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- OWC ThunderBay 8 Eight-Bay 2.5/3.5-inch HDD Thunderbolt 3 External Storage with installed Drives and SoftRAID OWC ThunderBay 8 Eight-Bay 2.5/3.5-inch HDD Thunderbolt 3 External Storage with installed Drives and SoftRAID
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Professional-grade 8-bay Thunderbolt 3 Storage Enclosure. Available with SoftRaid software—choose your option. It comes with hard drives installed.
Highlights
- Up to 2465MB/s HDD peak performance and 2586MB/s SDD peak performance (RAID 0)
- Eight hot-swappable universal drive bays: mix or match 2.5-inch (no adapter needed) and 3.5-inch HDDs and SSDs
- See your work: DisplayPort 1.2 for connecting up to a 4K display
- Daisy-chain expansion: second Thunderbolt 3 port for adding up to five additional Thunderbolt devices
- Quick drive swaps: thumb screw release trays
- Plug-and-play ready: no drivers needed and Includes Thunderbolt cable
- Thunderbolt certified for Mac and Windows
- OWC ClingOn ready: cable stabilizer prevents work session interruption and possible data loss
Do you have your own drives and need an enclosure only? Click Here
Like a Data Center on Your Desk
This latest addition to the popular ThunderBay line, introduced in 2014, now offers eight drive bays for either 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch HDDs and/or SSDs in any combination. The OWC ThunderBay 8 is like a high-performance personal data center that offers multiple configuration options to suit ever-expanding storage needs. Photo, film and video editors can take advantage of the largest capacity desktop RAID storage solution we've ever offered to handle the voracious drive space appetite of RAW, 4K, large format, and VR workflows.
Conquer High Bandwidth Demands
With Thunderbolt 3 offering real-world transfer rates up to 2586MB/s1 and the ability to RAID together eight SSDs or HDDs2, ThunderBay 8’s rugged, field-tested aluminum design has the under-the-hood horsepower needed to conquer high-bandwidth requirements. You can even configure multiple ThunderBay 8 solutions connected via multiple Thunderbolt 3 ports on your Mac or PC to achieve exponential speed increases. Whatever your set up, when you’re racing against a deadline, ThunderBay 8 puts you in the winner’s circle.
Monstrous Capacity
Need even more capacity? Daisy-chain up to six of these capacity behemoths together for up to a staggering 768TB. Now you can capture vast amounts of footage from multiple cameras or store vast libraries of production work with a unified and reliable storage solution.
Swap and Identify Drives Easily
ThunderBay 8 makes it easy to keep large data sets organized for every project thanks to its eight hot swappable drive bays. Whether you’re using 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch HDDs and/or SSDs, the drives mount in alphabetically labeled trays for easy identification and are secured by a thumb screw. If you want the freedom to access an extensive collection of drives quickly, you can create a drive “bullpen” with additional OWC drive trays (sold separately).
As Secure as a Bank Vault
With a locking front panel and security slot on the backside, the ThunderBay 8 is like an ironclad vault l for your data. Plus, with front panel LEDs indicating the status of each drive, you’ll know at a glance if your data is secure.
See More, Do More
ThunderBay 8 isn’t just about high-capacity, high-performance storage. It’s about giving you all the options you need to work at your best. Attach a 5K Thunderbolt display or two 4K displays. Place a USB 3.1 device at the end of a daisy chain. With an extra Thunderbolt 3 port, you have the flexibility to add more devices to your workflow and master any task at hand.
More Powerful With SoftRAID
Need more power and protection? Choose a solution that includes OWC's powerful SoftRAID RAID software.
- SoftRAID 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. Learn more about SoftRAID.
Secure Your Workflow with OWC ClingOn
Greatly reduce — if not eliminate — cable strain and accidental disconnects with the OWC ClingOn. These custom cable stabilizers (sold separately) screw into the ThunderBay 8's housing to secure your Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C connections and prevent work session interruption and possible data loss.
- Sequential read/write performance with 8 x 2.0TB Mercury Extreme Pro 6G SSD in RAID 0 connected to iMac Pro Late 2017 (iMacPro1,1) with 32GB RAM and 3.2GHz processor running AJA System Test (4K-Full resolution, 64GB file size, 10bit RGB codec, single file test).
- Advanced RAID features require RAID management software (such as OWC SoftRAID, sold separately).
- 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.
- OWC ClingOn available separately.
