TerraMaster has recently launched the D1 SSD Pro Thunderbolt 5 fanless enclosure, an update to the previous Thunderbolt 4-based TerraMaster D1 SSD Plus. The new version features an 80Gbps Thunderbolt 5 port, supports M.2 2280 NVMe SSDs with up to 8TB capacity, and has been tested at up to 7,061MB/s read and 6,816MB/s write speeds, nearly doubling Thunderbolt 4 performance.
The enclosure uses a fanless, CNC-machined aluminum design that enables silent operation through passive heat dissipation. It also features smart LED indicators for connection speed, and offers compatibility with Thunderbolt 5/4/3, USB4, and USB 3.2 across Windows, macOS, and Linux, including boot support on macOS. With various protection features (short-circuit, surge, ESD) and a compact, rugged design, it is suited for 8K/4K video editors, power MacBook users, gamers who need real-time editing, ultra-fast transfers, and reliable external boot or workspace storage.
TerraMaster D1 SSD Pro specifications
- Performance (claimed) – Up to 7,061 MB/s Read and 6,816 MB/s Write (tested with Samsung 990 Pro 4TB)
- Storage – M.2 2280 NVMe slot (PCIe 4.0 x4 electrical, supports PCIe 3.0/4.0/5.0 drives up to 8TB)
- Controller – Intel JHL9480 (Thunderbolt 5) + Bridge Controller (likely JMS583 for USB backward compatibility)
- Thunderbolt/USB-C port
- Thunderbolt 5 up to 80 Gbps
- Thunderbolt 4 / 3 up to 40 Gbps
- USB4 up to 40 Gbps
- USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 up to 20 Gbps, USB 3.2 Gen 2 up to 10 Gbps
- Misc
- Smart LED indicator (White for TB5/TB4/USB4, Orange for USB 3.2 and below)
- Build – Fanless design with an aerospace-grade aluminum alloy chassis
- Cooling – Passive heat dissipation via thermal pads and internal fins.
- Power
- 5V USB from USB-C port
- 8.1W (Active Read/Write) and 3.4W (Hibernation) consumption
- Dimensions – 121 x 58 x 37 mm
- Weight – 300 grams (net)
TerraMaster’s benchmarks show that the enclosure achieved its highest measured read speed of 7,061 MB/s using a PCIe 4.0 Samsung 990 Pro (4TB) connected to a Mac mini M4 Pro over Thunderbolt 5. When tested with a PCIe 5.0 Samsung 9100 Pro (2TB) on the same system, performance was slightly lower at 6,951 MB/s read and 6,828 MB/s write, indicating that the Thunderbolt 5 link is already saturated by a high-end PCIe 4.0 SSD, which means current PCIe 5.0 drives are unlikely to see meaningful gains over Thunderbolt, likely due to interface overhead and thermal constraints rather than SSD capability.
The list below (provided by TerraMaster) highlights the performance scaling across different interfaces:
- Thunderbolt 5 (Mac mini M4 Pro) – ~7,000 MB/s Read/Write.
- Thunderbolt 4 (Mac mini M4) – ~3,186 MB/s Read.
- USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps) – ~1,000 MB/s Read.
On the software side, the D1 SSD Pro supports TPC Backupper on Windows for full system imaging, disk and partition backups, scheduled tasks, and both incremental and differential backup modes, along with real-time and two-way file synchronization. On macOS, it’s compatible with Apple Time Machine, and users can also configure it as a bootable external drive, while Linux systems are supported natively with standard NVMe and USB storage stacks, requiring no proprietary drivers or utilities. The company also provides the TDAS mobile app (iOS/Android) for direct phone backups.
This Thunderbolt 5 fanless SSD enclosure features a “shark fin” style heatsink surface for passive cooling, so that the operational temperature remains between 36°C and 49°C under load, preventing thermal throttling, which is a common issue with high-speed fanless NVMe enclosures.
We have seen a few Thunderbolt 5 devices appear, including the OWC Envoy Ultra and SABRENT Rocket XTRM 5, but these are pre-assembled portable SSDs, whereas the D1 SSD Pro allows users to install their own M.2 2280 NVMe SSDs with support for PCIe 3.0, 4.0, and 5.0 drives.
The TerraMaster D1 SSD Pro Thunderbolt 5 SSD enclosure is available on Amazon for $249.99, but that’s before ticking a 15% discount coupon, which brings the price down to $211.99. It is also available from the TerraMaster Official Store at the same price. The package includes the enclosure, a 0.3m Thunderbolt 5 cable, and a carrying case. For reference, the previous generation 40 Gbps D1 SSD Plus enclosure currently goes for $76.99, so the new model only makes sense for people owning a system with a spare Thunderbolt 5 port. Some additional information is available in the press release.
Debashis Das is a technical content writer and embedded engineer with over five years of experience in the industry. With expertise in Embedded C, PCB Design, and SEO optimization, he effectively blends difficult technical topics with clear communication
Support CNX Software! Donate via cryptocurrencies, become a Patron on Patreon, or purchase goods on Amazon or Aliexpress. We also use affiliate links in articles to earn commissions if you make a purchase after clicking on those links.
Oh, well, intel is expensive. Fortunately they are no longer the only ones to make Thunderbolt chips. I have good experience with TB4 enclosures based on ASMedia ASM2464PD. Got this one https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005008555989592.html for 31EUR including VAT and shipping (with some deal and discount coupon) and it is very good. I am dual booting 2024 M4 macbook from it and it works just fine. I am also using second piece with Dell laptop with TB4 ports and it shows as normal pcie nvme device, lspci shows it as gen4 x4 nvme, but speeds are more in gen3 range – a bit over 3GB/s.