Overview
Revolutionise Your Digital Universe with OWC ThunderBay 8
Step into the future with the OWC ThunderBay 8, an unparalleled powerhouse in personal data management. Offering eight versatile drive bays compatible with both 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch HDDs and SSDs, this marvel transforms your workspace into a high-capacity digital studio. Designed to cater to the insatiable storage demands of photo, film, and video professionals, the ThunderBay 8 is the zenith of desktop RAID storage solutions, empowering you to master RAW, 4K, large format, and VR workflows with unmatched ease.
Master the High-Bandwidth Arena
Armed with Thunderbolt 3 technology, the ThunderBay 8 delivers astonishing real-world transfer rates of up to 2586MB/s. Its robust, field-tested aluminium design is built to meet the most demanding bandwidth requirements head-on. Configuring multiple units through your Mac or PC’s Thunderbolt 3 ports amplifies your speed, ensuring you stay ahead in the relentless race against deadlines. With ThunderBay 8, victory is not just an option—it’s a certainty.
Boundless Storage Potential
Imagine the possibilities with up to a staggering 768TB of storage when you daisy-chain six ThunderBay 8 units. Capture and store colossal amounts of footage from numerous cameras, or consolidate vast libraries of production work into one reliable storage behemoth. The ThunderBay 8 isn’t just an investment in storage; it’s an investment in limitless creative freedom.
Effortlessly Organise and Access Your Projects
ThunderBay 8 redefines data organisation with its eight hot-swappable drive bays, making it simple to manage extensive data sets for every project. Alphabetically labelled trays, secured by thumb screws, offer easy drive identification and swapping—creating a versatile drive “bullpen” for quick access to your extensive collection of HDDs and SSDs.
Fort Knox for Your Data
Equipped with a locking front panel and a security slot, the ThunderBay 8 stands as a veritable vault for your data. Front panel LEDs provide at-a-glance confirmation of each drive’s status, ensuring your digital treasures are always under lock and key.
Expand Your Creative Horizons
The ThunderBay 8 is more than just storage—it’s a portal to expanding your creative capabilities. Connect a 5K Thunderbolt display or dual 4K monitors. Add USB 3.1 devices to the end of a daisy chain. With an additional Thunderbolt 3 port, your workflow possibilities are endless, enabling you to tackle any project with confidence.
Unleash the Power of SoftRAID
Amplify your ThunderBay 8 with OWC's SoftRAID, the most intuitive and powerful RAID utility available. Choose from multiple RAID levels to match your specific needs—whether it’s maximising volume capacity, achieving optimum drive performance, or securing your data. SoftRAID’s advanced features, including drive validation, verification, and failure prediction, offer peace of mind that hardware RAID simply cannot match. It’s akin to having a bespoke data centre at your fingertips, catering to both home users and professionals alike.
Stabilise Your Connections with OWC ClingOn
Minimise the risk of cable strain and accidental disconnects with the OWC ClingOn. These bespoke cable stabilisers ensure your Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C connections remain secure, safeguarding against interruptions and potential data loss. Enhance your workflow stability and keep your focus where it belongs—on your creative endeavours.
- Elevate your creative potential with unmatched storage capacity, welcoming a new era of digital organisation and freedom
- Experience lightning-fast data transfers and editing with Thunderbolt 3 technology, keeping you ahead in any project timeline
- Unlock endless scalability by daisy-chaining units, ensuring your storage grows with your creative ambitions
- Simplify your workflow with hot-swappable drive bays for easy data management and project swapping
- Secure your invaluable work with robust data protection features, offering peace of mind in your creative endeavours
- Expand your visual workspace by connecting high-definition displays, enhancing your editing precision and enjoyment
- Power your projects with SoftRAID, offering the flexibility and reliability of the most advanced software RAID utility available.
Video
With eight hot swappable drive bays, OWC Thunderbay 8 offers massive, professional-grade storage capacity in a desktop-sized design. Two Thunderbolt 3 ports breeze through business backups as well as today's highest RAW photo and multi-stream 4K video formats.
Compatibility
Compatible with the devices listed below.
MacBook Air
MacBook Pro
Mac Pro
iMac
Mac mini
Mac Studio
iMac Pro
Specifications
- Number of Bays
-
- 8
- Mechanisms Supported
-
- Eight 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch SATA drives
- Hot Swap Support
-
- Yes
- Boot Support
-
- Mac only
- RAID Capable
-
- Yes
- RAID Levels Supported
-
- JBOD
- RAID Features
-
- Software RAID
- Device Ports
-
- 1 x host port - Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) up to 40 Gb/s (5000 MB/s)
- 1 x Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) port
- 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)
- Chipset
-
- Thunderbolt: 1 x Intel JHL-6540
- SATA Controller: 2 x JMicron JMB-585
- MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures)
-
- Varies depending on drive mechanism installed
- Contact Start Stops
-
- Varies depending on drive mechanism installed
- Host Port Requirements
-
- Thunderbolt (USB-C) port (backward compatible with Thunderbolt 2/Thunderbolt)
- Mac OS Compatibility
-
- macOS 10.12 Sierra
- 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 10 64-bit Edition
- Windows 11
- Other Requirements
-
- SoftRAID XT works with macOS 10.14 or later and Windows 10 or later. SoftRAID is licensed per computer
- The 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
- External Power Adapter
-
- No
- Power Supply
-
- Internal UL-listed universal auto-switching power supply
- AC Input
-
- 90-264V, 47-63Hz, 3.5A At 115V, 1.8A at 230V
- DC Output
-
- +12V, 25A
- Wattage
-
- 300W
- Cooling
-
- 1 x 92 mm cooling fan
- Dimensions
-
- H: 180 x L: 240 x W: 260 mm
- Weight
-
- 7300 g
What's in the box?
- 1 x OWC ThunderBay 8 External Storage Enclosure
- 1 x 0.7 m Thunderbolt 3 Cable
- 1 x Power Cable
- 2 x Security Keys for Front Panel Lock
- 1 x Quick Start Guide
Warranty
- 1 Year Limited Warranty
Part Number
- OWCTB38JBKIT0