also VPG200 certified, which means that it will enable compatible Sony Alpha, FX, and FR7 to work at their maximum settings for video capture using an internal storage solution rather than an external one. This means that it can withstand the capture of 4 and 8K video, with the durable metal casing protecting it from damage while also helping to maintain decent heat dissipation when put under load.

The card also meets all CFexpress Type-A 4.0 specifications, which is an upgrade from the more common Type-A 2.0 specifications, but remains fully backwards compatible. One of the big features of the card is the partnership with OWC's Innergize software that enables you to maintain the health and integrity of the cards; it also means that if compatible updates are released for the card and technology, it's possible to upgrade the cards firmware often boosting the cards performance.

Along with the Type-A cards, the box includes a Type-B adapter. This helps to boost the cards' compatibility with standard readers and means that you can use any OWC Type-B reader or one from another manufacturer with the card. It's also worth highlighting that while the card will fit into cameras such as the Canon EOS R5 C, the technology doesn't enable it to be used.

• Features 5/5

OWC Atlas Pro CFExpress Type-A 480GB: Performance

When it comes to the performance of the OWC CFexpress 4.0 Type-A, we tested it in the Sony A7 IV and trialled it with the Sony FX6. In both cameras, the card was instantly recognised and ready to go. Compared to using a standard SD card, the speed of the card was instantly apparent as higher resolutions and colour profiles were selected in the cameras.

On the Sony FX6, with the camera quality settings were set to shoot 4K 60fps at 600 Mbps in XAVC-I, S-Cinetone, the card and camera worked without issue. I switched to the Sony A7 IV, and again, the results were impressive. We were able to shoot video at all quality settings without restriction, something that isn't possible with standard SD cards.

Not only was the speed able to keep up with the cameras' demands, but the capacity, even at 480GB, gave plenty of space for footage. However, for these high-quality settings, the 960GB card might be a better option for longer recording period.

Once the real-world tests were complete, it was time to check the performance of our benchmarking software on an Intel Ghost Canyon Nuc 9 i9. Again, the results were impressive with the card installed in the A to B adapter in the OWC Atlas 4.0 CFexpress Type-B card reader.

While the quoted speeds are impressive, we didn't quite meet those in our benchmarking tests. However, the transfer rates were still impressive and far exceeded the speeds that we recorded, which is even possible with the highest-quality SD cards.

Using CrystalDiskMark, the transfer rates hit 1669.89MB/s read and 1457.29MB/s write. The results in the other applications were equally impressive but varied depending on the technologies. Most importantly, the sustained read and write speeds in the AJA System Test recorded write speeds of 1228MB/s and read Speeds of 1495MB/s over 30 minutes.

The real-world test, along with the benchmarks, prove that the OWC Atlas Pro is a great card for your Sony camera. However, what gives the card the edge over other Type-A cards is the Innergize software that helps you to keep an eye on the health of the card. This software download essentially only works with the OWC cards and readers. Once the card is inserted, you'll be able to get a complete health report on that card, erase it, reset it to factory conditions, and upgrade the software. The app is simple to use but can make a huge difference to your workflow, and if you're working professionally, it just gives you that additional piece of mind knowing what your memory card's condition is like.

• Performance: 5/5

Should you buy the OWC Atlas Pro CFExpress Type-A 480GB?

OWC works closely with the creative industry, and through their hardware and software solutions, they are able to offer a small edge on usability that most other manufacturers just can't meet. The quality of the CFexpress 4.0 Type-A Atlas Pro stands out for its high performance over a sustained period, which few other CFexpress type-A cards are able to match.

While the card is expensive, that is just part of the course with this format of card. Realistically, if you need to use the potential speed and abilities of this card, then you're more than likely going to be using it in a professional capacity, so that price really does make sense. The card more than coped with the ability to record 4K RAW and all the Log3 and other formats that we chose to select with the Sony cameras that we had to hand.

