I understand the constraints on space, but I think if OWC ever does a version 2, an internal power supply would be a nice option, though the external brick does provide flexibility if you run the rest of your equipment off 12V DC there are considerations for both options. The only other port is the DC barrel plug, which takes 12 volts from an external power brick. Ports-wise, the Express 4M2 is equipped with two Thunderbolt 3 ports, allowing you to daisy chain devices, as well as a DisplayPort port if you want to hook up an additional monitor. It is worth mentioning, though, so if your workflow requires a really quiet room, be aware that you will hear the fan unless you bury it in a shelf somewhere. For my uses inside a rack case with a ton of other components that make some noise, it’s completely inaudible. The fan is definitely needed as under load, the drives get a bit toasty, but not alarmingly hot, and the fan remains quiet enough that you’ll only really notice it in the quietest of rooms. The 60mm fan is configured as exhaust and the front intake grill has a non-removable filter to keep dust and debris out. While cool, it’s kind of a weird choice, since the only reason to open the device is to install or remove drives, which requires a screwdriver. To get into the device, there are two captive thumbscrews to slide the internal components out of the shell. Also worth mentioning that OWC includes a certified ~2ft Thunderbolt 3 cable in the box, which is immensely appreciated. The only source of light in this box is an internal LED that you can barely see, but lets you know it’s on and functioning. Its basic design is forgettable, but that’s sort of the point it’s function over form without being offensive. Its longest dimension is just 5.4 inches and can easily fit on a rack shelf or backpack for easy transport. The OWC Express 4M2 is a really compact external enclosure, built out of extruded aluminum and anodized in black. Let’s take a look at the specification sheet for the OWC Express 4M2, which doesn’t come with drives: Number of BaysĠ, 1, 4, 5, 6, 10, JBOD via Software (SoftRAID XT)Ģx Thunderbolt 3 (40Gb/s), DisplayPort 1.2Ĥ.4in x 5.4in x 2.4in (11.3cm x 13.6cm x 6cm)ĥC to 35C (41F to 95F), -304.8m to 3,048m (-1,000ft to 10,000ft) The 5-year warranty is also a nice-to-have for something I use professionally. Even in this PCIe Gen3 configuration and limited by Thunderbolt 3’s 40Gb/s interface, they’re still great options for their sustained performance and better-than-average write endurance of 3600TBW, with a claimed 1.7 million hours mean time between failures. These drives are definitely overkill for this setup, as they’re PCIe Gen4 and can do up to 5GB/s read and 4.4GB/s write each, but they’re what I had on hand. In this review, I’ll be looking at this device and how it fits into my workflow as a Digital Imaging Technician in the motion picture industry.įor this review, I have the Express 4M2 configured with four 2TB Sabrent Rocket NVMe 4.0 drives in RAID0. Configurable in a variety of RAID options via OWC’s SoftRAID XT software (which is included as a $100 add-on), this external enclosure packs some serious performance in a small package. The OWC Express 4M2 is a Thunderbolt 3 external enclosure for up to four NVMe M.2 drives. In this review, I’ll be looking at this device and how it fits into my workflow as a Digital Imaging Technician in the motion picture industry. The OWC Express 4M2 is a Thunderbolt 3 external enclosure for up to four NVMe M.2 drives.
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