Other World Computing, primarily a Mac and PC technology hardware manufacturer, has revealed the Accelsior 8M2, the world’s fastest and highest-capacity PCIe SSD.
The OWC Accelsior 8M2 takes advantage of the latest PCIe technology’s overall bandwidth by delivering blistering speeds of up to 26,000MB/s. There’s a total of eight NVMe M.2 SSD slots, each of which can operate at their x4 lanes of data throughput via PCIe 4.0 x16 lane architecture. The drive offers up to 64TB of storage.
OWC’s top-of-the-range SSD is compatible with the 2019 Mac Pro, as well as Windows and Linux systems.
Due to the high-end specs, heat distribution was kept in mind during the development of the Accelsior 8M2. Specifically, a quiet cooling fan has been incorporated into an aircraft-grade aluminum heat shield.
“We are always trying to push technology to the limits, and the OWC Accelsior 8M2, can be summed up in one definitive sentence,” said Larry O’Connor, OWC’s CEO and founder. “It’s the fastest, highest-capacity PCIe SSD in the galaxy.”
To put the performance levels in perspective, some examples provided include the ability to seamlessly edit and playback 16 streams of 8K ProRes444 in Final Cut Pro X. Notably, users can utilize visual effects programs that feature quicker previews, renders, and processing methods. You’ll also be able to run more iterations in DevOps in a reduced time frame compared to other SSDs.
Consumers aside, OWC has also launched the SSD with other industries in mind. The Accelsior 8M2 supplies the low-latency data throughput essential for edge computing applications like industrial automation, smart city ecosystems, and smart retail solutions.
OWC highlighted how 60 percent of storage professionals rely on NVMe SSDs to process large datasets generated at the edge. To this end, it says Accelsior 8M2’s capabilities should comfortably set it apart from the competition in regard to CPUs and GPUs handling large amounts of data at previously unheard-of speeds.
Elsewhere, SoftRAID XT, a software RAID utility, has been included with the SSD. Moreover, for those concerned about backing up their data, OWC partnered with Acronis to offer one year of the backup and antivirus software Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office.
The OWC Accelsior 8M2 SSD is now available in several capacities starting at $799 for the 0TB variant that requires owners add their own drives. The 2TB, 4TB, 8TB, 16TB, 32TB, and 64TB models start at a price point of $1,299, with the 64TB option costing $12,999.
