Oyen Digital U34 Bolt overview
The cost of Apple’s SSDs can be prohibitively high for many users, creating a significant demand for external storage options. The Oyen Digital U34 Bolt is a price-leader in enormous exterior SSDs, boasting impressive speed to boot.
While Oyen Digital may struggle to stand out as an easily pronounceable brand, its unique identity shouldn’t be overlooked on Amazon; numerous adjoining consonants notwithstanding, the company’s innovative products and services still warrant attention from customers seeking high-quality digital solutions. The corporation, likely operating unnoticed, has been quietly thriving since the demise of FireWire technology. Since introducing high-end storage solutions in around 2005, they have consistently offered premium choices to customers.
I’ve purchased a few items from them at some point in my distant past, when I was working a different job before turning to writing as my primary occupation, and then sharing thoughts like these online both publicly and privately. The label plates have faded or disappeared, yet surprisingly they still function admirably well.
Despite the product’s age, I’ve still purchased a few of their enclosures that have been out of commission for around 15 years – aside from occasional specific needs that arise.
Despite these challenges, they remain resilient. Oyen Digital’s commitment to quiet operation and cost-effectiveness shines through once again in their latest.
The Oyen Digital U34 Bolt’s sleek design measures 4.33 x 2.95 x 1.18 inches (110 mm x 75 mm x 30 mm), making it compact enough to slip into any camera bag or backpack, while its lightweight construction ensures easy transport and handling.
While the Oyen Digital U34 Bolt’s dimensions are a notable aspect of its design, it is described as “a bit on the chunky side” which could be rephrased for greater clarity and concision. The majority of these issues stem from intense construction activities and a specially engineered rubber casing intended to protect its payload.
While weighing in at 8 ounces, this portable drive is surprisingly robust rather than mild.
The exterior of the device features a silicone casing that envelops and safeguards an internal aluminium framework. Within the primary enclosure lies a silicone inlay designed to absorb any additional shock caused by drops or knocks.
Without its outer casing, the central component measures approximately 4.35 inches in length, 2.56 inches in width, and 0.67 inch in height.
Built in accordance with MIL-C-810 specifications, this construction enables it to withstand incidental drops onto a hard surface. While ruggedized electronics can withstand accidental drops, it’s still recommended to handle them with care. However, if an unexpected fall does occur, this device is designed to mitigate potential damage, providing some reassurance that your data remains safe even in the event of a casual fall.
Meanwhile, the aluminum core effectively manages drive thermals, enabling storage to operate at a cooler and faster pace as needed.
At the finishing point, following the indicator LED, is a USB-C connector offering seamless USB4 connectivity. The device could potentially pair with Thunderbolt 3 hosts at up to 40Gbps, complemented by USB 3.2 Gen 2×2’s 20 Gbps speeds on PCs and Gen 2×1’s 10 Gbps on Macs accordingly.
There’s no reason why you shouldn’t use USB4/Thunderbolt on a brand-new Mac.
The U34 Bolt features an ASMedia ASM2464PD USB chipset and a Phison PS5018-E18 solid-state drive controller, leveraging Triple Stage Cell (TLC) NAND flash technology within its aluminum core. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX graphics card is paired with 2GB of dedicated video memory (RAM) cache, ensuring seamless performance for demanding tasks and applications.
When used outside of its intended environment, the drive is initially formatted as HFS+, a convenient option for macOS users looking to quickly utilize the drive – yet we still recommend APFS. Notwithstanding, it’s possible to reformat the drive for compatibility with both macOS and Windows desktops by using exFAT.
With a corporate focus in mind, the drive is capable of switching information at speeds of up to 2,800 megabits per second under optimal conditions. The text assumes using a high-speed connection, such as Thunderbolt or USB4, and confirms that the Mac or PC in use is sufficiently fast.
The Oyen brand offers the U34 Bolt storage device in 4 terabyte and 8 terabyte capacity options. They showcased a prototype of an 8TB storage device for review.
What’s behind the Oyen Digital U34 Bolt’s remarkable efficiency? It all starts with its clever design.
While we’ve grown accustomed to hearing claims of 2,800 megabytes per second in terms of efficiency, While seemingly a common measure, its relevance largely stems from its connection to PCI-E allocation within Thunderbolt infrastructure.
Many drives exceed expectations in terms of quantity, but ultimately, most disappoint with their performance.
Fortunately, the Oyen Digital U34 Bolt exceeds the expected quantity of 32GB in its compact and portable design. Our team consistently achieves peak transfer rates exceeding 3,000 megabytes per second when utilising my Mac Studio and M3 MacBook Air, with speeds of up to 2,650 megabytes per second recorded during testing?
