Eventually, USB 4 should render the distinction between Thunderbolt and USB largely moot. That’s the hope at any rate. For now, if you want the scintillating performance of Thunderbolt 3 when it’s available, and the compatibility of USB when it’s not, you need a drive such as OWC’s Envoy Pro FX.
Design and specs
The all-metal Envoy Pro FX is a handsome, all-metal, slate gray enclosure that quite nicely matches late-gen Macs style-wise. At approximately 4.5-inches long, 2.75-inches wide, 0.6-inches thick, and 8.6 ounces it’s a bit on the large and heavy side, with more the appearance of an external 2.5-inch hard drive than SSD.
I consider the heft smooth metal surface tactilely pleasing. Non-skid runners on the bottom keep it stable on the table, and the mass of metal distributes heat nicely—the Envoy Pro FX was barely warm to the touch under heavy use.
