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New OWC Mercury Aura Pro Express 6G 480GB SSD Offers Up to 3x Faster Performance and 8x More Storage Capacity for Apple MacBook Air

Industry's Only Performance Upgrade and Aftermarket Solid State Drive for MacBook Air Unlocks Latest MacBook Air's Faster Processor and SATA 3.0 (6Gb/s) Capabilities

January 26, 2012, San Francisco -- Other World Computing (OWC®) http://www.macsales.com, a leading zero emissions Mac® and PC technology company, confirmed at Macworld today its OWC Mercury Aura™ Pro Express 6G SSD is now available in a 480GB model size for the latest Apple® MacBook® Air 11.1" and 13.3"models which incorporate 6G (6Gb/s) data rate capabilities. The new Mercury Aura Pro Express 480GB model combines award-winning SandForce® technologies and Tier 1/Grade A Toggle Synchronous NAND to deliver data rates up to 3x faster than factory 3G (3Gb/s) options and up to 8x the storage capacity of the factory’s base 64GB SSD model. The new, built-in-the-USA Mercury Aura Pro Express SSD and other OWC Mercury SSDs will be shown in Other World Computing’s booth #513, Moscone Centerl, at  Macworld held in San Francisco this week.

Only Performance Upgrade Available for MacBook Air
Joining two previously released Mercury Aura Pro Express 6G capacity models—120GB and 240GB—the new 6Gb/s SATA Revision 3.0 480GB model continues OWC’s position as the only alternative to factory SSD options for the MacBook Air models. 3G speed Mercury SSDs from OWC are also available in capacities up to 480GB. OWC offers an easy online guide to assist consumers in selecting the correct Mercury Aura Pro Express SSD for any of Apple’s MacBook Air models from 2008 to current.

OWC 6G SSD Unlocks MacBook Air Performance Potential
The Mercury Aura Pro Express 6G offers the latest MacBook Air owners a cost-effective SSD upgrade path that delivers higher performance, functionality, and reliability over the factory installed SSD. Because the Mercury Aura Pro Express 6G SSD is SATA Revision 3.0 (6Gb/s) compatible, it can take advantage of the MacBook Air’s faster processors and built-in 6Gb/s SATA data bus to deliver peak, sustained data rates over 500MB/s, versus the factory installed SSDs, which 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 are able to eliminate virtually any reduction in data transfer speeds over heavy, long-term usage without dependency on less-than-effective OS TRIM management.

“Our initial 120GB and 240GB 6G models were wildly successful as they enabled current model MacBook Air owners to experience the true capabilities of their machine,” said Larry O’Connor, Founder and CEO, Other World Computing. “However, we continually received requests to duplicate the 480GB capacity offered in our 3G SSD line for the MacBook Air. Our new 6G 480GB model truly enables owners of 6G capable MacBook Air machines to have the best of both worlds: highest capacity and highest performance versus factory options.”

Pricing, Availability
Compatible with current 11.1" and 13.3" MacBook Air models, the Mercury Aura Pro Express 6G 480GB model has a MSRP of $1,149.00 and is available from OWC. All Mercury Aura Pro Express 6G models include 7 percent over provisioning, Toggle Synchronous NAND, and a three-year warranty. For more information on the OWC Mercury Aura Pro Express 6G SSD for the 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 480GB 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 30GB to 480GB, prices start at $54.99. 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” list honoree 2007-2011; Reseller Ratings Elite Member 2009-2011; 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 & 2011 Business Champion Award.

Contact:
Company Contact:
Bill Herring
512-412-4009
bherring@macsales.com
Agency Contact:
Andy Marken
408-986-0100
andy@markencom.com
OWC and Mercury Aura are registered trademarks; and OWC Mercury SSD is a trademark of New Concepts Development Corporation.
SandForce is a registered trademark and SandForce Driven is a trademark of SandForce, Inc., owned by LSI Corporation.
Apple, Mac, MacBook, MacBook Air, iPod, iPhone, and iPad are the trademarks of Apple, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.
All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.