OWC Specific 1M2 Transportable NVMe Thunderbolt (USB-C) SSD USB4 Extremely Quick Exterior SSD Drive with Aluminum Warmth Sink Enclosure (Enclosure Solely)

Perfect for Mac Mini M4 base model
Like a lot of people I was tempted recently by the Mac Mini M4 base model and its value proposition. Of course, only having a 256GB SSD for storage is a problem and Apple charges a ridiculous amount for additional storage so I decided to build an external drive. That’s where this OWC 1M2 enclosure comes in. I researched the available enclosures and this one stands head and shoulders, or should I say aluminum fins above the competition. Unlike most others, the 1M2 is a solid block of aluminum with huge heat-dissipating fins that permits your m.2 nvme ssd module to run at full speed without throttling. It certainly does for the 2TB WD Black module I used, which runs warm when busy but does not throttle.Assembly of the 1M2 with your SSD module is easy plus there are lots of tutorials on YouTube. OWC includes a short Thunderbolt 4 cable which works perfectly. Of course you want to connect the 1M2 to one of the Thunderbolt 4 ports on the BACK of the Mac Mini, not the front ports which are much slower.My speed tests speak for themselves: 3200MB/s Write, 3145MB/s Read (Blackmagic benchmark). This is WAY faster than the onboard 256GB SSD and astonishingly good for an external drive. I relocated my user folder to the external disk (again lots of YouTube howtos, I recommend the ones by Mac Sound Solutions). It was easy to do and works extremely well.I am delighted with the 1M2 enclosure and recommend it without reservations. Don’t be tempted to skimp and go with a cheap solution. You don’t want heat buildup to throttle your disk speeds or worse, shorten the life of your SSD module. Packaging is 100% recyclable which is nice to see.

I Wish I’d Known About This Before I Returned Others Like It
I’ve bought a few different external drive systems over my lifetime, but none as quality on par as this chonky boy. It is thicc, you may notice the same thing, but I’ll tell you why it’s for good reason. I purchased the 0TB version of the OWC Express 1M2 SSD enclosure and I paired this up with a Samsung 990 Evo Plus. My needs for more hard drive space was quickly realized when the base Mac mini M4’s measly 256 GB of storage wasn’t gonna cut it. #basemodelgangThe premium quality straight out of the box was noticeable in my hands. Heavy. It feels well made and the aluminum reminds me of an expensive tool. It looks cool, I think. Matches the color of my Mac enough. All the fins, slices, across the top of the enclosure allow a massive amount of heat to be dispersed passively. No fans, no noise. And it works well! I have noticed it gets warm to the touch, but nowhere near concerning. It supports PCIe 4.0.It’s not the most portable SSD, I will say that is a downside, but it can be for the occasional need. I like that it’s thin enough to slide into the front pouch of a backpack. The better part of this setback, is that it allows me to edit videos in Final Cut Pro directly from the drive right as it sits on my desk. Quietly operating, without a sound. It’s fast, faster than anything I’ve used and almost double to internal Mac mini read/write speeds and averages above 3,000 for both.I think this product is for someone who wants to expand their computer with more storage, but doesn’t mainly travel with it. If your priority is portability, you may already know this isn’t for you. The things that make it not so great option to carry, are the exact reasons you want it when performance and sound are what you are looking for in your search for an external hard drive.

I recently purchased the OWC Express 1M2 NVMe Thunderbolt External Drive, and I am beyond impressed! This drive is a game-changer for anyone who needs fast, reliable external storage. The speed is mind-blowing — I’m consistently getting read and write speeds that far surpass anything I’ve experienced with other external drives.The Thunderbolt connectivity ensures lightning-fast data transfer, whether I’m editing large video files or working with heavy datasets. It’s perfect for video editors, photographers, or anyone who needs high-performance storage for demanding tasks.The compact design is sleek and portable, making it easy to take with me on the go. I also appreciate the sturdy build quality, which gives me confidence that it’s built to last.Setting it up was a breeze, and I had no issues with compatibility on my MacBook Pro and Mac Mini M4. It also stays cool even during extended use, with no noticeable slowdowns or overheating.Overall, this external drive is a fantastic investment. If you’re looking for fast, reliable storage with excellent performance, I highly recommend the OWC Express 1M2!

This passive heat sink makes your M2 ssd perform the way you expect even when it is in heavy use. I have tried a few and this is by far the best ssd enclosure I have found.

Twice the price of competing NVME SSD USB thunderbolt drive enclosures but the all metal enclosure and cooling fin design keeps the SSD cool and stable without requiring a fan. Sometimes you have to pay a little bit more for sustained performance and improved durability. I imagine when the weather gets warmer I may have to ensure proper airflow over the cooling fins but for the moment the enclosure is running with rock solid performance.