Ultimately, the card is exceptional, but what pushes this card beyond the abilities of most is the fact that it comes with the Innergize software and all that entails for the health and integrity of the card. At present there's no other manufacturer that offers anything like this software that essentially helps you to ensure that your card is always fit and ready for action as well as being able to upgrade the firmware, if and when, updates are released.

If you're in the market for a CFexpress Type-A card, while there are other options, the OWC Atlas Pro currently offers the best balance of price, speed, and support.

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For more storage solutions, we reviewed the best microSD cards.

OWC Express 1M2 2TB: 30-second review

The OWC Express 1M2 is quite unique in the field of best external hard drives for several reasons. The first is that its available as an enclosure or as a ready-to-go storage solution, with a choice of capacities from 1 to 8TB. Then there's the look and styling that has been created to ensure that the drive inside remains cool, however demanding a task you have the drive working through. Those tasks can be anything from processing a range of spreadsheets or, more likely, being the hub of a video production or photoshoot. 

The aluminium outer casing has essentially been built as one large heat sink to ensure that even after hours of continued use, the drive remains fast and that any effects of thermal throttling are kept to a minimum. The design also means that there are no fans, so the drive runs nice and silent, no matter the load. The drive also incorporates the latest connection technology and offers transfer rates of up to 3151MB/s in real-world tests; this is well beyond the scope of most portable hard drives. Usually, these speeds are only reached by internal drives or dedicated working external systems. 

As with other OWC drives, the setup process is easy and essentially involves a plug-and-play approach with a single cable that connects the drive to the computer, providing both power and data transfer. The connection type is USB-C (40Gb/s), which is one of the fastest connections out there and will enable the smooth data transfers needed for 4 and 8-K video editing.

While the drive comes APFS formatted, you do have the option to use the OWC Drive Guide (Mac) software that's included on the drive to change the format to an older Mac file system or ExFat for cross-compatibility with Windows. As the drive is Mac formatted, it won't initially be viewable or accessible on a PC; however, the drive can be formatted in that ExFat format using the OWC Drive Guide (Mac) on a Mac, or you can download the trial of the OWC MacDrive software to access the disk and format it to the correct file format for use. 

When it comes to size the drive is slightly larger than most of the best portable SSDs we've tested; however, with the performance that it offers, that's not an issue, and while it may be a touch larger, it's still relatively lightweight. Using the drive for editing 4K video on Final Cut Pro X, the speed and ease of use is seamless with no reliability issues, with the drive providing the performance that you would usually expect from an internal SSD. 

OWC Express 1M2 2TB: Price & availability

The OWC Express 1M2 is a premium price for its capacity, but this is balanced by the build quality and performance, which is pretty much unmatched in the market. It's available directly from OWC's website and through various authorised retailers. Prices vary depending on the storage capacity chosen, with options ranging up to 8TB. The drive includes a three-year warranty for the complete solution or two years for the enclosure.

• Score: 4/5

OWC Express 1M2 2TB: Design & build

A glance at the OWC Express 1M2, and you could easily mistake it for a huge heat sink, with its full aluminium build and gill-like design that helps to dissipate the heat. The Aluminium used is of aircraft-grade quality and, therefore, provides strength and protection around the internal SSD even when thrown in a kit back with little to no other protection. In our review sample, which is at the lower end of the capacity options, there's fitted a 2TB SSD, but there are other options at 1, 2, 4, or 8TB. The design of the drive also means that it's available with a drive installed or empty.

While the drive's full metal build gives it a strong and robust design and feel, measuring 23mm (0.9 in), length 132 mm (5.2 in), and width 70 mm (2.8 in), it does feel relatively light at 253.0 g (0.56 lbs) and this helps to ensure that it remains highly portable. 

On the base  are two long rubber pads that help it to stay in position, which can be useful when working out in the field, and surface space is often at a premium. Under one of these feet are the screws that enable you to replace the SSD with a larger capacity if you require it in the future. 

