OWC announced its Atlas Pro and Atlas Ultra memory cards in October. Clinching the latest CFA CFexpress 4.0 specification, the new cards completely eclipse the previous OWC 2.0 generation with major speed and efficiency improvements. These innovations extend to select Atlas 2.0 memory cards with an industry-first opportunity to upgrade to CFexpress 4.0 speeds at no additional cost.
The biggest upgrade these media cards offer is speed, with both Pro and Ultra models leveraging PCIe Gen 4 technology to achieve respective 3650/3000MB/s read and write speeds. That’s a 97% speed increase over the PCIe Gen3 of CFexpress 2.0. Incredibly, this is achieved with minimal power consumption—only a third of the allowable specification, according to OWC.
For the older PCIe Gen3 models, specifically the Atlas Ultra 1TB and 2TB cards, the OWC-exclusive upgrade nearly doubles the read/write speeds from 1850/1700MB/s to 3650/3000MB/s.
The speed is impressive, but the upgradability is a pioneering convenience now afforded to Atlas Ultra card owners. It is made possible through OWC’s Innergize software with the goal of “elevating a card’s performance and prolonging its usefulness.”
Atlas Pro and Ultra CFexpress 4.0 memory cards are additionally backward compatible with CFA 2.0 PCIe Gen 3 hosts, so either card can be used with cameras that accept CFexpress. The sustained speeds are more than sufficient for today’s cameras, with only a handful of options that can synthesize fully what the Atlas Pro and Ultra can dish out. These cards are formally approved by RED for use in its KOMODO-X and V-RAPTOR series cameras and prospective buyers might also be drawn to the benefits of high speeds to quicken offload times and improve workflow efficiency.
As we look ahead to the next generation of cameras and accessories, CFexpress 4.0 will undoubtedly be an asset for anyone trying to access the full potential of their gear. The Atlas lineup seems to be a palatable investment for future-minded creative professionals looking for a head start today.
What do you think of the latest Atlas Pro and Atlas Ultra memory cards? Are you excited about CFexpress 4.0? Let us know in the Comments section, below.
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