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OWC Drive Speed iOS App Launches – Test External Drive Performance on iPhone

November 13^th, 20236

OWC Drive Speed iOS App Launches - Test External Drive Performance on iPhone

by Jose PradaNovember 13^th, 2023

OWC is a brand specializing in storage solutions and connectivity. Now, they have launched OWC Drive Speed, an iOS app that allows us to simulate recording environments to test transfer speed when using external drives with the iPhone. Let’s see how it works!

We still don’t know if they will replace prosumer cameras at some point, but smartphones’ video capabilities are improving with each new release. The recent launch of the iPhone 15 Pro and its unique features, such as Apple Log recording, has given filmmakers and content creators an all-in-one tool to make our ideas come true. However, smartphones are not dedicated video cameras, meaning they need space for video and everything else. Since Apple Log will demand considerable storage, we’ll need to use external hard drives sooner or later. For example, Apple doesn’t let you shoot ProRes HQ Log, 60fps in 4K internally.

We all know the advantages of shooting ProRes HQ Log. Although the size of the files is enormous, ProRes is easier to edit than H.264 and reduces the computer workload. HQ will also give us better image quality. Plus, Log profiles offer more color grading flexibility in post.

So how fast does the external drive need to be? Well, it should be at least fast enough to record in our chosen format, and with so many brands and specs on the market, here is where OWC Drive Speed comes in.

This will be a familiar setup for iPhone 15 Pro filmmakers – Image credit: Rene Strgar

Drive Speed, a simple but helpful app

OWC Drive Speed allows us to monitor video recording between an iPhone and an external drive. The app features real-time speed monitoring to keep us on track and prevent unexpected dropped frames or recording interruptions. Supporting a wide range of external drives (USB drives, SSDs, memory card readers…), we can customize our transfer settings by choosing video format, frames per second, and duration. This way, we can create accurate simulations to check if our external device is fast enough to support our recording. We can save and share our data analysis for subsequent tracking and reference, speeding up our workflow and aiding us in collaborating with others.

The app is straightforward, letting us adjust all the parameters on one screen. Once we open the app, we set our destination and the parameters we want to test, and that’s it. Once the check is done, we will know if our storage unit is suitable for recording.

Testing your external drives with OWC before shooting – Image credit: Rene Strgar

OWC Drive Speed looks like a helpful companion at a time when demanding data transfers are becoming common in the latest iPhone models. Thanks to a data transfer test app like OWC Drive Speed, we will have peace of mind before shooting. Sooner or later, we will have to use external storage for high-quality videos, and the iPhone 15 Pro and upcoming models will be seen more and more in professional settings.