On the back is the USB Type-C port. This is a USB4, up to 40 Gb/s (or 5000 MB/s), which is far in excess of most standard portable SSDs and further highlights that this drive is focused towards high-demand applications such as video, audio, and photography. 

Inside the box, along with the drive, is a USB-C cable. While the drive is USB 4, it is fully backwards compatible with any compatible connector, although the maximum transfer speeds will vary depending on the device.

• Design & build: 5/5

OWC Express 1M2 2TB: Features

The OWC Express 1M2 is a portable SSD design with ultra-fast performance and reliability at its heart, and as such, it is able to reach up to 3151MB/s, as quoted by OWC, in real-world scenarios. This speed should ensure that larger files, projects, and applications can be handled smoothly with a performance that is similar, if not the same, to that of your internal SSD. This will make it an ideal solution for video editing as well as any other task that requires a large amount of data to be accessed, written to, or moved at speed. 

Our review sample arrived pre-configured with 2TB storage, which is one of OWC's superb NVMe Aura SSDs. However, you can also build your drive to your specifications with support for various NVMe M.2 SSD sizes (2230, 2242, and 2280).

While most high-demand applications have traditionally been confined to the Studio or Office, the speed and performance of the USB4, Thunderbolt, and USB-C connections allow most equipped laptops to make the most of the capacity and speed out in the field. With the drive's BUS-powered connection, only one cable is needed for both power and data making it an easy solution for use out in the field.

As the drive has been designed to be portable at a professional level, the outer casing made from aircraft-grade Aluminium serves a dual purpose. It offers rugged protection for the SSD while maintaining silence, and the metal design also acts as an effective cooling system that will help sustain top speeds. 

Finally, the drive is backed by a three-year warranty or a two-year warranty for the enclosure.

• Features 4/5

OWC Express 1M2 2TB: Performance

Getting started with the OWC Express 1M2 is easy enough with the plug-and-play nature when used on Mac systems, meaning that it's ready to go. However, the onboard "OWC Drive Guide (Mac)" recommends fresh formatting provided by the software, and this enables you to select from four options: to stay with APFS, use the older HFS, go for ExFat for cross-compatibility with PCs, or to do it manually. 

In this test, we started with the APFS option and then used Disk Utility to reformat the drive in the ExFat for use on your PC. If you're a PC user, you will need a Mac to reformat the drive to a PC-recognisable format. Alternatively, you can use the OWC MacDrive software trial to help you get started. This software essentially enables you to see Mac Drive on a PC and is very useful if you're used to using both systems

When it came to the benchmark tests, the OWC Express 1M2 delivers exceptional performance, making it ideal for various professional and creative tasks. With read speeds of 3002MB/s and write speeds of 2994MB/s in AJA System Test Lite, it handles large file transfers and data-intensive tasks with ease. ATTO results show even higher read speeds of 3130MB/s and write speeds of 3200MB/s, confirming its capability for high-speed data processing. The AmorphousDiskMark scores, with read speeds of 3203.26MB/s and write speeds of 2608.04MB/s, further highlight its suitability for demanding applications such as Final Cut Pro X and DaVinci Resolve.

For creative professionals, the Express 1M2 is well-suited for tasks such as video editing, where the high read and write speeds are essential to ensure smooth playback and quick rendering of 4K and higher resolution video if you're a photographer. The ability to handle large RAW file transfers and quick access times is ideal for backup and fast access and saves when using Photoshop. Audio professionals will also appreciate the fast data access and transfer rates for managing large audio files and multitrack sessions.

In an office setting, the 1M2'sss 1M2's high-speed performance, while nice to have, could be seen as a little overkill. File transfers and data backups are faster, but in reality, there are far cheaper solutions out there that will do the job at the speed you need. 

Overall, the OWC 1M2'sss 1M2's benchmarks are impressive and highlight that it is an excellent choice for creative users who need reliable and fast portable storage for video, audio, and photography. 

