OWC unleashes Mecury Aura Pro Express 6G SSD, peps up your 2011 MacBook Air

Delivers Over 3x Faster Performance and As much as 4x Greater Capacity than Factory SSD Options

September 15, 2011 Woodstock, IL — Other World Computing (OWC®) http://www.macsales.com, a number one zero emissions Mac® and PC technology company, announced today the industry’s first 6G SSD upgrade for the 2011 Apple MacBook Air 11.1″ and 13.3″models. The recent OWC Mercury Aura™ Pro Express 6G SSDs combine award-winning SandForce® technologies and Tier 1/Grade A Toggle Synchronous NAND to deliver data rates which are greater than 3x faster and capacities which are as much as 4x more than factory available SSD options. Currently available in two sizes–120GB and 240GB–the recent 6Gb/s SATA 3.0 Revision models continue OWC’s position because the only alternative to factory SSD options for the 2010-2011 MacBook Air. 3G speed models from OWC also are available in capacities of as much as 480GB.

The OWC Mercury Aura Pro Express 6G offers 2011 MacBook Air owners a price-effective SSD upgrade path that delivers higher performance, functionality, and reliability over the factory installed SSD. As the Mercury Aura Pro Express 6G SSD is SATA Revision 3.0 (6Gb/s) compatible, it may benefit from the 2011 MacBook Air’s built-in 6Gb/s SATA data bus to deliver peak, sustained data rates over 500MB/s, versus the factory installed SSDs, that are limited by SATA Revision 2.0 (3Gb/s) capability.

No Slow-down with Repeated Use
While ordinary SSDs initially offer fast read/write performance; they experience significant write speed degradation over repeated usage. Independent simulation tests conducted by leading drive performance experts like MacPerformanceGuide confirm OWC Mercury SSD’s ultra-efficient Block Management & Wear Leveling technologies may be able to eliminate virtually any reduction in data transfer speeds over heavy, long-term usage without dependency on less-than-effective OS TRIM management.

Up to 100X Greater Data Protection
Utilizing SandForce DuraClass™ technology, the OWC Mercury Aura Pro Express 6G provides an increase of up to 100X in data protection, compared to ordinary SSDs and leading enterprise-class hard disk drives. By combining the highest level of Error Correction Code (ECC) and SandForce RAISE™ (Redundant Array of Independent Silicon Elements) technology, along with 7% over provisioning, the Mercury Aura Pro Express 6G provides RAID-like data protection and reliability without loss of transfer speed due to parity.

“As the first and only SSD alternative to factory installed options in Apple’s 2010 and 2011 MacBook Air models, the Mercury Aura Pro Express 6G sets the bar high. We’re extremely excited to offer this model which completely eclipses any factory installed SSD and gives MacBook Air users the leading performance our Mercury EXTREME Pro 6G SSDs have been delivering to MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac Pro, and PC owners,” said Larry O’Connor, Founder and CEO, Other World Computing. “Our new Mercury Aura Pro Express 6G models enable 2011 MacBook Air owners to unleash substantially higher performance capabilities that are otherwise unrealized and limited by the factory drive.”

OWC’s new Mercury Aura Pro Express 6G leverages the proven success of its previously released 3G model. 2010-2011 MacBook Air owners seeking maximum storage/backup capacity can replace their factory installed SSD with up to 8x greater capacity offered by the OWC Mercury Aura Pro Express 3G SSD. Available in capacities up to 480GB, the 3G model SSD also delivers up to 68% faster performance in real world use.

Pricing, Availability
Compatible with 11.1″ and 13.3″ 2011 MacBook Air models, the OWC Mercury Aura Pro Express 6G is available now from Other World Computing as well as through select retailers. Both models include 7% over provisioning, Toggle Synchronous NAND and a three-year warranty. The 120GB version has an MSRP of $349.99 and the 240GB version has an MSRP of $599.99. For more information on the OWC Mercury Aura Pro Express 6G SSD for 2011 MacBook Air line, including reseller inquires, visit: http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/SSD/OWC/Aura_Pro_Express

Industry’s Most Comprehensive SSD Line for Macs and PCs
The new Mercury Aura Pro Express 6G model joins OWC’s existing line of performance-leading, world record-breaking ’3G’ (3Gb/s) and ’6G’ (6Gb/s) Mercury SSDs available for nearly every Mac and PC produced over the past decade in capacities from 40GB to 480GB starting from $87.99. For more information on the complete OWC Mercury SSD line, including expert benchmark reviews, visit: http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/SSD/OWC/. For more information on the OWC catalog of over 2,900 performance upgrades and accessories, or for reseller inquires, visit: http://eshop.macsales.com/

About Other World Computing (OWC)

Other World Computing (OWC) has been providing quality hardware products and support to the computer industry since 1988 and features one of the largest online catalogs of computer, iPod®, iPhone®, and iPad® enhancement products through its e-commerce portal www.macsales.com. As a member of the Apple Developer Program, OWC also provides extensive US based technical support for Macintosh users around the world as well as Internet access via www.fastermac.net and www.owc.net

OWC’s industry awards and recognition include: Crain’s Chicago Business 2009 and 2011 “Fast 50″ List of 50 Fastest Growing Companies in the Chicago Area; Inc. 5,000 “Fastest Growing Privately Owned Companies in America” honoree 2007-2010; Reseller Ratings Elite Member 2009 & 2010; Better Business Bureau Top Rating of A+ 2010-2011; Reflex Packaging Commitment to Excellence Recycling Award 2009; Computerworld Magazine Top Green-IT Companies for 2008; and McHenry County Economic Development Corporation 2008 Business Champion Award.

In March 2010, OWC’s corporate campus was designated as LEED® Platinum by the Green Building Certification Institute (http://eshop.macsales.com/green/index.html). Platinum is the highest achievable LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Program level, which began in 1998. Out of more than 14,000 LEED projects engaged worldwide since the program’s inception, OWC is one of under three hundred to achieve the Platinum standard. In September 2010, OWC’s headquarters earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ENERGY STAR® rating for building operations that perform inside the top 25 percent of comparable facilities nationwide for energy efficiency.

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