Key Features
Compatibility
Product Description
Powered by SoftRAID (SoftRAID software option only). Add your own drives! Thunderbolt 3 cable included.
Highlights
- Two Thunderbolt 3 ports
- Up to 1550MB/s sustained performance1
- Includes SoftRAID: robust software for creating, monitoring, and managing advanced RAID sets
- Four hot-swappable universal drive bays: mix or match 2.5-inch (no adapter needed) and 3.5-inch HDDs and SSDs
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Ultra quiet, heat-dissipating aluminium chassis
The Speed You Need
All New Design for Power and Performance
ThunderBay 4, OWC's flagship 4-bay RAID powerhouse is bigger and faster than ever before. Now with the unbelievable performance of Thunderbolt 3 up to 1550MB/s sustained performance1it's the ultimate workhorse external storage solution. Not only faster, the new ThunderBay 4 Thunderbolt 3 is now natively compatible with both 2.5" and 3.5" drives, and with a redesigned chassis, it's even cooler and quieter too.
Edit, Experiment, Create, Design
Designed with performance in mind and engineered to harness the power of Thunderbolt 3, ThunderBay 4 is an incredibly flexible external solution with the throughput to support multi-stream compressed 4K video and other bandwidth-intensive operations. ThunderBay 4 is highly configurable to perfectly match your performance needs. Choose between traditional hard drives or Solid State Drives. Use each drive independently, or in the RAID configuration of your choice for the optimal balance of performance and data-redundancy. Get the most out of your storage, take the brakes off your workflow, and do more with a ThunderBay 4.
Includes SoftRAID XT: Easy and Complete Drive Management
SoftRAID XT is the most powerful, intuitive software RAID utility on the market. Multiple RAID levels let you select the RAID level that fits you or your project’s needs best. If you need maximum volume capacity, optimum drive performance, data protection, or a combination of attributes, SoftRAID has you covered.
Packed with features like drive validation, verification and failure prediction—SoftRAID includes features you simply don’t get with hardware RAID. It’s like having a datacenter on your desktop! From home users looking to protect photos and documents to professionals needing to protect and quickly access projects, SoftRAID is the perfect solution.
Compatible: Works with macOS 14.x Sonoma, M series Macs and Windows 11
Advanced: Create RAID 0/1/4/5/1+0 (10) with Macs, RAID 0/1 with Windows machines
Protected: SoftRAID Monitor constantly watches your disks and alerts you if problems are detected
Validated: Volume validation ensures sectors can be read and parity is correct
Certified: Checks disks before use to ensure they are safe for data storage
Vigilant: Error prediction helps protect against unexpected failure
Universal: Move SoftRAID arrays seamlessly between Macs and PCs with built-in OWC MacDrive technology
SoftRAID provides a level of performance that you simply can’t get with hardware RAID. Learn more about the power of SoftRAID XT.
Certified and Tested
Each ThunderBay 4 solution undergoes OWC's multi-hour drive "burn-in" performance certification procedure prior to shipping. This ensures your ThunderBay 4 arrives operating properly, ready for demanding use.
4 drive bays plus so much more. Time-tested Cooling
Built on OWC's time-tested enclosure cooling technology, ThunderBay 4 utilizes an open "flow-thru" vented design with an oversized 92 mm, low-turbulence, noise-quieting fan to keep the drives running cool and reliably.
Multi-Drive
Daisy-chain up to six ThunderBay 4s for massive storage capabilities and increased performance, or connect multiple ThunderBay 4s to multiple Thunderbolt 3 ports to achieve exponential speed capabilities.
Vibration Dampened
ThunderBay 4's drive isolating design reduces sonic resonance, and is aided by over-sized, rugged, vibration-absorbing, non-skid feet.
SoftRAID XT works with macOS 10.12 or later and Windows 10. M1 Macs require macOS 11.3 or later. SoftRAID is licensed per computer.
Includes
- (1) OWC ThunderBay 4 External Storage Enclosure
- (1) 0.7M (28") Thunderbolt Cable
- (1) UK Power Cable (EU cable for EU customers)
- (2) Security Keys for Front Panel Lock
- (1) Quick Start Guide for OWC ThunderBay 4 with Thunderbolt 3
- (1) Assembly Manual & User Guide for OWC ThunderBay 4 with Thunderbolt 3
- 1 Year OWC Limited Warranty
Specifications
- Product code: OWCTB3IVKIT000 (No SoftRaid) and OWCTB3SRKIT0GB (With SoftRaid) - options
- Number of Bays: 4
- Drive Bays: 4 bays supporting: 2.5-inch SATA drives, 3.5-inch SATA drives
- Plug and Play: Yes
- Hot Swap Support: Yes
- Boot Support: Boot Camp is not supported.
- RAID Capable: Yes
- RAID Levels Supported: JBOD, RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 4, RAID 5, RAID 10
- RAID Features: Software RAID
- Power Delivery: Thunderbolt 3 host port provides up to 15W of power to the host computer. Thunderbolt 3 device port (for external drives and other devices) provides 15W of power.