• Performance: 5/5

Should you buy the OWC Express 1M2 2TB?

The OWC Express 1M2 is a superb portable SSD, offering some of the fastest transfer rates for this size of drive on the market. Not only that, but the build quality is superb. This impressive speed and rugged build make it a perfect choice for professionals and creatives who require reliable, high-performance storage on the go. The higher price point is justified by its quality and features, making it a worthwhile investment, but for office users, this builds quality, and performance could be a lot better.

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OWC Envoy Pro Mini: 30-second review

The OWC Envoy Pro Mini takes a different approach to storage than most of the best portable SSDs we've tried - offering the capacity and speed of an external SSD in the compact form of a USB stick. The high-quality full aluminium build not only gives it a premium feel but also ensures durability. The design features a flip-over protective lid that enables you to switch from USB Type-A to Type-C connectors quickly. Our review unit features a 256GB capacity with the full line-up ranging from 256GB to 2TB of storage. Transfer rates up to 946MB/s are also impressive, which means that the OWC Envoy Pro Mini is ideal for mass storage and can be used as a working drive.

However, there could be some drawbacks to consider. The compact size, while convenient, could also make it easy to misplace. Additionally, as the drive is so small, it's likely to get hot during intensive use, such as video editing, which could impact performance. So the question is, will the OWC Envoy Pro Mini be able to deliver its full potential as one of the most compact and portable hard drives on the market?

OWC Envoy Pro Mini: Price & availability

The OWC Envoy Pro Mini is available for purchase directly from the OWC website and various authorized retailers. Pricing starts at $79.00 for the 250GB model and goes up to $199.00 for the 2TB model. The Envoy Pro Mini includes a USB-C (40Gb/s) cable, a protective cap, and a lanyard. It comes with a three-year OWC Limited Warranty.

• Score: 4/5

OWC Envoy Pro Mini: Design & build

The OWC Envoy Pro Mini offers the capacity and speed of an external SSD but in the compact form of a USB stick rather than a more traditionally shaped and sized portable hard drive. At first glance, there is little to tell this apart from an aforementioned USB stick, aside from its slightly lengthier body and the fact that it has a full metal build. Still, it remains small and compact, and inside the tough outer casing, our review unit features 256GB of high-speed storage, which can offer transfer rates up to 946MB/s.

The OWC Envoy Pro Mini is small, weighing in at 26g and measuring 11 x 80 x 17mm, with the all-metal exterior providing durability and that premium feel. At one end is a protective metal cap that covers the USB Type-C port, while at the other end is a blue LED status light that flashes to show the status and activity. The high build quality is evident throughout the design of the drive, with a textured section that, when pulled out, pivots around a central joint to reveal the USB Type-A connector. The addition of a lanyard hole is a nice design feature and helps enhance the design further. 

• Design & build: 4/5

OWC Envoy Pro Mini: Features

The OWC Envoy Pro Mini brings the performance of a full-sized SSD to a device that fits comfortably in your pocket. Its sleek, thumb drive-sized design offers high-speed storage that you can take anywhere. What's more, it's universally compatible, featuring plug-and-play functionality with USB or Thunderbolt (USB-C) ports on Macs, PCs, iPads, Chromebooks, Android tablets, and Surface devices.

When it comes to speed, the Envoy Pro Mini shouldn't disappoint, with OWC stating real-world data transfer rates of up to 946MB/s. This means that whether you're working with large multimedia files, backing up crucial data, or launching applications, this drive provides the speed you need. That combination of speed and capacity ensures versatility and makes it a great solution for a variety of uses, such as pro audio, photography, graphics, gaming, and general data storage or backup.

