1-800-275-4576
OWC ThunderBay 4 mini
Four-Bay Thunderbolt 2 External Storage Enclosure for 2.5-inch SATA Drives
Mfr P/N: TB4MJB000 OWC SKU: OWCTB4MJB000
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The Perfect Combination of Speed, Size, and Convenience for Permanent Access to Your Data
- Fast: up to 750MB/s HDD peak performance and 1346MB/s SSD peak performance (RAID 0)
- Expandable: daisy-chain up to five additional Thunderbolt devices
- Built for RAID: just add your own RAID management software, like OWC SoftRAID; the fastest and most flexible RAID 0/1/4/5/1+0 (10) tool. Also supports Apple RAID and Windows Disk Manager.
- Four hot-swappable 2.5-inch drive bays: mix or match 2.5-inch HDDs and SSDs
- Certified: Thunderbolt certified for Mac and Windows
- 1 Year OWC Limited Warranty
In Stock: Ships Same Day!$229.00
Limited supply! Limit 4 per customer.
Big RAID System Performance in a Compact Design
The ThunderBay 4 mini is a compact data storage enclosure that you can populate with new or existing 2.5-inch HDDs or SSDs. It's big on performance and flexibility, yet ThunderBay 4 mini is about the length of a pencil and can weigh as little as 3.1 pounds with drives.
The rugged heat-dissipating aluminum enclosure features two Thunderbolt 2 (Thunderbolt 10Gb/s backward compatible1) ports for up to 1346MB/s speeds, so you have more than enough bandwidth to handle personal and business backups – all the way up to today's highest resolution audio, photo, and video formats. If you are seeking big RAID performance that's small enough to fit on a desk, in a rack, or on a DIT cart, your wish is now a reality.
Speed, size, and convenience — the OWC ThunderBay 4 mini provides everything a demanding workflow requires.
A New World of Drive Use Flexibility
With four drive bays, you can mix or match different brand and capacity 2.5-inch SSDs and HDDs. Use mixed drives independently or combine drives as a RAID (requires RAID setup and management software, such as OWC SoftRAID). Populate this empty enclosure with a combination of drives that achieves your desired balance of storage, performance, and data redundancy.
Expand production capabilities in industry-leading creative platforms like Final Cut X, Avid Pro Tools, Apple Pro Logic, and Adobe Lightroom, edit large images, manage massive photo and audio libraries, store drone videos, use it as a transport drive…whatever the day or project demands, the ThunderBay 4 mini is the perfect workflow solution.
Install or Swap in Minutes
Want to access a drive or expand your storage capacity? Simply open the front panel security lock to access the four individual bays. Drives mount to a tray that slides back in and automatically plugs into a drive connector so you can get back to work in minutes.
Store More, Go Faster
With the ability to daisy-chain you can add up to five additional ThunderBay 4 mini solutions to create massive storage capacities. Merge them with RAID management software for even more flexibility, capacity, and capability. Or if speed is what you're after, connect multiple ThunderBay 4 mini solutions to multiple Thunderbolt 2 ports on your Mac or PC to achieve exponential speed capabilities.
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.
Try SoftRAID COMPLETELY FREE for 14 Days
Start protecting yourself and your data today! Get all of SoftRAID's great disk checking and monitoring features, plus the fastest and most efficient software RAID there is.
Thunderbolt Made Easy
Have a newer Thunderbolt (USB-C) equipped Mac or iPad? Good news – the OWC ThunderBay 4 mini with Thunderbolt 2 is compatible with your device! You'll need a certified Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 (mDP) Adapter and a Thunderbolt 2 cable (not included).
A certified Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter is bi-directional – meaning it can connect a Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) device to a Thunderbolt 2 Mac and connect a Thunderbolt 2 device (like the OWC ThunderBay 4 mini) to a Thunderbolt (USB-C) Mac or iPad. This compatibility makes it easy to share a OWC ThunderBay 4 mini with both older Thunderbolt/Thunderbolt 2 (mDP) Mac models and the newest Thunderbolt (USB-C) computers and devices. That's Thunderbolt made easy!
Connect the adapter to one of the available Thunderbolt ports on your Thunderbolt (USB-C) Mac or iPad, then use the Thunderbolt 2 Cable between the adapter and the OWC ThunderBay 4 mini.
A certified Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 (mDP) Adapter can be used to connect a Thunderbolt/Thunderbolt 2 (mDP) device to a Thunderbolt 3/Thunderbolt 4/Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C) Mac or iPad. Thunderbolt 4/Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C) devices are not compatible with Thunderbolt/Thunderbolt 2 (mDP) Mac models.
Professional Grade = Ready to Work
We understand having confidence in gear reliability is paramount to creative professionals. That's why every ThunderBay 4 mini enclosure undergoes a multi-step performance certification prior to shipping. This ensures your ThunderBay 4 mini enclosure arrives ready for demanding use.
