In for a long-term test is the Other World Computing’s (OWC) Express 1M2 80G SSD drive. Many soft synths available these days – yes we’re looking at you Spectrasonics Omnisphere – require gigabits upon gigabits of hard drive space. If you don’t want to fill up your computer’s drive, or would like to use the library on different computers, then a speedy external drive is definitely the answer. But you can’t just employ any drive…

OWC Express 1M2 80G SSD Review

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Enter the Express 1M2 80G SSD drive by OWC. It comes in four capacities, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB and 8TB. We tested the 1TB model with Omnisphere 3 with three different staffers; they’re impressions in quotes below. But let’s get the specs out of the way and discuss the Express’ unique form factor.

The Express 1M2 80G’s sports 20 fins emerging out of its all aluminum chassis…

You may have noticed right of the bat that the Express 1M2 80G’s sports 20 fins emerging out of its all aluminum chassis. While it does give the hard drive a unique form factor, it’s purely functional to increase the surface area in order to dissipate heat. This is something that’s inherent in OWC’s drives, they tend to run hot unlike SSDs from Samsung like the T7 that’s a favorite of some of our editors. The reason is OWC’s push the performance envelop and that tends to generate heat.

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Designed with the latest USB4 80Gb/s interface (Thunderbolt 5), the Express 1M2 80G claims to hit 6000MB/s in real-world performance. OWC touts USB4 40Gb/s speeds at 3800MB/s; Thunderbolt 4 to 3800MB/s and Thunderbolt 3 on the Mac reaching 2800MB/s. The Express comes pre-formatted with the Apple File System (APFS), but it’s also easily reformatted for Windows users. The Express 1M2 80G’s features an Aura Ultra IV PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 2280 Solid-State Drive with the Barlow Ridge (JHL9480) chipset. An elegant white bar LED showcases that the drive is alive. It’s Windows 11 and macOS 14 and above compatible without the need for drivers.

OWC Express 1M2 80G Features:

• Capacities: 1TB / 2TB / 4TB / 8TB
• SSD: USB4 NVMe SSD
• Drive Bays: 1 bay supporting: M.2 SSDs / Plus double-sided and single-sided M.2 2242, M.2 2280 “M Key” drives
• Chipset / Controller: Barlow Ridge (JHL9480)
• Housing Material: Aluminum
• Certifications: CE / FCC / RCM / VCCI / UKCA / ICES
• Ports: USB4 (USB-C) up to 80Gb/s
• Dimensions: Height: 2.4 cm (0.9 in) / Length: 13.3 cm (5.2 in) / Width: 7.2 cm (2.8 in)
• Weight: 280.8 g (0.62 lbs)
• Power: Bus Powered

In three months of dedicated use, on two different computers, Omnisphere didn’t “choke once…”

In three months of dedicated use, on two different computers, Omnisphere didn’t “choke once.” In fact, no matter “how packed and stacked” our evaluators stress tested Omnisphere with patches and effects, the Express 1M2 80G “never had an issue.” Not one. One of our Editors also utilized the Express 1M2 80G for 4K video editing and was impressed by the speed. Not only that, he found that it met the demands of recording on location, “this is easily something I could take into the field and have full confidence in.” The only gripe? “I wish it came with a dedicated hard case, or if [OWC] would offer a quality one for sale.”

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a high-performance, external hard drive for music production, as well as video editing, the Express 1M2 80G is the answer. Highly Recommended.

The Future: Although many video professionals have dedicated multifunction hard cases that can be used to protect the Express 1M2 80G, musicians tend to throw their laptop and accessories in a backpack. We would suggest offering a custom-fitted and padded hard shell case, either as a value-add or an optional accessory. OWC may also consider conducting a contest to name their next SSD: Express 1M2 80G doesn’t actually roll off the tongue.