If you're concerned about data protection, then the Envoy Pro Mini is compatible with Apple Time Machine and Windows File History, which means that this no-fuss USB Stick design will act as an ideal solution for use with those systems to back up your files. While not strictly a professional use for the drive, it can be used as a storage solution for PlayStation and Xbox consoles, providing additional space and quick load times. When needed. Additionally, if you have presentations and video, then again, those fast transfer speeds and capacity means that it can essentially act as an entertainment hub, enabling you to playback presentations, videos, and music and view pictures on your Smart TV or projector just by simply plugging the drive into the USB port.

The Envoy Pro Mini isn't just for storage; it can also be used as a bootable drive, enabling you to start up your system and launch applications. This is a great solution for both Mac and Linux users, and those using Windows will be able to launch some applications and extras directly from the drive, helping to free up valuable disk space and an easy way to increase storage media for laptops. 

One of the key design elements is the slim design that ensures that adjacent ports remain accessible. Being small, like most other portable SSDs, it is bus-powered, meaning that the single USB connection will provide all the power that it needs to run. 

Being small, heat is a consideration, and the heat-dissipating machined aluminium housing helps to ensure that the Envoy Pro Mini makes little, if any, audible noise and should remain cool even during intensive tasks.

• Features 4/5

OWC Envoy Pro Mini: Performance

For those looking for the best external hard drive for Mac, the OWC Envoy Pro Mini comes pre-formatted in the advanced Apple APFS file system, which ensures maximum compatibility with macOS. While it comes with the system installed, you can reformat into NTFS or ExFat if you want to use this on a Windows PC, although it's worth doing this PC-compatible formating on a Mac first.

To make things easy, the drive comes with the "OWC Drive Guide (Mac)" application, which is ready to load from the drive. This application is a once-run app that enables you to select several options, from the latest APFS to the older Mac OS Extended; there's also the ExFat option. To get started with the drive, it's recommended to start on a Mac, as some PCs won't recognise the drive until it has been formatted utilising the onboard software app. 

Once the file system is in place, the original factory-installed contents of the drive are wiped and replaced with a single PDF with a QR code that will take you to the getting started guides, manuals, and FAQs. So, there's plenty of additional information, including support if you need it. However, once set up, there's little not to understand—plug it in, and off you go! 

In performance tests, the OWC Envoy Pro Mini delivered impressive results with read speeds of 828MB/s and write speeds of 927MB/s when tested in AJA System Test Lite. This makes it suitable for demanding tasks such as video editing and large file transfers. Depending on the software and type of test run, the results varied, as you'll see in the benchmark result. Still, as a general rule throughout the testing, the Pro Mini was an excellent storage option when additional fast access storage was required for both backup and as a working drive. 

• Performance: 4/5

Should you buy the OWC Envoy Pro Mini?

The OWC Envoy Pro Mini is a great storage solution. Its small size, large capacity options, and speed make it an all-around great option for anyone who needs to store large files out in the field. While the drive is designed for Mac users, and in the post part, you will need a Mac to get up and running initially, you can opt to format it in the ExFat files system so that it can be used between both Mac and PC systems.

When it comes to design, the SSD's USB stick style means that it can slip easily into a pocket, or with the small lanyard, you can pop it into a bag and keep it safely secured on an internal loop if one is available. 

In use, the dual USB Type-A or C gives you plenty of options, especially when transporting between Mac, PC and other systems. The transfer rates of large files are incredibly quick, meaning that you can back up files from a shoot at speed, as well as use the drive as working storage media which is a huge asset. While the transfer rates do enable you to use the OWC Envoy Pro Mini as a working drive, it can get hot, although it is surprisingly well-balanced, especially when it's used for video editing. In reality, it's a great working drive for photos, but it's best to push it on time with video editing, however able it seems. 

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SanDisk Desk Drive 8TB: 30-second review

The SanDisk Desk Drive 8TB is small and quiet, unlike traditional boxy and large desktop storage drives that are commonplace in workspaces worldwide. It is altogether smaller and more stylish, with an ultrafast internal 8TB SSD and a promise of a 16TB version to be released later this year.

