Owc Thunderbay 8 Thunderbolt External Storage Enclosure

The OWC ThunderBay 8 is the ultimate external storage solution for video editors, photographers, audio engineers, and digital content creators who demand reliability, speed, and capacity. With eight hot-swappable bays supporting both 2.5" and 3.5" HDDs or SSDs, it offers unmatched flexibility for building your ideal storage workflow. Capable of delivering up to 2586MB/s real-world transfer speeds, ThunderBay 8 easily handles 4K and 8K multi-stream editing, AR/VR workloads, and massive media libraries—directly from the enclosure. Whether you’re working with RAW photos in Lightroom or high-resolution video in Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve, this enclosure keeps up with your demands.

Designed with professionals in mind, the ThunderBay 8 works seamlessly with RAID management software, including OWC SoftRAID, Apple RAID, and Windows Disk Manager. Achieve data redundancy and speed through flexible RAID 0, 1, 4, 5, and 1+0 configurations, making it ideal for both speed-focused editing and mission-critical data protection. With dual Thunderbolt 3 (Type-C) ports, you can daisy-chain up to five additional ThunderBay 8 units or Thunderbolt devices, or even connect high-resolution 5K or dual 4K displays. It’s more than storage—it’s a central hub for your entire creative workstation.

The ThunderBay 8 is engineered for long-term durability and peace of mind. It includes a locking front panel and rear security slot, ensuring your data stays safe whether in the studio or on location. Internally, a 300W UL-listed power supply keeps your drives running smoothly, while the enclosure's precision-machined aluminum body helps dissipate heat. With dual smart temperature-controlled fans, your storage stays cool and quiet—even under prolonged workloads. Whether you're working on a feature film, a massive music archive, or multi-cam productions, ThunderBay 8 has the power and protection your data deserves.

From macOS Mojave to Sequoia and Windows 10 through Windows 11 and Server 2022, the OWC ThunderBay 8 is ready to integrate into nearly any workflow with no drivers required. It supports booting on Mac, backward compatibility with Thunderbolt 2, and UASP (USB Attached SCSI Protocol) for enhanced data transfer performance. Whether you’re a Mac power user or a Windows-based creative professional, ThunderBay 8 provides up to 160TB of customizable storage potential—all in a sleek, plug-and-play package that adapts to your growing needs.

FEATURES:

• Up to 2586MB/s transfer speeds


• Up to 8K multi-stream video editing and AR/VR workflows


• Access, backup, and archive irreplaceable footage, images, and files on either HDD or SSD storage


• Built for RAID management software, like OWC SoftRAID as well as support for Apple RAID and Windows Disk Manager.


• Daisy-chain up to five additional ThunderBay 8 or other Thunderbolt storage devices via the second Thunderbolt port


• Versatile design allows you to mix and match 3.5-inch or 2.5-inch HDDs and SSDs

SPECIFICATIONS:

• Drive Bays: 8 bays supporting: 2.5-inch SATA HDDs, 2.5-inch SATA SSDs, 3.5-inch SATA HDDs, 3.5-inch SATA SSDs


• 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


• Device Ports:
  
  
  
  • Host Port - Thunderbolt 3 (Type-C) up to 40Gb/s (5000MB/s) x1
  
  
  • Thunderbolt 3 (Type-C) Port x1
  
  
  • Either Thunderbolt (Type-C) port can be used as the host port
  
  
  
  


• Power Delivery: Thunderbolt 3 ports each provide up to 15W of power to the host computer or attached device.


• UASP Support: UASP (USB Attached SCSI Protocol) is supported


• 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 Type-C display adapter


• Data Transfer Rate (Maximum): Thunderbolt 3 : Up to 40Gb/s (or 5000MB/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 (Type-C) port (backward 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
  
  
  • macOS 15.x Sequoia
  
  
  
  


• PC OS Compatibility:
  
  
  
  • Windows 10 64-bit Edition
  
  
  • Windows Server 2022
  
  
  • Windows 11
  
  
  
  


• Driver Required: No


• Supports OWC ClingOn: Yes


• 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


• Security Slot: Yes


• Power Button: Yes


• Power/Activity LED: Yes


• Housing Colour: Black


• Housing Material: Aluminum


• Product Dimensions: 18 x 24 x 26 cm


• Product Weight: 7300g

WHAT'S IN THE BOX:

• OWC Thunderbay 8 Thunderbolt 2.5"/3.5" External Storage Enclosure - Black x1


• Thunderbolt Cable x1


• Power Cable x1


• Security Keys x2


• Getting Started Card x1


• User Manual x1