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Device Ports:
- (1) Host Port - Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) up to 40 Gb/s (5000 MB/s)
- (1) Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) Port
- Data Transfer Rate (Maximum): Thunderbolt 3: Up to 40 Gb/s (or 5000 MB/s)
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Chipset / Controller:
- SATA Controller: (2) ASM1062
- Thunderbolt 3: (1) Intel DSL6540
- Host Interface Requirements: Thunderbolt (USB-C) port (backward compatible with Thunderbolt 2/Thunderbolt1)
- External Power Adapter: No
- Power Supply: Internal UL-listed universal auto-switching power supply
- Need an additional power supply? Secondary/replacement power supplies are also available.
- AC Input: 100-230V
- Replacement Adapter Part Number: OWCMNEPWR3PUS (sold separately)
- Cooling: (1) 92mm cooling fan
- Security Slot: Yes
- Power Button: Yes
- Power/Activity LED: Yes
- Housing Color: Black
- Housing Material: Aluminum
- Dimensions: Height: 17.7 cm (7.0 in), Length: 24.5 cm (9.6 in), Width: 13.5 cm (5.3 in)
- Weight: 3.9 kg (8.60 lbs)
- Reach Certification: Yes
- Country of Origin: Taiwan
- TAA Compliance: Yes
- Ambient Temperature: Operating: 50°F to 95°F (10°C to 35°C), Non-Operating: -40°F to 149°F (-40°C to 65°C)
- Humidity: Operating: 8% to 90% non-condensing, Non-Operating: 5% to 95% non-condensing
- Thunderbolt 2/Thunderbolt compatibility: requires a certified Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 (mDP) adapter and a Thunderbolt 2 cable (available separately). This configuration provides data transfer at up to 20Gb/s but does not support notebook charging.
- For units purchased prior to 12/24/18, please see the OWC ThunderBay 4 Support Page for instructions on how to update your ThunderBay's firmware.
Compatibility
Operating System Compatibility
Mac OS:
- 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
- macOS 15.x Sequoia
- macOS 26.x Tahoe
Windows OS:
- Windows 10 (64-bit Edition)
- Windows 11
- Windows Server 2022
Compatible Mac Models
iMac (2017 – 2024, including M-series models):
- 2017 – iMac18,1 / iMac18,2 / iMac18,3
- 2019 – iMac19,1 / iMac19,2
- 2020 – iMac20,1 / iMac20,2
- 2021 – iMac21,1 / iMac21,2 (M1)
- 2023 – Mac15,4 / Mac15,5 (M3)
- 2024 – M-series models supported
iMac Pro:
- 2017 – iMacPro1,1
MacBook Air (2018 – 2025, including M-series models):
- 2018 – MacBookAir8,1
- 2019 – MacBookAir8,2
- 2020 – MacBookAir9,1
- 2020 – MacBookAir10,1 (M1)
- 2022 – Mac14,2 (M2)
- 2023 – Mac14,15 (M2)
- 2024 – Mac15,12 / Mac15,13 (M3)
- 2025 – M-series models supported (up to M4)
MacBook Pro (2016 – 2025, including M1 / M2 / M3 / M4 / M5 models):
- 2016 – MacBookPro13,1 / 13,2
- 2017 – MacBookPro13,3 / 14,1 / 14,2 / 14,3
- 2018 – MacBookPro15,1 / 15,2 / 15,3
- 2019 – MacBookPro15,1 / 15,2 / 15,3 / 15,4 / 16,1 / 16,4
- 2020 – MacBookPro16,2 / 16,3 / 17,1 (M1)
- 2021 – MacBookPro18,1 / 18,2 / 18,3 / 18,4 (M1 Pro / Max)
- 2022 – Mac14,7 (M2)
- 2023 – Mac14,10 / 14,5 / 14,6 / 14,9 (M2 Pro / Max)
- 2023 – Mac15,3 / 15,6 / 15,7 / 15,8 / 15,9 / 15,10 / 15,11 (M3 Pro / Max)
- 2024–2025 – M-series models supported (up to M5)
Mac Pro:
- 2019 – MacPro7,1
- 2023 – Mac14,8 (M2 Ultra)
Mac Pro Rack:
- 2019 – MacPro7,1
- 2023 – Mac14,8 (M2 Ultra)
Mac Studio (2022 – 2025):
- 2022 – Mac13,1 / Mac13,2 (M1 Max / Ultra)
- 2023 – Mac14,13 / Mac14,14 (M2 Max / Ultra)
- 2025 – M-series models supported
Mac mini (2018 – 2024):
- 2018 – Macmini8,1
- 2020 – Macmini9,1 (M1)
- 2023 – Mac14,3 / Mac14,12 (M2 / M2 Pro)
- 2024 – M-series models supported
PC Compatibility:
Compatible with Windows PCs equipped with a Thunderbolt port (Thunderbolt 3, 4, or 5 depending on system support).
Product videos
Shipping & Returns
- Free UK Shipping: Delivered in approx. 2 working days
- Express Options: Faster methods available at checkout
- Free Shipping to Ireland: For orders over £100.00
- International Delivery: Times vary by destination; shipped via FedEx or DHL
- 30-Day Returns: Return within 30 days from order date
- UK, Ireland and EU Customers: Free return label provided
- Full Return Policy: Read Here
- Full Shipping Details: Read Here
Payment
Safe payment on our website.
Pay by card, Klarna, PayPal, Apple Pay, G-Pay, Shop Pay, Revolut, Bancontact, iDeal, or even bank transfer.
Customer Service
Email and chat available 24/7
Free number UK: 08001954072
International: +442838341148
Phone Line Opening Hours
- Monday - Friday: 09:00-17:00

