OWC Express 4M2 Ultra: A Thunderbolt 5 NVMe SSD storage beast
The Other World Computing (OWC) Express 4M2 Ultra is the world's first NVMe M.2 SSD enclosure to leverage the brand-new Thunderbolt 5 interface.
- Leverages the Thunderbolt 5 standard to push real-world read/write speeds to a blistering 6622 MB/s.
- Allows users to populate up to four NVMe M.2 SSDs simultaneously, offering flexible configurations from RAID 0 to RAID 10 and maxing out at 32TB of capacity.
- The Thunderbolt 5 protocol delivers 80 Gbps of bidirectional bandwidth, capable of boosting up to 120 Gbps when driving ultra-high-resolution external displays.
- The first batch is expected to ship in Q3 2026, with a starting price of roughly $399.99.
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OWC Express 4M2 Ultra with Thunderbolt 5
Officially unveiled at the NAB 2026 show, the OWC Express 4M2 Ultra is the market's first certified Thunderbolt 5 external enclosure, serving up transfer speeds of up to 6622 MB/s. Compared to older enclosures bottlenecked by Thunderbolt 4's 40 Gbps ceiling, the adoption of Thunderbolt 5 doubles the bidirectional pipe to 80 Gbps. Better yet, Thunderbolt 5 can trigger Bandwidth Boost, dynamically pushing maximum bandwidth to 120 Gbps if you're simultaneously transferring data and outputting high-resolution video to multiple external displays.
Rather than forcing you into an overpriced, pre-populated drive array, the Express 4M2 Ultra's biggest selling point is its DIY flexibility. The aircraft-grade, brushed aluminum chassis allows you to install up to four NVMe M.2 SSDs yourself (supporting both 2280 and 2242 form factors). Taking up a minuscule footprint on your desk, this setup can house a massive 32TB of data. Under the hood, a smart cooling fan automatically balances thermals, keeping the system chilled to prevent thermal throttling and maintain sustained read/write performance.
RAID support and daisy-chaining for creatives
Beyond raw speed, the storage configuration versatility of the OWC Express 4M2 Ultra is top-tier. The enclosure fully supports common RAID levels like 0, 1, 4, 5 and 10, or basic JBOD setups via OWC's proprietary SoftRAID utility or third-party disk management software. The signature daisy-chaining capability of the Thunderbolt interface remains intact; you can use the secondary Thunderbolt 5 port to daisy-chain up to five additional peripherals, pooling them into massive volumes while maintaining high speeds. Backwards compatibility is also rock-solid, seamlessly communicating with host systems running Thunderbolt 4, USB4, or even legacy Macs restricted to Thunderbolt 3.
Naturally, getting your hands on the OWC Express 4M2 Ultra won't be cheap. OWC has opened pre-orders with a starting price of $399.99 (for the barebone enclosure, excluding the SoftRAID software). If you want the bundle that includes a professional SoftRAID license, the cost jumps to $549.99.
At this stage, investing in the OWC Express 4M2 Ultra is more an exercise in future-proofing than solving an immediate necessity. With real-world read/write bandwidth exceeding 6000 MB/s, this enclosure is purpose-built for storing and scrubbing 12K RAW video sources or incredibly demanding multi-cam edits for professional production workflows. If your workflow mostly consists of editing RAW photos or cutting YouTube videos, previous-generation hardware relying on 40 Gbps USB4 or Thunderbolt 4 is still more than capable - and significantly easier on the wallet.
