OWC Atlas Ultra CFexpress 165GB Review

The OWC Atlas Ultra CFexpress 165GB card is a premium memory card designed to provide robust performance and high-speed data transfer capabilities. It aims to be a solution if you’re a professional or enthusiast who works with high-resolution photography and high-definition video recording.

The Atlas Ultra CFexpress card’s standout feature is compatible with the OWC Innergize app, which provides an easy-to-use interface for managing the card’s performance, health, and firmware upgrades. This unique software is a pioneering step in the memory card market, offering users a novel way to maximize the longevity and efficiency of their cards.

Additionally, this CFexpress card boasts resistance to harsh environmental conditions, such as UV rays, shocks, drops, and extreme temperatures, offering reliability in any scenario. A two-year warranty backs its solid build quality.

The OWC Atlas Ultra CFexpress 165GB card is an example of an impeccably well-constructed storage medium that can hold its own even under rigorous conditions. Its design conforms to the standard CFexpress Type B layout, ensuring seamless integration with compatible cameras and card readers, notably the Atlas Dual CFexpress + SD Card Reader.

What sets the Atlas Ultra apart, though, is its robust build. It’s constructed to resist shocks, drops, UV rays, and extreme temperatures.

But the real USP is the OWC Innergize software. By allowing card health maintenance and possibly future updates, this card and the OWC hardware and software workflow will give you peace of mind as a photographer or videographer.

The OWC Atlas Ultra CFexpress card isn’t just any regular memory card. This compact device packs a punch with many features, making it an appealing choice for photographers and videographers. It offers a decent amount of storage capacity at 165GB to accommodate high-resolution imagery and video, although that capacity quickly disappears when shooting 8K.

The card is engineered for high-speed data transfer, promising up to 1700MB/s read speeds and up to 1500MB/s write speeds. These performance capabilities make it a reliable companion for shooting and transferring 8K, 4K, and Full HD videos, as well as high-resolution photographs.

But, as mentioned previously, the Atlas Ultra CFexpress card truly stands out because of its compatibility with the OWC Innergize software. This dedicated software allows you to monitor and maintain the card’s health, ensuring longevity and reliable performance. Moreover, it paves the way for potential firmware updates, future-proofing the card for technological developments, such as speed boosts and great camera compatibility.

The card’s ruggedness is another noteworthy feature. Its resilience to shocks, drops, UV rays, and extreme temperatures means it’s ready for virtually any environment, including being thrown into a kit bag pocket, making it an ideal choice for outdoor shoots and adventurous travels. OWC’s trusty 2-year warranty further backs this level of protection.

The OWC Atlas Ultra CFexpress card doesn’t just boast impressive specifications on paper and delivers in real-world applications. During my testing, the card held its own in terms of speed, with read speeds peaking at a swift 1445MB/s and write speeds topping off at a robust 1195MB/s. These speeds made a noticeable difference in the overall performance when shooting high-resolution stills with the Canon R5 and when recording FHD, 4K, and 8K videos with the Canon R5 C.

One of the unique aspects of the Atlas Ultra CFexpress card is the OWC Innergize software, although through the duration of the test, the card remained at around the 98 – 100% mark on the health scale, so this is something that I’ll revisit in a few months.

Regarding heat management, the card and the accompanying Atlas Dual CFexpress + SD Card Reader performed well during a 12-hour continuous transfer test using the Blackmagic Disk Speed tool. While the card and reader got warm, there was no significant performance drop-off, with average transfer speeds hovering around 1200MB/s.

Finally, the card’s robustness was tested with a 24-hour stint in the freezer followed by a 24-hour defrost and direct sunlight exposure. The card’s performance remained unaffected in all instances, verifying the manufacturer’s claims about its resilience to harsh conditions.

Essentially the OWC Atlas Ultra CFexpress 165GB card proved a solid choice. It does exactly what it’s supposed to do, and it does it exceptionally well. The unique features it brings, most notably the Innergize software, give it a considerable advantage over its competitors.

The OWC Atlas Ultra CFexpress card is an impressive memory solution that makes shooting and transferring high-resolution images and videos. Its high-speed performance and compatibility with a wide range of cameras should make it an easy choice for professionals and enthusiasts. The standout feature here is the unique Innergize software, providing a level of card health monitoring and management that isn’t typically seen in the memory card market.

The Atlas Ultra card doesn’t necessarily redefine the category, but its additional features and robust performance offer users a distinct advantage, making the process of shooting and handling high-quality content more efficient. While you do need to invest in the reader to take full advantage of what’s on offer in terms of performance and longevity, this additional cost is worth it.

The OWC Atlas Ultra CFexpress card is a reliable, high-performing and future-proof memory solution that delivers on its promises.