Includes
- (1) OWC ThunderBay 8 External Storage Solution with HDDs installed
- (1) 0.7M (28") Thunderbolt Cable
- (1) US Power Cable
- (2) Security Keys for Front Panel Lock
- (1) OWC ThunderBay 8 Getting Started Insert Card
- (1) Support Manual for OWC ThunderBay 8 (Digital)
- (1) 3 Years of SoftRAID Premium Access (License located on device)
- (1) Quick Start Guide for OWC SoftRAID (Digital)
- 5-Year OWC Limited Warranty
- Number of Bays: 8
- Mechanisms Supported: Eight (8) 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch SATA drives (this product comes with 3.5-inch HDDs installed) From 64TB option, it comes with Enterprise HDDs.
- Plug and Play: Yes
- Hot Swap Support: Yes
- Boot Support: Mac only. Boot Camp is not supported.
- RAID Capable: Yes
- RAID Levels Supported: JBOD
- RAID Features: Software RAID Capable (included)
- Power Delivery: Thunderbolt 3 host port provides up to 15W of power to the host computer.1
- Thunderbolt 3 device port (for external drives and other devices) provides 15W of power.
-
Device Ports:
- (1) Host Port - Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) up to 40 Gb/s (5000 MB/s)
- (1) Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) Port
- Display Support: Up to one 5K display @ 60Hz, or one 4K display @ 60Hz
- 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 / Controller:
- Thunderbolt: (1) Titan Ridge (JHL7440)
- SATA Controller: (2) JMicron (JMS-585B)
- MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures): Varies depending on drive mechanism installed
- Contact Start Stops: Varies depending on drive mechanism installed
- 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
- AC Input: 90-264V, 47-63Hz, 3.5A At 115V, 1.8A At 230V
- DC Output: +12V, 25A
- Wattage: 300W
- Cooling: (1) 92mm cooling fan
- Security Slot: Yes
- Power Button: Yes
- Power/Activity LED: Yes
- Housing Color: Black
- Housing Material: Aluminum
-
Dimensions:
- Height: 18.0 cm (7.1 in)
- Length: 24.0 cm (9.4 in)
- Width: 26.0 cm (10.2 in)
- Weight: 7.3 kg (16.14 lbs)
- Certifications: CE, FCC, VCCI, RCM, BSMI
- Country of Origin: Taiwan
- TAA Compliance: Yes
-
Ambient Temperature:
- Operating: 41°F to 95°F (5°C to 35°C)
- Non-Operating: -4°F to 140°F (-20°C to 60°C)
-
Altitude:
- Operating: -304.8 m to 3,048.0 m (-1,000 ft to 10,000 ft)
- Non-Operating: -304.8 m to 12,192.0 m (-1,000 ft to 40,000 ft)
-
Humidity:
- Operating: 8% to 90% non-condensing
- Non-Operating: 5% to 95% non-condensing
- Noise: Varies depending on drive mechanism installed
- 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.
- Intel JHL-6540 chipset supports two 4K displays (4096 x 2160 30bpp @ 60 Hz) or a single 5K display.
- The following Apple silicon M1 and M2 Mac models support a single display over a Thunderbolt port:
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020) - MacBookPro17,1
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, M2, 2022) - Mac14,7
- MacBook Air (M1, 2020) - MacBookAir10,1
- MacBook Air (M2, 2022) - Mac14,2
- Mac mini (M1, 2020) - Macmini9,1
- The following Mac models provide only partial support for DisplayPort 1.4, including limiting resolution to 5K or 6K at 60Hz. Please review Apple's display specifications for your specific Mac to determine the maximum supported resolution and color depth:
- MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2018) - MacBookPro15,1
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2018, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports) - MacBookPro15,2
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports) - MacBookPro15,2
- MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019) - MacBookPro15,1 and MacBookPro15,3
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019, Two Thunderbolt 3 ports) - MacBookPro15,4
- MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019) - MacBookPro16,1 and MacBookPro16,4
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports) - MacBookPro16,2
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020, Two Thunderbolt 3 ports) - MacBookPro16,3
- MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2018) - MacBookAir8,1
- MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2019) - MacBookAir8,2
- MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020) - MacBookAir9,1
- iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2019) - iMac19,1
- iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2019) - iMac19,2
- iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2020) - iMac20,1 and iMac20,2
- Mac mini (2018) - Macmini8,1
- Mac Pro (2019) - MacPro7,1
- Mac Pro (Rack, 2019) - MacPro7,1
- Host Port Requirements: Thunderbolt (USB-C) port (backwards compatible with Thunderbolt 2/Thunderbolt)
-
Mac OS Compatibility:
- 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 Server 2022
- Windows 11
-
iMac:
- 2017 iMac18,1 - A1418 - EMC3068
- 2017 iMac18,2 - A1418 - EMC3069
- 2017 iMac18,3 - A1419 - EMC3070
- 2019 iMac19,1 - A2115 - EMC3194
- 2019 iMac19,2 - A2116 - EMC3195
- 2020 iMac20,1 - A2115 - EMC3442
- 2020 iMac20,2 - A2115 - EMC3442
- 2021 iMac21,1 - A2438 - EMC3663 - M1
- 2021 iMac21,2 - A2439 - EMC3664 - M1
- 2023 Mac15,4 - A2874 - EMC8207 - M3
- 2023 Mac15,5 - A2873 - EMC8206 - M3
-
iMacPro:
- 2017 iMacPro1,1 - A1862 - EMC3144
-
MacBookAir:
- 2018 MacBookAir8,1 - A1932 - EMC3184
- 2019 MacBookAir8,2 - A1932 - EMC3184
- 2020 MacBookAir9,1 - A2179 - EMC3302
- 2020 MacBookAir10,1 - A2337 - EMC3598 - M1
- 2022 Mac14,2 - A2681 - EMC4074 - M2
- 2023 Mac14,15 - A2941 - EMC8301 - M2
- 2024 Mac15,12 - A3113 - EMC8611 - M3
- 2024 Mac15,13 - A3114 - EMC8612 - M3
-
MacBookPro:
- 2016 MacBookPro13,1 - A1708 - EMC2978
- 2016 MacBookPro13,2 - A1706 - EMC3071
- 2017 MacBookPro13,3 - A1707 - EMC3072
- 2017 MacBookPro14,1 - A1708 - EMC3164
- 2017 MacBookPro14,2 - A1706 - EMC3163
- 2017 MacBookPro14,3 - A1707 - EMC3162
- 2018 MacBookPro15,1 - A1990 - EMC3215
- 2018 MacBookPro15,2 - A1989 - EMC3214
- 2018 MacBookPro15,3 - A1990 - EMC3215
- 2019 MacBookPro15,1 - A1990 - EMC3359
- 2019 MacBookPro15,2 - A1989 - EMC3358
- 2019 MacBookPro15,3 - A1990 - EMC3359
- 2019 MacBookPro15,4 - A2159 - EMC3301
- 2019 MacBookPro16,1 - A2141 - EMC3347
- 2019 MacBookPro16,4 - A2141 - EMC3347
- 2020 MacBookPro16,2 - A2251 - EMC3348
- 2020 MacBookPro16,3 - A2289 - EMC3456
- 2020 MacBookPro17,1 - A2338 - EMC3578 - M1
- 2021 MacBookPro18,1 - A2485 - EMC3651 - M1 Pro
- 2021 MacBookPro18,2 - A2485 - EMC3651 - M1 MAX
- 2021 MacBookPro18,3 - A2442 - EMC3650 - M1 Pro
- 2021 MacBookPro18,4 - A2442 - EMC3650 - M1 Max
- 2022 Mac14,7 - A2338 - EMC8162 - M2
- 2023 Mac14,10 - A2780 M2 Pro
- 2023 Mac14,5 - A2779 M2 Max
- 2023 Mac14,6 - A2780 M2 Max
- 2023 Mac14,9 - A2779 M2 Pro
- 2023 Mac15,10 - A2992 - EMC8407 - M3 Max
- 2023 Mac15,11 - A2991 - EMC8408 - M3 Max
- 2023 Mac15,6 - A2992 - EMC8407 - M3 Pro
- 2023 Mac15,3 - A2918 - EMC8304 - M3
- 2023 Mac15,7 - A2991 - EMC8408 - M3 Pro
- 2023 Mac15,8 - A2992 - EMC8407 - M3 Max
- 2023 Mac15,9 - A2991 - EMC8408 - M3 Max
-
Mac Pro:
- 2019 MacPro7,1 - A1991 - EMC3203
- 2023 Mac14,8 - A2786 - EMC8163 - M2 Ultra
- Mac Pro Rack | 2019 MacPro7,1 - A2304 - EMC3413
- Mac Pro Rack | 2023 Mac14,8 - A2787 - EMC8164 - M2 Ultra
-
Mac Studio:
- 2022 Mac13,1 - A2615 - EMC3988 - M1 Max
- 2022 Mac13,2 - A2615 - EMC3988 - M1 Ultra
- 2023 Mac14,14 - A2901 - EMC8292 - M2 Ultra
- 2023 Mac14,13 - A2901 - EMC8292 - M2 Max
-
Macmini:
- 2018 Macmini8,1 - A1993 - EMC3213
- 2020 Macmini9,1 - A2348 - EMC3569 - M1
- 2023 Mac14,3 - A2686 - EMC8003 - M2
- 2023 Mac14,12 - A2816 - EMC8180 - M2 Pro
- PC Compatible: PC must have a compatible Thunderbolt port