Streamline your professional workflow with the versatile OWC ThunderBay Flex 8 8-Bay Thunderbolt 3 RAID 5 Enclosure, which includes two 40 Gb/s Thunderbolt 3 ports to connect to your computer and daisy chain compatible devices such as additional storage drives and displays. This powerful enclosure supports up to eight 3.5" and 2.5" SATA drives, or a combination with up to four U.2 NVMe solid-state drives for exceptionally fast performance. Installed drives can be put into RAID 0, 1, 0+1, 4, 5, or JBOD configuration using the software-based controller, with transfer speeds reaching up to 2750 MB/s. A SATA drive controller is pre-installed in the PCIe 3.0 x16 slot, and you may swap it out for expansions such as network adapters, capture cards, M.2 SSD storage adapters, SAS drive controllers, and hardware RAID controllers. Please note that the ThunderBay Flex 8 does not support dedicated GPUs.
Other features include a USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port and two USB-A ports, which can transfer up to 10 Gb/s with compatible devices. The front panel has integrated SD and CFexpress card readers that allow you to quickly transfer video footage, photos, and other files to the installed drives. For added convenience, there is also a DisplayPort 1.4 output that supports 8K displays, so you can quickly view your work in high detail. The ThunderBay Flex 8 works with macOS 10.15 or later systems and limited support for Windows computers.
Flexible Storage
Up to eight 3.5/2.5" SATA storage drives can be put into RAID 0, 1, 0+1, 4, 5, or JBOD configuration with transfer speeds reaching up to 2750 MB/s. You can install SAS drives by swapping out the pre-installed controller card with a separately purchased SAS controller.
Ultrafast SSD Support
The ThunderBay Flex 8 supports up to four U.2 NVMe solid-state drives, which can deliver exceptionally fast performance that can take fuller advantage of the 40 Gb/s Thunderbolt 3 bandwidth for ProRes footage and other extremely large files. Alternatively, you can install M.2 SSDs into the enclosure by using separately purchased U.2 adapters.
Thunderbolt 3
Thunderbolt 3 is a hardware interface that utilizes the reversible USB-C connector. Doubling the speed of its predecessor, Thunderbolt 3 features a maximum throughput of 40 Gb/s when used with compatible devices. The connector also transmits data via USB 3.1 at up to 10 Gb/s, and dual-bandwidth DisplayPort 1.2 allows you to connect up to two 4K displays simultaneously. Additionally, you can daisy chain up to six devices from a single Thunderbolt 3 port.
USB 3.2 Gen 2
The ThunderBay Flex 8 features USB-C and USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports. Doubling the speed of its predecessor, USB 3.2 Gen 2 features a maximum throughput of 10 Gb/s when used with compatible devices.
PCIe Expansion
This enclosure includes a PCIe 3.0 x16 x4 slot that allows you to install compatible expansions such as network adapters, capture cards, SSD storage devices, and more. Please note that the ThunderBay Flex 8 does not support GPUs.
Integrated Card Readers
The front panel includes SD and CFexpress card readers that allow you to quickly transfer video footage, photos, and other files.
Cooling
A 120mm fan helps to maintain optimal temperatures.
SoftRAID
With SoftRAID, you can quickly access and protect your data by quickly creating RAID volumes through a guided process. Multiple RAID options are available, letting you decide which configuration best suits your needs to balance between performance and data redundancy.
EAN: 810586035071
OWC ThunderBay Flex 8 Enclosure Specs
General
Number of Bays | 8 x 2.5"/3.5" |
Inputs/Outputs | 2 x USB-C Thunderbolt 3 (40 Gb/s) 1 x USB-C 3.1/3.2 Gen 2 2 x USB-A 3.1/3.2 Gen 2 1 x DisplayPort 1.4 |
Compatible Drive Interface | SAS (Unspecified Version), SATA (Unspecified Version), NVMe |
Media Card Slots | SD/SDHC/SDXC CFexpress |
Form Factor | Desktop |
RAID | RAID 0, 0+1, 1, 4, 5, JBOD |
Hot-Swap Support | Yes |
PCI Expansion | 1 x PCIe 3.0 x16 (Occupied) |
Supported PCIe Form Factor | Full-Height, Half-Length |
Transfer Rates | 2750 MB/s |
UASP Support | Yes |
Software
OS Compatibility | macOS 10.15 or Later *As of March, 2023: Check with manufacturer for the most up-to-date compatibility |
Security
Encryption | None |
Security Features | None |
Electrical
AC Input Power | 100 to 240 VAC, 50 / 60 Hz at 4 to 8 A |
DC Input Power | 12 VDC at 42 A |
Power Source | AC Adapter |
PSU Wattage | 1 x 504 W |
Environmental
Operating Temperature | 42 to 67°F / 10 to 35°C |
Operating Humidity | 8 to 90% |
Storage Temperature | -40 to 300°F / -40 to 149°C |
Storage Humidity | 5 to 95% |
Physical
Cooling | 1 x 120 mm Fan |
Dimensions | 15.4 x 13.7 x 5.9" / 39 x 34.9 x 14.9 cm |
Weight | 20.3 lb / 9.2 kg |
Packaging Info
Package Weight | 27.265 lb |
Box Dimensions (LxWxH) | 20.9 x 18.8 x 11.6" |
In the Box
- OWC ThunderBay Flex 8 8-Bay Thunderbolt 3 RAID 5 Enclosure (Software Controller)
- Power Cable
- Thunderbolt 3 Cable
- Keys for Front Panel Lock
- Hex Key
- SoftRAID Software Bundle
- 3-Year Manufacturer Warranty
Customer reviews
Recommendation for purchase