by 353 reviews.
OWC 2.0TB Aura Pro X2 (GEN 4) SSD Review: A Worthy Upgrade for Mac Pro (Late 2013)
If you’re a proud owner of a Mac Pro (Late 2013) and are running out of storage space, the OWC 2.0TB Aura Pro X2 (GEN 4) SSD might just be the upgrade you’ve been searching for. Designed specifically for the Mac Pro (MacPro6,1), this high-performance NVMe flash storage solution promises blazing-fast speeds, ample storage, and seamless compatibility with macOS 10.13 and beyond. But does it live up to the hype? Let’s dive into the details based on real customer experiences.
Product Overview
The OWC 2.0TB Aura Pro X2 SSD is a game-changer for Mac Pro users who need more storage and faster performance. With read speeds of up to 807MB/s and write speeds of up to 788MB/s, this SSD ensures smoother multitasking, faster boot times, and improved performance for data-intensive tasks like video editing and 3D rendering. The package includes everything you need for installation: the SSD, tools, a heat sink, and a detailed installation guide. Plus, it comes with a 5-year limited warranty, offering peace of mind for long-term use.
Pros and Cons: What Customers Are Saying
1. Performance and Speed
Pros:
- Blazing-Fast Speeds: Many users reported significant improvements in performance. One customer shared that their read speeds jumped from 732MB/s to 1375MB/s, while write speeds increased from 674MB/s to 1228MB/s. This makes the SSD ideal for professionals who need quick access to large files.
- Smooth Multitasking: The NVMe PCIe 3.1 x4 interface and Native Command Queuing (NCQ) technology ensure seamless multitasking, even with demanding applications.
Cons:
- Inconsistent Performance for Some: A few users experienced inconsistent boot times and occasional failures. One customer mentioned that their boot-up time doubled, and they eventually encountered the dreaded "flashing file folder with question mark" error.
2. Installation Process
Pros:
- Straightforward for Most: Many users found the installation process to be relatively simple, especially with the included tools and detailed instructions. One reviewer praised the helpful installation videos and guides provided by OWC.
- Heat Sink Included: The included heat sink ensures optimal thermal management, preventing overheating during intensive tasks.
Cons:
- Confusing for Beginners: Some users found the installation process a bit tricky, especially when it came to entering recovery mode. One customer spent an entire night troubleshooting because they didn’t press Ctrl+Option+R during boot-up, which is necessary for the SSD to be detected.
- Drive Recognition Issues: A few users reported that their Mac Pro didn’t recognize the new SSD initially, requiring multiple attempts with a bootable USB drive.
3. Compatibility and Reliability
Pros:
- Seamless macOS Integration: The Aura Pro X2 is specifically designed for macOS 10.13 and later, ensuring smooth compatibility with your Mac Pro. Users who upgraded to Big Sur reported no issues.
- Reliable for Most: Many customers have been using the SSD for months without any problems, praising its durability and consistent performance.
Cons:
- Early Failures for Some: One user reported that their SSD failed after just two months of use, despite only utilizing 25% of its capacity. This is a rare but concerning issue.
- Limited Compatibility with Older Drives: The included enclosure for repurposing the old SSD didn’t work with Samsung drives, as noted by a customer who received a refund for that part.
4. Value for Money
Pros:
- Ample Storage: With 2TB of storage, this SSD is perfect for creatives, business professionals, and power users who need plenty of space for large files and applications.
- Comprehensive Package: The inclusion of tools, a heat sink, and a detailed guide adds value to the purchase.
Cons:
- Pricey: Several users felt that the SSD is overpriced compared to other M.2 storage options on the market. While it’s a high-quality product, the premium price tag might be a deterrent for some.
Final Verdict
The OWC 2.0TB Aura Pro X2 (GEN 4) SSD is a solid upgrade for Mac Pro (Late 2013) users who need more storage and faster performance. Its impressive speeds, seamless macOS integration, and comprehensive installation package make it a top choice for professionals and creatives. However, the installation process can be tricky for beginners, and the occasional reports of early failures and inconsistent performance are worth noting.
If you’re willing to invest in a high-quality, reliable SSD and follow the installation instructions carefully, this product is well worth the money. However, if you’re on a tight budget or prefer a more straightforward installation process, you might want to explore other options.
Rating: 4.5/5 Recommendation: Highly recommended for Mac Pro users who need a high-performance, high-capacity SSD upgrade.
