OWC Thunderbay Flex 8 External HDD Overview
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1Description
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2USB 3.2 Gen 2
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38-Bay Design
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4Flex Your Way Through Every Workflow
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5NVMe and PCIe Support
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6Muscle-Flexing Data Performance
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7OWC Dock Ejector App
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8Docking Flexibility
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9Flexible for Unique Needs
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10SoftRaid Drive Management
Introducing the OWC ThunderBay Flex 8
Bring flexible storage to your setup with with the ThunderBay Flex 8 32TB 8-Bay Thunderbolt 3 RAID Array from OWC. Designed to streamline production workflows, this RAID array features eight 2.5/3.5" drive bays, each preinstalled with a 4TB HDD. Preconfigured in RAID 5, the ThunderBay Flex 8 also supports RAID 0, 1, 0+1, 4, and JBOD modes, allowing you to choose between speed or data redundancy. Thunderbolt 3 and SATA III interfaces, as well as 7200 rpm HDD speeds ensure fast data access to make short work of video editing, VFX, digital imaging, and more. The 120mm cooling fan prevents overheating, and a lockable bay door and Kensington Lock slot ensure security.
Use the CFexpress and SD card reader slots to import 4K or 8K video or hi-res photos with ease. A USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, two Type-A, and two Thunderbolt 3 ports accommodate a range of accessories and a host connection. These ports also deliver up to 85W of power. Connect a display with a resolution up to 8K using the DisplayPort 1.4 output. When you're ready to expand, a PCIe x16 slot can be used to host a hardware raid controller or other adapter card. The ThunderBay Flex 8 32TB 8-Bay Thunderbolt 3 RAID Array is compatible with macOS 10.15 and later.
USB 3.2 Gen 2
Doubling the speed of its predecessor, USB 3.2 Gen 2 features a maximum throughput of 10 Gb/s when used with compatible devices and is synonymous with USB 3.1 Gen 2.
8-Bay Design
Ideal for taming the voracious drive space appetite of RAW, 4K, large format, and VR workflows, this array arrives pre-configured in RAID 5 for speed and protection. Plus, enjoy docking convenience and expand your capabilities by selecting a recommended PCIe card or add your own.
Flex Your Way Through Every Workflow
The ThunderBay Flex 8 is optimized for digital imaging, VFX, video production, and video editing. The 8-bay design can accommodate a mix of SATA, SAS, U.2 and M.2 drives, while Thunderbolt 3 and USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A and C ports allow you to connect various accessories for docking and charging. See your work in greater detail by adding a display with resolutions up to 8K supported via a built-in DisplayPort 1.4 connection. Ingest hi-res images and video via SD and CFexpress card readers. And when you want to expand your desktop capabilities, there's a PCIe slot waiting for your specific project needs.
NVMe and PCIe Support
At the heart of the ThunderBay Flex 8 capabilities are two cutting-edge technology standards: NVMe and PCIe. Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) optimizes the performance of modern flash technology over the Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) standard. It enables significantly faster SSD performance with a more direct and optimized path to a computer's processor.
Muscle-Flexing Data Performance
Right out of the box, all eight bays are populated and ready to handle 4K, 8K, and even Phantom high-speed files.
OWC Dock Ejector App
Eject the ThunderBay Flex 8 drives and any external drives in a single click with the free OWC Dock Ejector app. It ensures all data has been written before any drive is unmounted to protect against data loss. It will even warn you from accidentally ejecting an in-use drive.
Docking Flexibility
Power your notebook with up to 85W of power delivery while capturing multi-stream hi-res footage at full frame rates. Connect audio and video mixers, digital camera, keyboards, and other peripherals and charge mobile devices via one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C and two USB Type-A ports. Work with 4K or 8K RAW video and RAW photo files immediately at speeds up to 985MB/s with frontside SD and CFexpress card readers. Add more viewing space with a monitor up to 8K via the DisplayPort 1.4 interface. And if that's not enough to satisfy your project needs, daisy-chain up to five additional Thunderbolt 3 devices.
Flexible for Unique Needs
By removing the enclosure's side panel, you can expand your capabilities by installing a half-length, full-height, single-width expansion card in the PCIe x16 (x4) slot. Add a 4K video capture card for direct input of multi-stream high-res footage. Record high-quality tracks with an audio card and then edit and archive tracks. Or, create a powerful file server with a high-speed networking card. By replacing the built-in SATA drive controller with a SATA or SAS RAID card, you can turn the ThunderBay Flex 8 into a hardware RAID storage solution while keeping a PCIe slot open for other cards.
SoftRaid Drive Management
Quickly access and robustly protect your data with SoftRAID for Mac. SoftRAID makes it a breeze to create RAID volumes by helping you through the entire process. With multiple RAID options, you decide what you're using your RAID volume for and how much space to allocate to it. It's that simple to create your preference of speed or redundancy for your data volume.
UPC: 810586035637
In the Box
- OWC ThunderBay Flex 8 32TB 8-Bay Thunderbolt 3 RAID Array (8 x 4TB HDDs)
- Thunderbolt 3 Cable (2.3')
- Limited 5-Year Warranty
Table of Contents
- Description
- USB 3.2 Gen 2
- 8-Bay Design
- Flex Your Way Through Every Workflow
- NVMe and PCIe Support
- Muscle-Flexing Data Performance
- OWC Dock Ejector App
- Docking Flexibility
- Flexible for Unique Needs
- SoftRaid Drive Management
OWC Thunderbay Flex 8 External HDD Specs
Drives
Storage Capacity |
32 TB |
Included Drives |
8 x 4 TB 3.5" HDD |
Initial RAID Configuration |
RAID 5 |
Interface |
SATA III |
Rotational Speed |
7200 rpm |
General
Number of Bays |
8 x 2.5"/3.5" |
Pre-Format |
None |
I/O |
2 x USB Type-C (Thunderbolt 3 (40 Gb/s)) 1 x USB Type-C (USB 3.1 / USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gb/s)) 2 x USB Type-A (USB 3.1 / USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gb/s)) 1 x DisplayPort (Video) |
Compatible Drive Interface |
SATA III |
Media Card Slots |
SD CFexpress |
Form Factor |
Desktop |
RAID Modes |
RAID 0, 0+1, 4, 5, JBOD |
Bridge Chipset |
ASMedia ASM-2824 Intel JHL7440 |
Hot-Swap Support |
Yes |
Software
OS Compatibility |
macOS 10.15 or Later |
Security
Security Features |
Kensington Security Slot, Lockable Bay Door |
Electrical
AC Input Power |
100 to 240 VAC, 50 / 60 Hz at 8 to 4 A |
DC Input Power |
12 VDC at 42 A |
Power Source |
AC Adapter, Internal Power Supply |
PSU Wattage |
1 x 504 W |
Environmental
Operating Temperature |
50 to 95°F / 10 to 35°C |
Operating Humidity |
8 to 90% |
Storage Temperature |
-40 to 149°F / -40 to 65°C |
Storage Humidity |
5 to 95% |
Certifications |
BSMI, CE, FCC, RCM, VCCI, as per Manufacturer |
Physical
Status Monitoring |
LED Indicator |
Cooling |
1 x 1600 rpm 120 mm Fan |
Cable Length |
2.3' / 0.7 m |
Material of Construction |
Aluminum |
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 |
40.18 lb |
Box Dimensions (LxWxH) |
23.5 x 21.2 x 12.6" |
OWC Thunderbay Flex 8 External HDD Reviews
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