160.0TB OWC ThunderBay 8
Eight-Drive Thunderbolt (40Gb/s) External Storage Solution with Enterprise Drives and SoftRAID
Mfr P/N: TB38SRE160 OWC SKU: OWCTB38SRE160
$8.99 off - Thunderbolt 2 Compatibility Bundle - Add an Apple Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter (APLMMEL2AMA) and save! (Limit 3)
Must purchase with: Apple Genuine Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter
The Storage Array Built for Creative Pros
- Work faster: up to 2419MB/s real-world speed for up to 8K multi-stream video editing and AR/VR workflows
- Work bigger: access, backup, and archive irreplaceable footage, images, and files
- Built for RAID: bundled with OWC SoftRAID; the fastest and most flexible RAID 0/1/4/5/1+0 (10) tool. Also supports Apple RAID and Microsoft Disk Manager.
- Expansive: daisy-chain up to five additional ThunderBay 8 or other Thunderbolt storage devices via the second Thunderbolt port
- Flexible: mix and match 3.5-inch or 2.5-inch HDDs and SSDs
- 5 Year OWC Limited Warranty
Overview
“Manages large libraries of video and audio production files… outstandingly well after months of constant use.”
macrumors.com“More than enough for editing RAW photos in Lightroom, and… I was really happy to see… it was fast enough to be directly editing 4K video projects directly off the ThunderBay”
Todd Dominey (watch the entire YouTube review)Pro Storage Built by Creators for Creators
We understand your needs as a creative professional, and we understand that every project is unique. We designed ThunderBay 8 with the speed, capacity, and flexibility to adapt to your evolving needs. Whether you’re changing cameras from a Sony FX9 to a Canon C300 or RED KOMODO, ThunderBay 8 has you covered.
How Much Video Footage You Can Store
RAID 0 |
RAID 5 |
|
---|---|---|
XAVC Intra 4K Class 300 |
up to |
up to |
ProRes 422 HQ 4K |
up to |
up to |
REDCODEC RAW 8K |
up to |
up to |
The Storage Epicenter to Build Your Creative Career
Work Faster
Up to 2586MB/s1 real-world speed for up to 8K multi-stream video editing and AR/VR workflows.
Work Bigger
Access, backup, and archive up to 160TB of irreplaceable footage, images, and files on either HDD or SSD storage.
Built for RAID
Bundled with OWC SoftRAID; the fastest and most flexible RAID 0/1/4/5/1+0 (10) tool. Also supports Apple RAID and Microsoft Disk Manager.
Expansive
Daisy-chain up to five additional ThunderBay 8 or other Thunderbolt storage devices via the second Thunderbolt port.
The Pro Storage Choice
Video Editors, Colorists, VFX Compositors, DITs, Music Artists, and more...
Mac-Ready Across the Board
ThunderBay 8 checks all the functional boxes to make you a more efficient content creator: lightning-fast data access, massive capacity, centralized file location and it works with Macs ( Intel-based as well as the latest Apple Silicon M1/M2/M3 machines) and Windows PCs. What makes ThunderBay 8 the best 8 bay storage solution available is its ability to give you peace of mind your data is safely protected today and tomorrow. Gone is the fear of a costly slow down – or gulp – losing irreplaceable data because you didn’t select the right RAID solution.
The Most Powerful RAID Tool on the Planet.
SoftRAID is the world’s fastest and most flexible application to configure, maintain, and protect your RAID volumes on Mac and PC. OWC enclosures include 3 Years of SoftRAID Premium.
- High-Performance RAID 0/1/4/5/1+0 (10) volumes
- Predictive Health Monitoring proactively notifies of Volume and Disk issues well before failure — provided on your computer and remotely
- Seamless Cross-Platform Sharing with support for Apple-formatted APFS and HFS+ SoftRAID volumes between Mac and Windows at no additional cost
- 35+ Years of Experience of Pro Support to provide peace-of-mind with setup help, ongoing questions, or urgent disk issues
- And many more unique features.
- Learn more about SoftRAID
M1 Macs require macOS 11.3 or later. SoftRAID is licensed per computer.