Support You Can Trust
Like all OWC products, ThunderBay 4 mini is fully backed by OWC's award-winning support team and OWC Limited Warranty.
- When connected to a Thunderbolt (10Gb/s) host, data transfer will be limited to 10Gb/s.
- Advanced RAID features require RAID management software (such as OWC SoftRAID, available separately).
Includes
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- (1) OWC ThunderBay 4 mini External Storage Enclosure
- (1) 1.0M (39") Thunderbolt 2 Cable
- (1) External Power Supply
- (1) US Power Cable
- (2) Security Keys for Front Panel Lock
- (1) Quick Start Guide for OWC ThunderBay 4 mini with Thunderbolt 2
- (1) Assembly Manual & User Guide for OWC ThunderBay 4 mini with Thunderbolt 2
- 1 Year OWC Limited Warranty
Specs
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Drive Bays
- 4 bays supporting: 2.5-inch SATA drives
Hot Swap Support
- Yes
Hot Plug Support
- Yes
Boot Support
- Independent volumes bootable in macOS. Boot Camp is not supported.
Storage Interface
- SATA
RAID Capable
- Yes
RAID Levels Supported
- JBOD
RAID Features
- Software RAID Capable
Device Ports
- (1) Host Port - Thunderbolt 2 up to 20Gb/s (2500MB/s) - Thunderbolt 1 backwards compatible
- (1) Thunderbolt 2 Port
Data Transfer Rate (Maximum)
- Thunderbolt 2 : Up to 20Gb/s (or 2500MB/s)
- Thunderbolt : Up to 10Gb/s (or (1250MB/s)
Chipset / Controller
- Thunderbolt 2: Intel JHL5520
- SATA Controller: ASMedia ASM-1062
Host Interface Requirements
- Thunderbolt 2 (mDP) port (backwards compatible with Thunderbolt1)
Mac OS Compatibility
- macOS 10.12 Sierra
- macOS 10.13 High Sierra
- 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 7 32-bit Edition
- Windows 7 64-bit Edition
- Windows 8 32-bit Edition
- Windows 8 64-bit Edition
- Windows 8.1 32-bit Edition
- Windows 8.1 64-bit Edition
- Windows 10 32-bit Edition
- Windows 10 64-bit Edition
- Windows Server 2019
- Windows Server 2022
- Windows 11
Driver Required
- SoftRAID Only
Other Requirements
- Requires macOS 10.12.6 or later.
- Will work with Thunderbolt (10Gb/s) Mac models, but data transfer will be limited to 10Gb/s.
External Power Adapter
- Yes
Power Supply
- External UL-listed universal auto-switching power supply
AC Input
- 100-240V, 50-60Hz, 2.0A
DC Output
- +12V, 6A
Wattage
- 72W
Cooling
- (1) 60mm cooling fan
Security Slot
- Yes
Power/Activity LED
- Yes
Housing Color
- Black
Housing Material
- Aluminum
Dimensions
- Height: 11.7 cm (4.6 in)
- Length: 19.1 cm (7.5 in)
- Width: 9.6 cm (3.8 in)
Weight
- 1.1 kg (2.51 lbs)
Certifications
- CE
- FCC
- VCCI
- RCM
- BSMI
Reach Certification
- 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
Shock
- Operating: Varies depending on drive mechanism installed
- Non-Operating: Varies depending on drive mechanism installed
Noise
- Varies depending on drive mechanism installed
- When connected to a Thunderbolt (10Gb/s) host, data transfer will be limited to 10Gb/s.
