OWC Aura Pro IV 1TB -- InnoGrit IG5236 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD Review (2026)
The OWC Aura Pro IV 1 TB is a Gen4 flagship SSD built on the InnoGrit IG5236 controller with SK Hynix DRAM, targeting Mac upgraders and PC builders alike.
Controller & Memory
The Aura Pro IV uses the InnoGrit IG5236 8-channel PCIe 4.0 controller with 1 GB of SK Hynix DDR4 DRAM cache. At 1 TB it is rated at 7,400 MB/s reads and 6,250 MB/s writes. Endurance is 500 TBW, backed by a five-year warranty. OWC (Other World Computing) is a well-established storage company known for Mac-compatible upgrades and Thunderbolt peripherals.
The Aura Pro IV competes with the HP FX900 Pro 1 TB and PNY XLR8 CS3140 1 TB — all IG5236-based Gen4 flagships. OWC's brand reputation and Mac ecosystem compatibility give it an edge for Apple users looking to upgrade their internal storage. For PC builders, the Aura Pro IV is a solid Gen4 option when priced competitively.
Storage Comparisons:
Aura Pro IV Performance & Benchmarks
The 1 TB Aura Pro IV delivers 7,400/6,250 MB/s sequential reads and writes with DRAM-equipped random I/O performance. The IG5236 handles SLC cache management efficiently. Gaming load times are competitive with any PCIe 4.0 flagship.
OWC Aura Pro IV 1 TB vs M.2 4.0 x 4 peers
Switch between sequential throughput and random IOPS to see how this drive stacks up against other M.2 4.0 x 4 SSDs in our database. The highlighted bar is the drive on this page — click any other bar to open that drive.
- Patriot Viper PV593 1 TB: 14,500 MB/s read, 14,000 MB/s write
- Patriot Viper PV593 2 TB: 14,500 MB/s read, 14,000 MB/s write
- Patriot Viper PV593 4 TB: 14,500 MB/s read, 14,000 MB/s write
- Patriot Viper PV573 2 TB: 14,000 MB/s read, 12,000 MB/s write
- OWC Aura Pro IV 1 TB (this drive): 7,400 MB/s read, 6,250 MB/s write
OWC Aura Pro IV vs Competitors
See how the Aura Pro IV stacks up against other M.2 4.0 x 4 drives in our database:
Compare with rival drives:
Endurance, TBW & Warranty
OWC covers the Aura Pro IV 1 TB with a five-year warranty limited by 500 TBW, equivalent to roughly 274 GB/day over five years. The 2 TB model carries 1,000 TBW. OWC is known for responsive customer support.
OWC Aura Pro IV 1 TB Specifications
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Capacity [?] | 1 TB |
| Interface [?] | M.2 4.0 x 4 |
| Controller [?] | Innogrit Rainier IG5236 |
| Memory type [?] | Micron TLC |
| DRAM [?] | SK Hynix DRAM |
| Read speed (MB/s) [?] | 7400 |
| Write speed (MB/s) [?] | 6250 |
| Read IOPS [?] | 1400000 |
| Write IOPS [?] | 900000 |
| Endurance (TBW) [?] | 500 |
| MTBF (million hours) [?] | 2000000 |
| Warranty (years) [?] | 5 |
Verdict: Is the Aura Pro IV Worth It in 2026?
The 1 TB Aura Pro IV is OWC's strongest Gen4 offering — an IG5236 drive with SK Hynix DRAM at a price that competes with HP and PNY alternatives. The 500 TBW endurance is adequate. For Mac upgraders, OWC's brand compatibility is a significant advantage. For PC builders, compare pricing against the HP FX900 Pro 1 TB and Neo Forza NFP455 1 TB.
+ Pros
- 7,400/6,250 MB/s -- strong Gen4 reads
- InnoGrit IG5236 with SK Hynix DRAM
- 5-year warranty with OWC support
- Mac-compatible upgrade path
- Cons
- 500 TBW endurance -- lower than some competing 1TB drives
- Premium pricing over lesser-known brands
- No factory heatsink option
Buy this or similar SSD Storage:
Video Review
Introducing the OWC Aura Pro IV
