OWC Express 4M2 Ultra Is the Fastest Compact Thunderbolt 5 RAID Solution

Jul 23, 2026 - 22:08

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OWC Express 4M2 Ultra Is the Fastest Compact Thunderbolt 5 RAID Solution

A black external hard drive with vented sides is shown alone on the left and placed next to a computer, keyboard, and mouse on a wooden desk on the right.

Other World Computing’s (OWC) Express 4M2 Ultra is a compact Thunderbolt 5 NVMe RAID solution, promising ultra-fast speeds thanks to its all-NVMe flash storage, and it’s available now pre-loaded with 4, 16, 8, and 32TB capacities.

“Express 4M2 Ultra gives creative teams and studios everything they need in a high-performance desktop storage array: massive all-flash NVMe capacity, dependable SoftRAID-managed redundancy, and the dramatically improved workflow efficiency of Thunderbolt 5 bandwidth,” OWC explains.

A silver Apple Mac Studio, a black external drive, and a monitor with a blue abstract design sit on a reflective metallic surface.

The OWC Express 4M2 Ultra promises real-world speeds up to 6622 MB/s, which is more than enough for handling 12K RAW video, 8K multi-cam sequences, and huge batches of high-resolution RAW photos.

A black mini PC with vertical cooling fins on the sides, showing rear ports including two Thunderbolt ports, HDMI, USB-C, DC power input, and a small lock slot.

The DIY NVMe RAID is at its best with Thunderbolt 5, but it also works with Thunderbolt 3 and 4, alongside USB4. As OWC explains, the 6622 MB/s top speed requires Thunderbolt 5, but the device can still deliver 3200 MB/s speeds over Thunderbolt 4 on an older Mac or USB4 on a PC. In a fast-paced creative environment, Thunderbolt 5’s additional speed may prove particularly valuable, especially when used alongside OWC’s other Thunderbolt 5 devices, like OWC’s exceptionally-quick Thunderbolt 5-equipped portable SSDs and card readers.

A workstation with a laptop, card readers, memory cards, a digital camera, a black device, cables, and labeled trays on a gray felt surface. Blue and black clamps are visible in the background.

“We have always believed that technology should adapt to the way people work… not the other way around,” says Larry O’Connor, Founder and CEO, Other World Computing (OWC).

“The Express 4M2 Ultra started as the ultimate DIY Thunderbolt 5 RAID platform, and it still is. But now, customers can choose to go with pre-configured solutions leveraging OWC Aura Ultra SSDs that deliver exceptional, OWC Certified performance on day one… right out of the box.”

A desktop computer, external drive, hub, and small device are connected with cables on a wooden desk, along with a keyboard and control pad.

These available NVMe SSD solutions include 4TB, 8TB, 16TB, and 32TB options. As expected, given the state of the flash storage market today, the Express 4M2 Ultra with pre-configured memory is an expensive proposition. The DIY enclosure itself starts at $450, or $580 with OWC’s SoftRAID software pre-installed. The 4TB version is $2,400, 8TB is $3,800, 16TB is $5,580, and the top-end 32TB SKU is $10,300.

OWC says the 4M2 Ultra is best-suited for production companies, creative studios, video editors and colorists, and any other creative professional who requires the best speed and performance. All OWC Express 4M2 Ultra configurations are available to purchase now.

Image creditsOWC