OWC 8TB ThunderBlade X8
Overview
OWC ThunderBlade X8
There’s a good reason OWC’s ThunderBlade NVMe RAID SSD is called the best production drive in the universe by film pros. Built rugged and silently cool for on-location use, its mobile-ready small footprint blazes through uncompressed high bandwidth content streams with unrivalled speed and reliability. In fast-paced environments where time is money, you’ll keep productions ahead of deadline while elevating your professional reputation to the highest level with ThunderBlade.
Reliability. Efficiency. Transportability.
OWC’s team is filled with creatives highly experienced in all phases of the video production world. They understand your need for more speed and capacity when it comes to making everything from backups to editing faster. ThunderBlade was purposefully built to be the best high-performance mobile-ready RAID SSD in the universe for…
- DITs needing to offload memory cards on set at maximum transfer speeds while also having the option to choose RAID 5 reliability for peace-of-mind or production requirements.
- DITs and productions needing a blazing fast, highly reliable shuttle drive that can be easily and safely shipped.
- Creative professionals working with cutting edge workflows such as multicam sequences, 8K RAW video, and VFX looking for the best possible performance from an easy to transport, plug and play external storage solution.
- Remote editors working with cloud-based workflows such as LucidLink which require a high performance cache drive solution to ensure flawless video editing performance.
- Professional video editors desiring a seamless editing experience when working on large projects with all their files centralised for easy access.
RAID 5 Ready
Using RAID 5 in the past meant giving up precious capacity and taking a big hit on performance. OWC’s 8 drive ThunderBlade X8 model solves that problem by offering the most amount of useable capacity while still offering eye-popping write speeds up to 2464MB/s. Now you can streamline ingestion and backup times on set, edit ultra-high-res multi-cam sequences, and adhere to mandatory requirements (the 3-2-1 Principle) when producing content for large studios such as Netflix.
Really Cool Details
You’ll never have to worry about heat throttling slowing you down because OWC focus on the little details that will keep you working at consistent top speed. Besides keeping ThunderBlade securely in place, the non-skid rubber feet elevate the heat dissipating aluminium housing to create a highly effective silently cool encompassing airflow.
Pre-Tested = Ready to Work
OWC understand having confidence in gear reliability is paramount to creative professionals. That’s why every ThunderBlade undergoes OWC's rigorous multi-hour "burn-in" performance certification prior to shipping and includes a Thunderbolt connecting cable. This ensures your ThunderBlade arrives operating properly and immediately ready for demanding use.
Combine & Conquer
While one ThunderBlade is great, two are awesome when daisy chained together for additional speed and capacity gains. Keep them running cool and fast by stacking them vertically with the OWC ThunderBlade X Spacer. This innovative, no tools required aluminium drive spacer keeps your drives secure while enhancing your conquer any challenge image.
- Incomparable: up to 2931MB/s ready-to-run, time-saving speed that has no competitor
- Spacious: up to eight NVMe M.2 SSDs for up to 32TB
- Includes SoftRAID XT: easy and complete drive management
- Versatile: daisy-chain up to five additional Thunderbolt devices or connect a USB-C device or display via the second Thunderbolt port
- Stable: non-skid rubber feet keep ThunderBlade X8 in place while OWC ClingOn secures the included Thunderbolt connecting cable
- Reliable: heat-dissipating fan-less aluminium chassis keeps you working silently at top speed
- Informative: confirm use status instantly via integrated LED
- Mobile: compact footprint and custom-fit ballistic hard-shell case make this the perfect shuttle drive
- Certified: meets Intel Thunderbolt and OWC operating certifications for assured performance and reliability
Video
Constructed for fast-paced environments where time is money, ThunderBlade ensures your projects outpace your deadlines. ThunderBlade effortlessly navigates through uncompressed, high-bandwidth content streams, delivering unmatched speed and reliability.
Compatibility
Compatible with the devices listed below.
MacBook Air
MacBook Pro
Mac Pro
iMac
Mac mini
Mac Studio
iMac Pro
Specifications
- Total Capacity
-
- 8.0TB
- Drive Bays
-
- 8
- Standard Mechanism
-
- 8 x 1.0TB OWC Aura Pro III PCIe 3.0 NVMe M.2 2242 SSD
- Plug and Play
-
- Yes
- RAID Capable
-
- Yes
- Default RAID Level
-
- RAID 0
- RAID Levels Supported
-
- RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 4, RAID 5, RAID 10
- RAID Features
-
- Software RAID
- Drive Interface
-
- M.2 NVMe (PCIe 3.0)
- Device Ports
-
- 1 x host port - Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) up to 40 Gb/s (5000 MB/s)
- 2 x Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports
- Display Support by Port
-
- Thunderbolt 3: up to 5K @ 60Hz via a native Thunderbolt 3 display or 4K @ 60Hz via a Thunderbolt display or a USB-C display adapter
- Data Transfer Rate (Maximum)
-
- Thunderbolt 3: up to 40 Gb/s (or 5000 MB/s)
- Benchmark Speed, Read (Max)
-
- Up to 2931 MB/s
- Benchmark Speed, Write (Max)
-
- Up to 2860 MB/s
- Chipset
-
- Titan Ridge DD (JHL7440)
- Host Port Requirements
-
- Thunderbolt (USB-C) port (backward compatible with Thunderbolt 2/Thunderbolt1)
- Mac OS Compatibility
-
- macOS 10.13 High Sierra
- macOS 10.14 Mojave
- macOS 10.15 Catalina
- macOS 11.x Big Sur
- macOS 12.x Monterey
- macOS 13.x Ventura
- macOS 14.x Sonoma
- PC OS Compatibility
-
- Windows 11
- Driver Required
-
- SoftRAID only
- SoftRAID automatically checks for the latest version. Launch the app and if displayed, follow prompts to complete the SoftRAID update
- Other Requirements
-
- Windows certification on Windows 11 Pro Build 22621 - 64bit. Recommended Windows 11 version 22H2 and later
- he SoftRAID serial number will work with both Mac and Windows but can only be active on one computer at a time. Additional seats can be purchased. RAID 4/1+0 (10) are currently Mac only at this time
- SoftRAID XT works with Windows 11 or later and macOS 10.14 or later. SoftRAID is licensed per computer
- External Power Adapter
-
- Yes
- Power Supply
-
- External UL-listed universal auto-switching power supply
- AC Input
-
- 100-240V, 50-60Hz, 2.0A
- DC Output
-
- +12V, 7.5A
- Wattage
-
- 90W
- Certifications
-
- CE, FCC, VCCI, RCM, UKCA, IC
- Dimensions
-
- H: 34 x L: 208 x W: 124 mm
- Weight
-
- 1.1 kg
What's in the box?
- 1 x OWC ThunderBlade X8 External Storage Solution
- 1 x 0.7 m Thunderbolt Cable
- 1 x External Power Supply
- 1 x Power Cable
- 1 x Ballistic Hard-Shell Travel Case
- 1 x Support Manual for OWC ThunderBlade X8
- 1 x 3 Year OWC SoftRAID XT Upgrade and Support Plan
- 1 x Quick Start Guide for OWC SoftRAID XT
Warranty
- 3 Year Limited Warranty