Finally, you can get a Thunderbolt 5 SSD.
The need for speed.
With the arrival of the first Thunderbolt 5 cables in July and the first Thunderbolt 5 dock in September, it's time to consider an external storage upgrade to take advantage of the performance boost this new technology offers. Although the introduction of Thunderbolt 5 compatible hardware has been gradual since its official announcement in September 2023, brands like Seagate, OWC, and Sabrent are launching SSDs that support this new standard.
During this week's CES, Seagate unveiled its new Thunderbolt 5 external drive, the LaCie Rugged SSD Pro5. This device will be available throughout this month in 2TB versions for $399.99 and 4TB for $599.99, offering read speeds of 6,700MB/s and write speeds of 5,300MB/s. Like other rugged LaCie drives, this SSD features a rubber casing available in blue, black, and orange, designed to withstand drops from heights of up to three meters. Additionally, it has an IP68 water resistance rating, meaning it can endure full submersion at depths of one meter.
Other options have also been announced, albeit with varying levels of availability. Sabrent, for example, was one of the first companies to introduce a Thunderbolt 5 SSD last August, although it is not yet available on the market. Its Rocket XTRM 5 model is protected by a silicone sleeve and promises to achieve read and write speeds of 6,000MB/s and 5,000MB/s, respectively. It is expected to be available in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB capacities, but is currently only available for pre-order through Sabrent's website.
OWC, for its part, announced its Envoy Ultra Thunderbolt 5 SSD in September. The company claims that this external drive is resistant to water, dust, and crushing, and offers read speeds exceeding 6,000MB/s. When it launched, OWC mentioned that the Envoy Ultra would be available in 2TB and 4TB versions, also priced at $399.99 and $599.99, respectively, with shipping starting at the end of October. The initial units sold out quickly, but it is still possible to pre-order with an expected shipping date in mid-January 2025.
However, despite the promised performance improvements and the long wait for the hardware to finally arrive, transitioning to Thunderbolt 5 may not be entirely ready for seamless implementation. Mark Hachman, a senior editor at a specialized publication, experienced difficulties when trying to get a Maingear ML-17 laptop, Kensington's Thunderbolt 5 dock, OWC's Envoy Ultra SSD, and Acer's Nitro XV5 monitors to work together. The setup faced performance issues and slow transfers.
In his assessment, Hachman concluded that it still seems the technology is not fully ready for widespread use, indicating that "when you buy (or test) cutting-edge hardware, sometimes you end up with the bruises."
