The OWC ENVOY PRO MINI is a pocket-sized USB-C and USB-A SSD that allows you to access, save, and share your data anywhere with any computer, or tablet. It is available in 250GB, 500GB, and 1TB capacities.
The OWC ENVOY PRO MINI works with USB and Thunderbolt (USB-C) Macs, PCs, iPads, Chromebooks, Android tablets, and Surface devices made over the last 15 years.
Key features
- Plug and play with USB or Thunderbolt (USB-C) ports on Macs, PCs, iPads, Chromebooks, Android tablets, and Surface devices
- Perfect for audio, photography, graphics, gaming, and general data storage/backup uses
- Apple Time Machine and Windows File History ready
- Ideal for game storage with PlayStation and Xbox consoles
- Watch videos, listen to music, and view pictures through your Smart TV
- Slim size keeps adjacent ports available for use
- Bus-powered for easy transport and use anywhere
- Safety breakaway neck lanyard keeps drive at fingertip reach while a detachable end offers easy drive sharing between devices and other users
- Silent operation with a heat-dissipating machined aluminum housing for cool and quiet use
- 3-Year OWC Limited Warranty
Speed
OWC claims that the ENVOY PRO MINI has up to 946MB/s sequential read/write (max) performance.
I decided to do my own speed tests to see how fast the drive was.
Above you can see the results for the ENVOY PRO MINI with the stress set to 16GB. According to my test which was done on a Mac Studio it was able to sustain write speeds of 592.6 MB/s and a read speed of 527.3 MB/s. This was well below the claimed maximum performance stated by the manufacturer.
I also tested the drive card using the AJA System Test Lite software under a 4GB load to see what the read and write speeds were. The drive gave me an average write speed of 721MB/s and an average write speed of 761MB/s. These results were a lot higher than when using the Blackmagic Speed Test.
The maximum write speed I got during this test was 810MB/s.
Above you can see how many frames per second the OWC could support if you were using it to record UHD 4K ProRes 422HQ. The drive can sustain up to 183fps.
Dual Functionality
What I like about the ENVOY PRO MINI is that has both USB-C and USB-A connectors. This means you don’t have to carry around an additional adapter and you can literally just hand the drive off to anyone without any issues.
Build Quality
The casing of the ENVOY PRO MINI is made out of aluminum. It is very solidly constructed and robust.
The drive can work in the following Ambient Temperatures:
Operating: 32°F to 158°F (0°C to 70°C)
Non-Operating: -40°F to 185°F (-40°C to 85°C)
Size & Weight
The ENVOY PRO MINI has physical dimensions of 1.1 cm / 0.4 in x 8.0 cm / 3.1 in x 1.7 cm / 0.7 in (H x L x W). It tips the scales at 26.0 g / 0.06 lbs.
Now, the only real caveat with having a drive this small is that it is easy to lose or misplace. You almost need to attach something large to it in the same way they attach items to gas station restroom keys!
Use it to record footage from select cameras
Due to its small size and speed, you can hook up the ENVOY PRO MINI to cameras such as the BMPCC 6K and record directly to it.
OWC’s MacDrive
You can use the Envoy Pro mini in a mixed Mac and Windows environment with the addition of OWC’s MacDrive (sold separately). This software runs in the background, so there is nothing to launch or learn. You just plug in the Envoy Pro mini, and not only do you have instant-read access, but full write access. MacDrive also includes features that enable you to format and partition drives and repair fundamental disk issues.
Price & availability
The OWC Envoy Pro mini is now available to purchase in 250GB, 500GB, and 1TB capacities on Macsales.com. The prices are as follows:
These prices are pretty reasonable for what you get.
Conclusion
The OWC Envoy Pro mini is a well-made, compact, and reasonably fast portable drive that can come in very handy.