Specification OWC 2.0TB Aura Pro X2 (GEN 4) SSD Upgrade Compatible with Mac Pro (Late 2013), High Performance NVMe Flash Upgrade, Including Tools & heatsink:
Comments from Amazon:
This is a great SSD. That being said to install it on the trash can you need to know a few things. First you need to back up your Mac Pro with Time Machine. Next install the drive. The next step is the most important. After installing the drive you need to enter recovery mode to reinstall the OS. If you press command(Apple Symbol) R to enter recovery it will not recognize your drive nor will it give you the option to install the latest operating system (Monterey). If you press command option R it will recognize your drive and give you the option to install the latest OS. After installing the OS you can recover your image from Time Machine. Speed is impressive. Old drive Read was 732 and Write was 674. New SSD Read is 1375 and Write is 1228. Much faster performance. Highly recommend.
If you need more storage for for mac pro this is a worthy upgrade to get. OWC (Other world Computing) is well know in the mac world for mac hardware. If you need more then 1TB of storage and want to know that it will work with your Mac I would buy this product. Install: The install of the product is stright-forward, However, you will need to read the instruction card and be sure to have the heat-sink on and in the right spot on the storage card. If you read and follow the instructions you shod not have an issue. Overall, I am happy with the product, I have had this upgrade in mac mac for a while and have had no issue. My one major complaint is, This product is overpriced for what it is. That is my only negative. If you look around you can find M.2 storage for cheaper then what OWC charges for their modules.
Here is my Amazon Review regarding the Aura Pro X2 1TB SSD hard drive. It works exactly as advertised! The critical thing that I did was: a.) Watch the provided videos, b.) printed out the installation instructions, c.) I performed a Time Machine backup, d.) downloaded Mac OS Mojave (Mojave is my chosen OS because the latest version created a train wreck). and e.) I made a boot USB drive using a 16GB stick. After installing the new drive, I put everything back together per instruction. I plugged in the USB holding the Mojave software and booted up. Long story short, after restoring all of my files with the Time Machine backup, I was all smiles! There is no additional/noticeable heat, nor any weird operational stops or failures. Before the installation I read through all of the customer comments and was a little skeptical/apprehensive. After the drive installation, everything worked perfectly and I now I have over 700GB of free space after the Time Machine restoration finished. Special thanks to Josh J. for your additional support with the tools. Sincerely pleased, Rodney L. Jones
Never had a problem with my late 2013 Mac Pro. The issue was drive space - they came standard with only a 250 GB SSD drive. I decided to upgrade and found this drive with the enclosure, and thinking "that's a great way to repurpose my old SSD," bought it. First, my Mac Pro did NOT recognize the new internal SSD drive. It literally took four tries with a boot-up thumb drive before it recognized the drive. Once it did I formatted it and brought software over. My boot-up time doubled - and sometimes not at all - once the drive was in. "Inconsistent" doesn't begin to describe its performance. This morning I tried to power on my machine and got the dreaded "flashing file folder with question mark." When I used the boot-up thumb drive, my system - again - did not see the drive. So, now I have to take it in for repair. Keep in mind I've had this drive for two months - and it's failed, and I haven't even used a full 25% of its capacity. Meanwhile, the enclosure didn't work with the old 250 GB original drive! I reached out to OWC and - to their credit - they admitted it wouldn't work with Samsung drives and refunded that part (the drive enclosure) of my purchase. I can't say anything terrible about the customer service, but I can say they leave a lot out of the product description and - again - NO drive should outright fail after two months.
It comes with two Torx screwdrivers, an L shaped one (packaged with the heat sink) to work on the SDD in the Mac and a long one to reattach the SDD to the external case. I was installing in a Mac Pro 6.1 running Mojave. The install went as described using my time machine backup. I did have 1 a T byte backup, so this took 5 hours. After the Mac was running under Mojave I upgraded to Big Sur successfully. I now have a 2 T internal drive. The OWC install videos are accurate and helpful as well as the written guides about file structure and firmware.
Good SSD but installation is a bit confusing, installation instructions is important to make the SSD detected. I spent one night looking for why the SSD not detected and found that you must press Ctrl+Option+R while booting the computer, otherwise the SSD will not be detected
Hi, I have mac pro 2013 (trash can version) with 500G SSD. Ran into space issue and I gave it a go with this 2T SSD and now I am satisfied. I was worried about whole process due to all of existing apps but it looks all work ok after upgrade. Here's what I did. 1. I purchased "cleanmymac" app to clean up and claim some space to apply latest OS update. I am on Mojave and had to apply the update. I was able to reclaim 20G+ in space. 2. I downloaded mojave install from apple to make bootable USB - you can skip this if you'd install OS from network 3. Performed full backup using timemachine using external drive 4. Replace SSD with this kit 5. Install new OS on booting with USB 6. Restore backup using timemachine It's quite straightforward process and there was no pain but waiting. That's it. If you want to go with latest OS (Big Sur), you may download Big Sur installation to create USB or choose Big Sur network install. In my case, my current apps are not compatible with Big Sur. Or you can upgrade to Big Sur after whole process complete.