The drive is, in principle, a straightforward desktop drive for use with a single computer with a USB Type-C connection to ensure speed and an external power source provided through a standard AC socket rather than drawing BUS power from the computer's USB ports.

In use, the drive is simple enough. It is plug-and-play for most computing systems and arrives formatted in the ExFat file system. This means that it's easy to swap between Mac and PC systems if required; if not, it can be reformatted into one of the more secure options, such as NTFS or APFS, which will also boost the performance and some computing options for those systems.

This drive will really appeal to laptop users who are often limited on internal space. The Desk Drive not only expands the space for large-scale 3D, image, and video projects but also offers transfer speeds through the USB Type-C connection so that it can be used as a working drive as well as for archiving files.

Like any of the best portable SSDs we've tested, once connected, the drive will appear as any other external drive. It can be used for file backup with Time Machine on the Mac or Acronis True Image on the PC. Alternatively, it can be used as a straight storage drive with an off-site solution. The beauty here is that the transfer rates are at a speed that the drive and capacity are not only sufficient for archiving your files but also as a viable working drive for large file types such as video, image, and 3D.

As large-capacity storage solutions go, the SanDisk Desk Drive perfectly balances speed, capacity, and price, making it ideal for any home or small office as a fast, reliable storage solution.

SanDisk Desk Drive 8TB: Price & availability

The SanDisk Desk Drive 8TB has a SRP £663.99 / $699.99, and the smaller 4TB version is available for SRP £359.99 / $379.99. Later in the year, a 16TB version will also be available, although the price is still to be confirmed. The drive is widely available and can be purchased directly from Western Digital

• Score: 4.5/5

SanDisk Desk Drive 8TB: Design & build

The SanDisk Desk Drive 8TB is considerably smaller than most desktop hard drives, which makes it easy to place on the desk or neatly under the monitor. The actual design is simple, and with the slightly concaved top rather than flat, it seems perfectly formed for small office items such as paperclips and coins!

The size and shape also make it easy to pick up and move, and at 268g, it has just enough weight to act as a convenient paperweight when not in use. That weight also helps with positioning it around the desk, meaning that while lightweight, it's not lightweight enough to be easily knocked from position.

Connection-wise, the drive features a single USB Type-C connection directly into the machine and an AC power socket that fits directly into a standard AC wall socket in the same way as any traditional desktop drive. These two cables keep things relatively neat at the back with no mess of extra cables. Unlike some larger drives, there are no additional USB ports for linking, pass-through, or hub features; this is simply a direct external drive for use by an individual at their desk.

Once the drive is in position and connected to power and the desktop, it quickly appears on the Mac desktop or can be accessed through Windows, depending on your system of choice. The drive comes preformatted in the ExFat file system for maximum compatibility but can be reformatted quickly to suit your preferred system. If you use both, you can stick with ExFat.

Once done, the drive can be used as with any other desktop drive or linked into a backup solution such as Time Machine on the Mac or with Acronis True Image for Western Digital backup software, which can be downloaded from the Western Digital website.

• Score: 4.5/5

SanDisk Desk Drive 8TB: Features

The SanDisk Desk Drive 8TB offers plenty of storage capacity, with the 8TB version that we're looking at in this review being suitable for most medium-sized usage individuals who might shoot images and video as part of their workload and need the speed to access those files quickly as well as archive them with the ability to gain access to them at speed without the need to dig through a server. The 4TB version, although smaller, is still a substantial capacity and would be better suited to those working with documents and the occasional use of image and video files. The larger 16TB version would be ideal for videographers in small businesses who just need plenty of storage to back up their projects after an edit or need the additional capacity for working projects.

One of the features that really makes the SanDisk Desk Drive 8TB stand out is the fast transfer speeds, with read speeds of up to 1,000 MB/s and write speeds of up to 900 MB/s, making it significantly faster than traditional desktop hard disk drives and many of the other solutions offered by Western Digital at present.

