The world's fastest SSD just launched but it's absurdly expensive

(Image credit: OWC)

The hardware company Other World Computing, more commonly known as OWC, has announced the launch of the world's fastest and highest capacity PCIe SSD yet.

The OWC Accelsior 8M2 is compatible with Windows and Linux computers as well as with Apple's Mac Pro and the new drive utilizes the total bandwidth of the latest PCI technology to deliver ultra-fast speeds of up to 26GB/s. Each of the eight NVMe M.2 SSD slots in the OWC Accelsior 8M2 can run at their full x4 lanes of data throughput and the drive can be outfitted with up to 64TB of storage.

As a high-performance NVMe-based storage solution, OWC's latest drive delivers the consistent low latency data throughput required in edge computing applications used in industrial automation, smart city ecosystems and smart retail solutions. The company has also taken steps to ensure the OWC Accelsior 8M2 runs at peak speed over long periods which is why there's a cooling fan in the drive's aircraft-grade aluminum heat shield.

OWC Accelsior 8M2

OWC has also included SoftRAID XT with its new drive and users will be able to choose from multiple RAID options to select the RAID level that best fits their or their project's needs best.

While the OWC Accelsior 8M2 can store heaps of data, keeping this data backed up and protected is also critically important. For this reason, OWC has partnered with Acronis to give is customers one full year of cloud backup and antivirus software protection. Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office safeguards users from today's data threats with intuitive backup and AI-enhanced anti-malware technology.

The OWC Accelsior 8M2 is available now in several configurations including a 0TB option for $799 (£588) where customers add their own drives. The device can also be purchased with 2TB, 4TB, 8TB, 16TB, 32TB and 64TB of storage included starting at $1,299 (£958).

While the OWC Accelsior 8M2 is certainly an expensive proposition for the average consumer, this device is aimed at creative professionals and large organizations that need large amounts of storage in the smallest possible form factor.

Need more storage? Check out our roundups of the best SSD, best M.2 SSD and best hard drives

After working with the TechRadar Pro team for the last several years, Anthony is now the security and networking editor at Tom’s Guide where he covers everything from data breaches and ransomware gangs to the best way to cover your whole home or business with Wi-Fi. When not writing, you can find him tinkering with PCs and game consoles, managing cables and upgrading his smart home.