OWC Presents The 8TB Envoy Ultra Thunderbolt 5 SSD
American company OWC (Other World Computing) has expanded its Envoy Ultra lineup with an 8TB version of its Thunderbolt 5 external SSD. According to the company, this is the first portable Thunderbolt 5 drive to reach this capacity while remaining fully bus-powered, without the need for an external power supply.
“Thunderbolt 5 was designed to remove bottlenecks, giving creators and power users the freedom to work at full speed, wherever they are,” says Ben Hacker, General Manager, Client Connectivity Division, Intel. “OWC’s 8TB Envoy Ultra is a great example of pairing Thunderbolt 5 performance with massive capacity and a truly portable design, enabling workflows that simply were not practical before.”
The new 8TB model follows the same design and technical approach as the existing 2TB and 4TB Envoy Ultra drives: it uses a PCIe Gen4-class internal architecture paired with a Thunderbolt 5 interface, allowing data transfer speeds that OWC states can exceed 6,000 MB/s under suitable conditions. Actual performance depends on the host system, but the drive is designed to take advantage of the maximum available bandwidth when connected not only to Thunderbolt 5 systems, but also to Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3, and USB4 devices.
The enclosure remains unchanged from earlier versions. It is a fanless aluminum chassis intended to manage heat passively during sustained transfers, avoiding active cooling and mechanical noise. The housing carries an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance and is described as crush-resistant for transport and field use. As with other Envoy Ultra models, the Thunderbolt cable is integrated into the body of the drive, which contributes to its sealed design and allows it to operate entirely on bus power. OWC notes that the cable is user-serviceable if replacement is required.
The drive is intended for workflows that involve large data volumes, such as high-resolution video, photography, and other bandwidth-intensive tasks, where sustained transfer speeds and high capacity are required in a portable form factor. Compatibility is broad and includes macOS and Windows systems, as well as iPad Pro, Chromebook, and Microsoft Surface devices.
“Envoy Ultra is built for people who do not baby their gear. It is rugged, reliable, and fast in ways you actually feel in real-world work, not just on a spec sheet. Throw it in a bag… plug it in anywhere… and you’ll get over 6000MB per second without external power, adapters, or noise,” says Larry O’Connor, Founder and CEO, Other World Computing (OWC). “With this – the first and only 8TB Thunderbolt 5 SSD – professionals no longer have to choose between speed, capacity, or portability. That combination of durability, simplicity, and performance is what professionals expect from OWC. And it is why Envoy Ultra delivers the best of Thunderbolt 5 in the palm of your hand.”
The 8TB Envoy Ultra Thunderbolt 5 SSD is priced at $1,699.99. It joins the existing Envoy Ultra range, which starts at $449.99 for the 2TB version and $699.99 for the 4TB model. All capacities are currently available through OWC’s online store and major retail channels.
