Whether it’s for games, vacation photos and videos or work-related software, our digital data footprint is ever-increasing and, in parallel, so is our need for storage. Cloud backups can be a handy option to free up your hard drive but the subscription model after you’ve hit your free user limit might be costly in the long run. External drives are always an option for those who prefer to have their data stored and accessible offline, and the Mercury Elite Pro mini USB-C from OWC is one such option.

This particular model bears only a USB-C port (USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C) and is bus powered via USB. There is also the regular model which comes with a USB 3.1 Gen 1 and an eSATA 6Gb/s interface. As such, this review will focus on the former model. 

When purchasing it, you can choose from a 2.5-inch SATA hard drive or SSD. Alternatively, you can purchase the enclosure for $45 as a standalone product to fit in your own compatible drive. The 1TB SSD model under review costs $249 while the 1TB 5400RPM HDD model costs $94. You can also opt for a larger 4TB SSD storage for a whopping $900.

These aren’t exactly cheap options but let’s look closer at what the $249 1TB SSD model has to offer at that price.

Out of the box, you will find the following:

• Mercury Elite Pro mini
• USB-C cable with tethered Type-C to Type-A adapter
• Quick start guide

As for more detailed specs, you can find them below:

The most striking feature of the Mercury Elite Pro mini USB-C might be that there aren’t any striking features to this accessory. It’s a 360° slab of brushed aluminium with a grooved underside, a single rear USB-C port and a dotted pattern surrounding the OWC logo in the front. Those looking for an external drive that packs a minimalist look will need to look no further than this one. But even if it bears this aesthetic, it includes rubber feet to protect the underside with a slight lift and provide the enclosure with some extra grip.

However, even if I’m a fan of the minimalist appeal in general, the look of the Mercury Elite Pro mini USB-C is rather industrial. The rectangular form factor with curved sides but sharp ends felt uninspired to me. This design approach struck me as odd as this device is geared towards a general audience.

 

This aesthetic qualm aside, the fact that the enclosure is an all-aluminium one makes it lightweight while being sturdy and impact resistant. Moreover, it serves as a fanless  heat-dissipation system, meaning that it is quiet and remains rather cool when in use. But while the aluminium casing helps to keep it cool, it does warm up slightly upon use but nothing worrying. 

With a dimension of 3.8 in (W) x 5.5 in (D) x 1.1 in (H), the OWC Mercury Elite Pro mini USB-C is also highly portable and even pocketable. Its impact resistant aluminium enclosure makes this process a worry-free one and enables more use cases for the device.

Moreover, you can change the drive within the enclosure if you wish to change or upgrade it. There’s a whole process to it, with several screws involved; but these ensure that the drive is secured in place. OWC also has a handy video tutorial to guide you through the process:

Before starting to use it, the drive needs to be formatted. The OWC Drive Guide formatting utility software has been preloaded on the device to assist you in the process. It helps you to format the drive for your OS in a matter of seconds and makes it ready to use right after.

 

While the Mercury Elite Pro mini USB-C features only a USB-C interface, it is compatible with Thunderbolt 3 and also comes with a tethered Type-C to Type-A adapter. This means you won’t have issues plugging it to most modern devices and easily use it.

OWC says that its Mercury Elite Pro mini USB-C can deliver up to 540MB/s transfer speeds. While testing it, I could achieve read/write values within that range such as 426.4 MByte/sec read, 146.1 MByte/sec write or 360.7 MByte/sec read, 290.5 MByte/sec write. It’s not crazy fast but is fast enough to suit most of your day-to-day needs whether it’s to transfer your photos, videos or games backup. For such needs, the Mercury Elite Pro mini USB-C will accomplish them without a hitch.

 

I found the 1TB to be plenty for my retro games backup and move from my main PC to my AYANEO NEXT Advance for on-the-go gaming. For such PC handhelds, the OWC Mercury Elite Pro mini USB-C is also a handy option to install games directly on it to expand your portable games with minimal clutter.

With the OWC Mercury Elite Pro mini USB-C, it’s one of those cases where you get what you pay for. It’s not exactly cheap but at that price, you’ll get a handy external storage solution that bears minimal footprint, fast transfer speeds for the general user’s needs and a sleek, impact resistant and heat-dissipation aluminium enclosure.