Compatibility & Installation Videos
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MacBook Pro
MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015)
Mid 2015
Model ID: MacBookPro11,5 & MacBookPro11,4
2.5GHz & 2.8GHz & 2.2GHz Core i7
MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Early 2015)
Early 2015
Model ID: MacBookPro12,1
2.7GHz & 2.9GHz Core i5 & 3.1GHz Core i7
MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2014)
Mid 2014
Model ID: MacBookPro11,3 & MacBookPro11,2
2.5GHz & 2.8GHz & 2.2GHz Core i7
MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Mid 2014)
Mid 2014
Model ID: MacBookPro11,1
2.6GHz & 2.8GHz Core i5 & 3.0GHz Core i7
MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Late 2013)
Late 2013
Model ID: MacBookPro11,3 & MacBookPro11,2
2.3GHz & 2.6GHz & 2.0GHz Core i7
MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Late 2013)
Late 2013
Model ID: MacBookPro11,1
2.4GHz & 2.6GHz Core i5 & 2.8GHz Core i7
MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Early 2013)
Early 2013
Model ID: MacBookPro10,2
2.6GHz Core i5 & 3.0GHz Core i7
MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Early 2013)
Early 2013
Model ID: MacBookPro10,1
2.4GHz & 2.7GHz & 2.8GHz Core i7
MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Late 2012)
Late 2012
Model ID: MacBookPro10,2
2.5GHz Core i5 & 2.9GHz Core i7
MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2012)
Mid 2012
Model ID: MacBookPro9,2
2.5GHz Core i5 & 2.9GHz Core i7
MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2012)
Mid 2012
Model ID: MacBookPro9,1
2.3GHz & 2.6GHz & 2.7GHz Core i7
MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2012)
Mid 2012
Model ID: MacBookPro10,1
2.3GHz & 2.6GHz & 2.7GHz Core i7
MacBook Pro (17-inch, Late 2011)
Late 2011
Model ID: MacBookPro8,3
2.4GHz & 2.5GHz Core i7
MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2011)
Late 2011
Model ID: MacBookPro8,2
2.2GHz & 2.4GHz & 2.5GHz Core i7
MacBook Pro (13-inch, Late 2011)
Late 2011
Model ID: MacBookPro8,1
2.4GHz Core i5 & 2.8GHz Core i7
MacBook Pro (17-inch, Early 2011)
Early 2011
Model ID: MacBookPro8,3
2.2GHz & 2.3GHz Core i7
MacBook Pro (15-inch, Early 2011)
Early 2011
Model ID: MacBookPro8,2
2.0GHz & 2.2GHz & 2.3GHz Core i7
MacBook Pro (13-inch, Early 2011)
Early 2011
Model ID: MacBookPro8,1
2.3GHz Core i5 & 2.7GHz Core i7
MacBook Air
MacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2017)
Mid 2017
Model ID: MacBookAir7,2
1.8GHz Core i5 & 2.2GHz Core i7
MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2015)
Early 2015
Model ID: MacBookAir7,2
1.6GHz Core i5 & 2.2GHz Core i7
MacBook Air (11-inch, Early 2015)
Early 2015
Model ID: MacBookAir7,1
1.6GHz Core i5 & 2.2GHz Core i7
MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2014)
Early 2014
Model ID: MacBookAir6,2
1.4GHz Core i5 & 1.7GHz Core i7
MacBook Air (11-inch, Early 2014)
Early 2014
Model ID: MacBookAir6,1
1.4GHz Core i5 & 1.7GHz Core i7
MacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2013)
Mid 2013
Model ID: MacBookAir6,2
1.3GHz Core i5 & 1.7GHz Core i7
MacBook Air (11-inch, Mid 2013)
Mid 2013
Model ID: MacBookAir6,1
1.3GHz Core i5 & 1.7GHz Core i7
MacBook Air (11-inch, Mid 2012)
Mid 2012
Model ID: MacBookAir5,2
1.7GHz Core i5
MacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2012)
Mid 2012
Model ID: MacBookAir5,2
1.8GHz Core i5 & 2.0GHz Core i7
MacBook Air (11-inch, Mid 2012)
Mid 2012
Model ID: MacBookAir5,1
1.7GHz Core i5 & 2.0GHz Core i7
MacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2011)
Mid 2011
Model ID: MacBookAir4,2
1.6GHz & 1.7GHz Core i5 & 1.8GHz Core i7
MacBook Air (11-inch, Mid 2011)
Mid 2011
Model ID: MacBookAir4,1
1.6GHz Core i5 & 1.8GHz Core i7
iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2015)
Late 2015
Model ID: iMac17,1
3.2GHz & 3.3GHz Core i5 & 4.0GHz Core i7
iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2015)
Late 2015
Model ID: iMac16,2
2.8GHz Core i5
iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, Late 2015)
Late 2015
Model ID: iMac16,2
3.1GHz Core i5 & 3.3GHz Core i7
iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2015)
Late 2015
Model ID: iMac16,1
1.6GHz Core i5
iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Mid 2015)
Mid 2015
Model ID: iMac15,1
3.3GHz Core i5
iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2014)
Late 2014
Model ID: iMac15,1
3.5GHz Core i5 & 4.0GHz Core i7
iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2013)
Late 2013
Model ID: iMac14,3
2.9GHz Core i5 & 3.1GHz Core i7
iMac (27-inch, Late 2013)
Late 2013
Model ID: iMac14,2
3.4GHz & 3.2GHz Core i5 & 3.5GHz Core i7
iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2013)
Late 2013
Model ID: iMac14,1
2.7GHz Core i5
iMac (27-inch, Late 2012)
Late 2012