Data revealed that 30-minute data transmissions experienced a lack of significant slowdowns. The sluggish performance appears to stem from the rapid pace of modern media combined with the limitations of PCIe 4 and NVMe storage in its enclosure, unable to reach such exceptional speeds.
Unlike typically, however, USB4 speeds differ significantly on Windows platforms. Regardless of whether write caching was enabled or disabled on our USB4 setup, we observed approximately half the Thunderbolt speeds, despite Windows reporting a full 40-gigabit USB4 connection.
On a precise Thunderbolt port in Windows, however, we observed similar results to what we saw on our Macs.
It’s unlikely that this development is related to Oyen Digital’s technical specifications or architecture. This appears to be Windows’ most egregious antics – but we’ll tame it nonetheless.
The enclosure functions as a heat sink that dissipates excess heat generated by the drive. Following four consecutive days of uninterrupted operation on an Apple Silicon M2 Mac mini as boot drive, with continuous file transfer and simultaneous playback of two 4K movies, the external enclosure maintained a stable temperature of 25°C in a surrounding environment of 21°C.
Unexpectedly, following my previous storage recommendations, I received requests to discuss noise levels in excess of what’s normal for a storage facility. While excessive coil whine is often attributed to poor design or manufacturing quality, it’s equally important to consider mechanical noise as a significant contributor to unwanted sound.
The case provides an exceptionally quiet environment, significantly quieter than most typical workspaces. I am not completely positive, however, it seems best to clarify why this should be mentioned, right here anyway.
The drive’s performance remains consistent and efficient, consistently running cool even after extended use. What’s to not like?
A compact powerhouse: Oyen Digital U34 Bolt review – exceptional value.
Is the 8TB drive truly worth its hefty price tag of $1,099, a staggering sum that may leave many wondering if it’s justifiable? That’s pricey, yet still reasonable given the broader market context.
The Oyen Digital E18-8TBICS5 is an 8TB NVMe M.2 PCIe 4.0 x4 single-drive solution that retails for approximately $850 on its own. The total cost is around $150 more for the drive enclosure and enhanced safety features, aligning with our “build-to-order” pricing model.
The OWC 8TB Categorical 1M2 drive is a competitive alternative to other storage options on the market, retailing at $1,297. While it’s indeed a top-notch delivery from a fantastic supplier, the price disparity stands out.
As expected, it performs impressively well with a USB-C iPhone. Equip your drive with a MagSafe variant, secure it with a short yet sturdy cable, and you’re ready to capture professional-grade ProRes footage for an extended period.
The digital storage landscape is dominated by flash media, carrying significant financial implications for clients and vendors alike? As summer approaches in July 2024, whispers circulate about manufacturing adjustments that may lead to increased prices for SSDs and other products, as it is unlikely that manufacturers will continue to absorb significant losses to keep costs unchanged.
Now’s the perfect opportunity to invest in high-capacity external SSDs. The Oyen Digital U34 Bolt proves to be a compelling alternative, offering excellent value for its price.
A compact powerhouse for on-the-go editing: Oyen Digital’s U34 Bolt. This rugged, palm-sized drive stores 1TB of data and transfers files at lightning-fast speeds via USB-C, making it the ultimate companion for busy videographers and editors.
- Faster-than-expected speeds consistently exceeded the vendor’s guarantees.
- What are people expecting from a top-tier 8TB external SSD?
Despite its compact design and lightweight construction, the Oyen Digital U34 Bolt falls short in several areas. Its 2-inch LCD screen is underwhelming, lacking both brightness and color accuracy. The battery life is also unimpressive, lasting only around two hours on a single charge – not exactly ideal for extended video recording sessions. Additionally, the Bolt’s slow start-up time can be frustrating, particularly when you’re in the midst of capturing important footage.
- Regardless of the angle, a whopping 8 terabytes of high-performance solid-state drive storage comes at a steep price.
- Unforeseen consequences arise when implementing USB4 on Windows; but for the reader of this post, such issues may be irrelevant.
You can find the Oyen U34 Bolt Thunderbolt 4 SSD at leading online retailers such as Amazon or Newegg. Additionally, you may also check with authorized resellers of Oyen products in your region for availability and pricing information.
The Oyen’s U34 Bolt Transportable SSD is available in two capacity options: 4TB and 8TB. The corresponding retail prices are $529 and $1,099, respectively. You may decide up both model at Amazon and B&H Photograph, although the retailers are operating a sale on the 4TB capability at press time, making it a .