Daisy-Chain Possibilities
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-C device at the end of a daisy chain. With an extra Thunderbolt port, you have the flexibility to add to your daisy-chain and master any task at hand.
A Data Safe-House
With a locking front panel and backside security slot, the ThunderBay 8 is like a safe house for precious data. Additionally, implementing a redundant RAID setup, such as RAID 5 on SoftRAID, will protect against data loss from disk failure.
Professional Grade = Ready to Work
We understand having confidence in gear reliability is paramount to creative professionals. That’s why every ThunderBay 8 undergoes OWC's multi-hour "burn-in" performance certification prior to shipping. This ensures your ThunderBay 8 arrives operating properly and immediately ready for demanding use.
OWC Thunderbolt Cable Included
OWC Thunderbolt Pro Dock comes with a certified 0.7M OWC Thunderbolt Cable. But if your workflow demands a different length to make the connection, OWC Thunderbolt (USB-C) Cables are the perfect choice.
Stabilize Thunderbolt and USB-C Cables
Active workspaces expose gear to bumps, shoves, or even the random tail wag from a pet. OWC ClingOn custom cable stabilizers (sold separately) screw into the OWC Dock or OWC Drive housing to reduce – if not completely eliminate – cable strain on Thunderbolt and USB-C connections so you can work with confidence even in the highest traffic environments.
- 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).
Includes
Back to top- (1) OWC ThunderBay 8 External Storage Solution
- (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
Specs
Back to topDrive Bays
- 8 bays
Total Capacity
- 160.0TB
Total Solution Cache Size
- 4096 MB
Drive Mechanism
- (8) 20.0TB Toshiba MG10 Series 7,200RPM Enterprise Capacity Hard Disk Drive with 512 MB cache
- *OWC reserves the right to replace or upgrade to equivalent or better components.
Plug and Play
- Yes
Hot Swap Support
- Yes
Boot Support
- Mac only. Boot Camp is not supported.
Rotational Speed
- 7,200RPM
Storage Interface
- SATA 6.0 Gb/s
RAID Capable
- Yes
Default RAID Level
- RAID 5
RAID Levels Supported
- RAID 0
- RAID 1
- RAID 0+1
- RAID 4
- RAID 5
- JBOD
RAID Features
- Software RAID
Device Ports
- (1) Host Port - Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) up to 40Gb/s (5000MB/s)
- (1) Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) Port
- Either Thunderbolt (USB-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.1
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 40Gb/s (or 5000MB/s)
Benchmark Speed, Read (Max)
- Up to 2419 MB/s
Benchmark Speed, Write (Max)
- Up to 2412 MB/s
Chipset / Controller
- Thunderbolt: (1) Titan Ridge (JHL7440)
- SATA Controller: (2) JMicron (JMS-585B)
Contact Start Stops
- 600,000
Host Interface Requirements
- Thunderbolt (USB-C) port (backward compatible with Thunderbolt 2/Thunderbolt1)
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
- SoftRAID Only
Other Requirements
- SoftRAID works with macOS 10.14 or later and Windows 10 or later. SoftRAID is licensed per computer. The SoftRAID serial number will work with both Mac and Windows but can only be active on one computer at a time. Additional seats can be purchased. RAID 4/1+0 (10) are currently Mac only at this time.
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
- 13.1 kg (28.84 lbs)
Certifications
- CE, FCC, VCCI, RCM, BSMI
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
Benchmarks
Back to topTruth in Numbers: Another OWC Difference
There are many attributes that define “The OWC Difference.” By listing real-world performance tests of OWC solutions, we’re confident you’ll be completely satisfied with your technology investment.
macOS RAID 0 Test Results
Blackmagic Disk Speed Test - Intel
Thunderbolt 3
Blackmagic Disk Speed Test - Apple silicon
Thunderbolt 3
AJA System Test - 8K - Intel
Thunderbolt 3
AJA System Test - 8K - Apple silicon
Thunderbolt 3
AJA System Test - 4K - Intel
Thunderbolt 3
AJA System Test - 4K - Apple silicon
Thunderbolt 3
macOS RAID 5 Test Results
Blackmagic Disk Speed Test - Intel
Thunderbolt 3
Blackmagic Disk Speed Test - Apple silicon
Thunderbolt 3
AJA System Test - 8K - Intel
Thunderbolt 3
AJA System Test - 8K - Apple silicon
Thunderbolt 3
AJA System Test - 4K - Intel
Thunderbolt 3
AJA System Test - 4K - Apple silicon
Thunderbolt 3
Windows RAID 0 Test Results
CrystalDiskMark
Thunderbolt 3
AJA System Test - 8K
Thunderbolt 3
AJA System Test - 4K
Thunderbolt 3
Compatibility & Installation Videos
Back to topMacBook Pro
Requires Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 (mDP) Adapter and Thunderbolt 2 cable.
