Other World Computing (OWC) may not be a name you’re familiar with, but the company has been making premium SSDs, dongles, and full-blown docking stations for years. I have to admit that I didn’t really have the company on my radar until recently. The new work-from-home movement has made me obsessed with USB-C docks, and this is something I definitely wanted to check out from OWC.
I reached out to OWC to possibly do a review, and they did me one better, and I’d like to share my thoughts on multiple devices in their lineup in this Level Up series. Allow me to introduce you to them now with the OWC Thunderbolt Go Dock, Express 1M2 NVMe SSD Enclosure, and finally, the Envoy Pro Mini portable USB-C and USB-A SSD stick.
Level Up is where we explore the gear that actually makes a difference, whether that’s in how you live, work, or unwind. Each edition brings together standout products, whether tied by brand or by theme, that turn the everyday into something a little more exceptional.
OWC Thunderbolt Go Dock
Let’s just start with a design aesthetic you’ll see with all three of the devices we’ll cover here. OWC hasn’t sent over a device made of plastic. Zero. The Thunderbolt Go Dock is completely made from stamped, grooved aluminum. It adds a heft and durability to the Go that you don’t see much in the market.
The entire casing looks like an actual tool or something you’d see in a workshop. I love this look and how it adds a bit of personality to not just make this another plastic, black box in your workspace. This has purpose and substance.
Spec wise, OWC doesn’t disappoint either. Just like the metal of the outside, the inside has the horsepower to keep up. The Thunderbolt 4 upstream port offers a full 90W of juice to make sure the thing keeps up with anything you plug into it. It even has Thunderbolt share that allows you to daisy-chain multiple TB4 hosts if they are equipped with the Intel EVO series CPUs.
There’s a ton of compatibility in the port selection found on the OWC Go Dock. You’re gonna be hard-pressed to find a combination that can’t support all your peripherals. You have an SD card, 3.5mm audio jack, USB-A 2.0, and USB-C 3.2 on the front of the unit.
Setting up my workspace was simple. I connected my Dell laptop with Thunderbolt to the upstream port and off we went. From there, I added two displays via a DisplayPort splitter via USB-C. My mouse and keyboard were next, along with my trusty Brother’s laser printer.
This is my essentials, but the dock handle other peripherals in my testing. This included multiple hard drives, a Bluetooth adapter, Dymo printer, and of course, the next options from OWC. Pricing starts at $299 to get this rig for your desk right now.
Purchase the OWC Thunderbolt GO Dock from OWC
Purchase the OWC Thunderbolt GO Dock from Amazon
OWC Express 1M2 SSD enclosure
The Express 1M2 has at least one too many numerals in the name, but doesn’t hold back in performance and design. This all-metal NVMe SSD enclosure allows you to have top tier drive write speeds while on the go with the power and compatibility of USB-C. Together, it’s a potent combination for those who need external storage not dedicated to a specific workspace.
The all aluminum design is also present with the Express 1M2. With the external hard drive, it looks more like the high-end heat sink you’d see on gamer PCs. This ribbed exterior may be intentional and functional to pull heat from the fanless SSD slot.
Internally, you can reveal a single NVMe M.2 slot with just a Philips screwdriver. The onboard system supports an SSD of up to 8TB of storage space, making this not only a great portable option, but upgradeable as your storage space grows. The drives can be M.2 2230, M.2 2242, or M.2 2280 “M Key” variety.
This thing is fast too. With USB-4, you can keep consistent write speeds of up to 40Gbps. I’ve found this to be accurate in my usage with multiple devices. Using Linux, Windows, and an Android tablet, these all registered close to this max under most conditions. Availability and pricing starts at $220 for the 1TB variant, with the maxed out version with 8TB costing around $1,500.
Purchase the OWC Express 1M2 SSD from OWC
Purchase the OWC Express 1M2 SSD from Amazon
OWC Envoy Pro Mini
Finally, we have one of the smallest offerings in the OWC lineup: the Envoy Pro Mini. I can’t say how much I love this 1TB pen drive. Again, the all metal design is fantastic. It has a smooth body with gnarling on the edges that provide just the right amount of texture to help pull and push the drive into input ports.
Speeds on the Envoy Pro Mini are exceptional as well with the SSD drive inside the thumb drive. Moving files onto the drive is fast and I had no failed attempts. Read and write speeds shouldn’t be an issue for any user in the market for a top-notch thumb drive.
My favorite feature of the Envoy Pro Mini might be that it support both USB-C and the traditional USB-A in the same device. With a unique pivoting hinge, OWC has found a great way to support both options. This is a nice touch from a company that knows that ports come at a premium, and you may be limited to a USB-A in certain situations.
Pricing for the OWC Envoy Pro Mini starts at $80 for the 250GB models. If you need the maximum storage of 1TB, it will set you back $170 to add to your shopping cart.
Purchase the OWC Envoy Pro Mini Pen Drive from OWC
Purchase the OWC Envoy Pro Mini Pen Drive from Amazon
Upgrade your peripherals now with the OWC lineup
OWC has a plethora of options, and I can’t be more impressed with the three items I’ve tested. The Thunderbolt GO Dock is exceptional in expanding any workspace. With the ability to have multiple displays, accessories, and even another Thunderbolt device attached, it can easily be the one solution for any desktop.
Add the OWC Express 1M2 and Envoy Pro Mini SSDs and you have the portable storage you need both at your desk or away from home. These durable enclosures are well-designed, easy to store, and have plenty of drive space. Getting work done while on the go should be a breeze.
You can purchase any of these three units from OWC direct or Amazon using our links above. Be sure to browse the company’s website for further solutions for your computing needs as well. OWC offers more storage, network storage, and more docking stations as well.