Model ID: iMac13,2
2.9GHz & 3.2GHz Core i5 & 3.4GHz Core i7
iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2012)
Late 2012
Model ID: iMac13,1
2.7GHz & 2.9GHz Core i5 & 3.1GHz Core i7
iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2011)
Late 2011
Model ID: iMac12,1
3.1GHz Core i3
iMac (27-inch, Mid 2011)
Mid 2011
Model ID: iMac12,2
2.7GHz & 3.1GHz Core i5 & 3.4GHz Core i7
iMac (21.5-inch, Mid 2011)
Mid 2011
Model ID: iMac12,1
2.7GHz & 2.5GHz Core i5 & 2.8GHz Core i7
Mac Pro
Mac Pro (Late 2013)
Late 2013
Model ID: MacPro6,1
3.7GHz 4-Core Xeon & 3.5GHz & 3.7GHz 6-Core Xeon & 3.0GHz 8-Core Xeon & 3.0GHz 10-Core Xeon & 2.7GHz 12-Core Xeon
Mac mini
Mac mini (Late 2014)
Late 2014
Model ID: Macmini7,1
1.4GHz & 2.6GHz & 2.8GHz Core i5 & 3.0GHz Core i7
Mac mini (Late 2012)
Late 2012
Model ID: Macmini6,2
2.3GHz & 2.6GHz Core i7
Mac mini Server (Late 2012)
Late 2012
Model ID: Macmini6,2
2.3GHz & 2.6GHz Core i7
Mac mini Server (Mid 2011)
Mid 2011
Model ID: Macmini5,3
2.0GHz Core i7
Mac mini (Mid 2011)
Mid 2011
Model ID: Macmini5,2 & Macmini5,1
2.5GHz & 2.7GHz Core i7 & 2.3GHz Core i5
Videos
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Hard Drive / SSD Install Video
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Customer Reviews
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This product has the old apple display type Thunderbolt ports....adapter cables should be provided.
During September purchase of an OWC 14-Port Thunderbolt Dock, OWCTB3DK14PSG, to use with my MacBook M3 and a ThunderBay 4 Mini, OWCTB4MJB000, for long-term and safe storage my 300+ ripped DVD movie collection (among other things, backups etc…) My knowledge of Thunderbolt connectors and drive enclosures was very limited. So a considerable amount of time was spent on the OWC website researching both. What I did grasp, along with my budget and storage needs, led me to the ThunderBay 4 Mini. After looking at the photos and watching the video on its product page, I decided to purchase it. I’ve just recently procured the SATA SSD drives for the enclosure, installed them to begin transferring my DVD collection only to find that the Thunderbolt connectors and cable that came with my ThunderBay 4 Mini are not compatible with my new Thunderbolt 14 Dock or MacBook Pro. They certainly weren’t the connectors in the ThunderBay 4 Mini video I watched on its product page. I’m disappointed to learn the ports on my new ThunderBay 4 Mini are not the Thunderbolt C ports shown in the video but older technology Thunderbolt ports, known to me as Apple display ports. To use my new ThunderBay I’ll need to purchase two adapters, although the website is unclear so I’m not sure if I need the ones that are $47.88 each or $64.99 each. I purchased a new drive bay with old technology and now have to spend an additional $100 to $150 for adapters because the information on the OWC website is unclear. This was a bad purchase so I’m forced to look for a different enclosure and take the loss. I was accustomed to better from OWC.
Verified Purchase.JerryGia,
Mar, 23 2025
- Reviewer:JerryGia
Beware Thunderbolt 2
This unit works fine, but beware connectivity hassles. Unless you're quite familiar with Thunderbolt form factors, you may not realize that Thunderbolt 2 cables are physically incompatible with later versions of Thunderbolt. You will almost certainly need a Thunderbolt 2 -> 3 (USB-C) adapter, which will cost you about $50 from Apple. It's not clear to me why OWC is selling units with this connection type, as Thunderbolt 3 came out in 2016, but here we are.
I would recommend this product to a friend!
Verified Purchase.info-99525,
Feb, 17 2025
- Reviewer:info-99525
Response from OWC, Support
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts! We're thrilled to hear that the unit is working well for you. We completely understand the confusion around Thunderbolt cables, and we appreciate you bringing that to everyone's attention. It's true that Thunderbolt 2 and Thunderbolt 3 have different connections, and we always recommend checking compatibility before purchasing. Your feedback is invaluable, and it helps us improve the experience for all our customers! Happy computing!
impossible to connect
horrible. I can't connect it to your dock. I have ordered adapters and cables, but nothing connects. I can't connect to your my new Mac mini. It was a waste of money.
Verified Purchase.Reviewer3299512718,
Jan, 26 2025
- Reviewer:Reviewer3299512718
Response from OWC, Support
Thanks for sharing your candid feedback with us. We're sorry about the issues you're having with the ThunderBay We will have someone reach out to to look into this further with you.
View More Reviews
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