For many users, the SanDisk Desk Drive 8TB will also make a perfect solution for backing up all their work through applications such as Apple Time Machine or the downloadable Acronis True Image for Western Digital software. Both of these applications can be used to back up your desktop machine to the SanDisk Desk Drive 8TB to ensure that you always have two local copies of your files. Of course, it's always good practice, especially in a business environment, to have another backup of your files either to a NAS or off-site cloud solution.

One of the most appealing aspects of the Desk Drive is its small size, which makes it far easier to position than many of the more traditional desktop hard drives. The fact that it also utilizes its own power supply means that its performance is more consistent than that of portable external hard drives.

Out of the box, the SanDisk Desk Drive comes in the exFAT file format, which is compatible with both Windows and macOS systems. It uses a USB Type-C connection for connectivity.

Finally, the drive comes with a three-year limited warranty to ensure that your investment is sound for at least a few years.

• Score 4.5/5

SanDisk Desk Drive 8TB: Performance

When it came to testing the drive, the advertised transfer speeds offered a few more options than more traditional HDD desktop drives. So, alongside the speed tests, the drive was used as a working drive for some of the best video editing software and best photo editors available to see if it could facilitate the delivery of large files and complex computing.

Starting with using the drive on a PC with Adobe Photoshop and copying 1TB of image files from an OWC CFExpress Type-B card, the transfer rate was impressive. Files crossed over through the Atlas CFexpress 4.0 Type B reader in a little under two minutes.

In use, the drive worked perfectly for photography, with the speed of downloading the image files from a CFExpress Type-B card to the storage helping to speed up the workflow. A full selection of files from a day's shoot, some 1200 files, both JPEG and RAW, could be downloaded in a little under two minutes. When opening Adobe Bridge to browse the files, the application and drive worked fast enough for the thumbnails to generate and display in good time; likewise, opening and saving files was seamless without pause or delay.

Switching to the more intensive video workflow and again using 4K video captured on the Canon EOS R5 C, the drive fed the files to Final Cut Pro at a rate that enabled smooth video editing without dropped frames. The machine (MacBook Pro 16-inch M1) started to struggle with projects greater than 10 minutes in length rather than any issue with the speed of the content delivery from the drive.

To back up the real-world tests, where the small drive performed well, the benchmark tests also showed impressive results across the board, with the overall transfer rates exceeding those stated by Western Digital.

When it comes to other features, the SanDisk Desk Drive is somewhat limited - you have access to all the backup features offered by the Acronis True Image software, and this is simple to use. On the drive are installed link files for both Mac and PC, and although these are executable files, they simply take you to the download page on the Western Digital website. Once there, you scroll down to the download link for the Mac or PC version - it's simple enough, but the downloads page is generic for all of their products, so not all software on this page is appropriate for this drive, which is worth noting.

While Acronis is a great piece of software, and the implementation here is excellent, enabling you to set source and destination locations for your files, this software really is about the backup of files rather than management. When it comes to security the software does enable you to do a clean wipe of the drive, however, if you're storing sensitive data on the drive there is no default facility to do this other than using a third party software option. For a drive of this type, some type of integral security would have been nice to see. 

Likewise, simplicity makes this drive easy to use. As a desktop drive, it will probably be plugged either directly into a hub or the machine it's being used by. It would have been nice to see an additional USB Type-C port so other accessories or card readers could be daisy-chained into the drive.

However, the pure simplicity of the design and ease of use is what should make this drive so appealing to anyone running a small or home office looking for decent amounts of storage capacity. 

• Score: 4/5

Should you buy the SanDisk Desk Drive 8TB?

The SanDisk Desk Drive 8TB is best suited for professionals in creative industries who handle large media files regularly and require quick, reliable access. It's also a great choice for those needing a robust backup solution for important data, combining speed with large capacity in a user-friendly format. This drive excels in environments where speed and capacity are critical, making it ideal for photographers, videographers, and digital artists.

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