Requires Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 (mDP) Adapter and Thunderbolt 2 cable.
Requires Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 (mDP) Adapter and Thunderbolt 2 cable.
Requires Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 (mDP) Adapter and Thunderbolt 2 cable.
Requires Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 (mDP) Adapter and Thunderbolt 2 cable.
Requires Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 (mDP) Adapter and Thunderbolt 2 cable.
MacBook Air
Requires Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 (mDP) Adapter and Thunderbolt 2 cable.
Requires Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 (mDP) Adapter and Thunderbolt 2 cable.
Requires Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 (mDP) Adapter and Thunderbolt 2 cable.
Requires Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 (mDP) Adapter and Thunderbolt 2 cable.
Requires Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 (mDP) Adapter and Thunderbolt 2 cable.
Requires Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 (mDP) Adapter and Thunderbolt 2 cable.
Requires Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 (mDP) Adapter and Thunderbolt 2 cable.
Requires Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 (mDP) Adapter and Thunderbolt 2 cable.
Requires Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 (mDP) Adapter and Thunderbolt 2 cable.
Mac Pro
Requires Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 (mDP) Adapter and Thunderbolt 2 cable.
Mac Studio
Mac mini
Requires Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 (mDP) Adapter and Thunderbolt 2 cable.
PC Compatible
PC must have a compatible Thunderbolt port
Products
Customer Reviews
Back to topSo far so good. The OWC ThunderBay 8 has been rock solid and fast.
I would recommend this product to a friend!
- Reviewer:macnikkorguy
Thank you for sharing your experience with the OWC ThunderBay 8! We're thrilled to hear that it's meeting your expectations and providing you with solid performance. It's always exciting to see our products making a positive impact! If you have any questions or need assistance in the future, we're here to help! Please feel free to contact us if you have any further questions, comments, or concerns. https://eshop.macsales.com/Service/
Already had a Thunderbay 8. Needed more space for large number of Astrophotography work files. Bought the second unit, plugged it in, created new volumes. Could not be easier or more dependable. It also gives me a backup enclosure in case I have a hardware issue with the other enclusure.
I would recommend this product to a friend!
- Reviewer:ImportantPartridge-5674
Thank you so much for your amazing review! We're thrilled to hear that your ThunderBay 8 has been such a reliable addition to your astrophotography workflow. It's fantastic that you found it so easy to set up and create new volumes. Having that extra backup is such a smart move for your important files! We appreciate your support and are excited to keep helping you with all your storage needs. Keep capturing those incredible images! Please feel free to contact us if you have any further questions, comments, or concerns. https://eshop.macsales.com/Service/
Wanted a simple disc storage system just like my 2012 Mac Pro tower had, only with a new Mac Studio M series. Didn’t want a RAID setup and OWC offers a version for the ThunderBay 8. Popped in the SATA’s and the SSD’s and all drives appeared on the desktop. No issues!! OWC also has PCIe express card boxes to make this transition super easy when migrating from a Mac Tower. Their products integrate seamlessly with Macs. Color me happy!
I would recommend this product to a friend!
- Reviewer:Reviewer2373993736Bill
Wow, thank you so much for your fantastic review! We're thrilled to hear that you found the ThunderBay 8 easy to set up and that it fit your needs perfectly as you transitioned from your 2012 Mac Pro tower to the new Mac Studio with M series! It's great to know that our products are making your migration smooth and hassle-free. We truly appreciate your feedback and are so glad to have you as part of the OWC family. Color us happy right back! Keep enjoying your setup! Please feel free to contact us if you have any further questions, comments, or concerns. https://eshop.macsales.com/Service/