12.0TB OWC Gemini
Thunderbolt Dock and Dual-Drive RAID External Storage Solution
Mfr P/N: TB3RSDK12T OWC SKU: OWCTB3RSDK12T
$90.99 off - *NOW* Get Parallels Desktop Pro Edition - Windows/Multi OS Compatibility software for Mac - Only $29.00 with select OWC SSDs, HDDs, Memory, External Storage, and Optical Drives! (Limit 3 rebates, 1 rebate per qualifying item)
Must purchase with: Parallels Desktop Pro Edition for Mac - 1 Year License. SPECIAL PURCHASE
$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
Highlights
- Performance storage: up to 498MB/s
- Fast connectivity: (2) Thunderbolt 3 ports (Thunderbolt 2/Thunderbolt backward compatible)
- Speed and storage: hardware RAID controller (RAID 0,1, Span or JBOD/Independent)
- Easy camera uploads: frontside SD 4.0 (UHS-II) card reader
- A hub of options: (2) USB 3.2 (5Gb/s/s) Type-A ports
- Full steam ahead: 1Gb/s Ethernet port
- See work in progress: DisplayPort 1.2 for adding up to a 4K monitor
- Custom configurations: (2) bays for 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch SATA drives
- Dante compatible: easy Plug and Play - no software needed - into networks designed for bit perfect audio with super low latency and sample accurate synchronization
- 2 Year OWC Limited Warranty
Overview
The Do-It-All Tool for Digital Workflows
With dual drive bays and seven connectivity ports including an SD 4.0 card reader, the OWC Gemini is the do-it-all tool that will organize your digital life. You’ll have plenty of room to duplicate footage, create and manage archives, or render and process effects. Connect your favorite peripherals via USB ports. Ingest the day’s shoot or drone footage with the frontside reader.
Hardware RAID: Speed, Reliability, Flexibility
The OWC Gemini utilizes hardware RAID to unleash the full potential of two 3.5" 7200RPM hard drives. Preconfigured in high-speed RAID 0 mode to deliver maximum throughput from its drives, the Mercury Gemini offers real-world speeds up to 773MB/s to handle HD video workflows. If you desire the extra security of mirrored data, you can configure the Mercury Gemini in RAID 1 mode. Need more drive flexibility? Set up a span to combine the capacity of the two drives into one huge volume or use the drives as independent volumes.
Stay Connected to Your Team and Media
The OWC Gemini features a powerful Gigabit Ethernet port that keeps you connected at top speeds. Great for shared workspaces and workflows, file transfers breeze by quickly so you spend less time setting up and more time getting to work. When it’s time to share your progress, you can use your RAID options to render out working files and a fast connection to post for team and client reviews.
Gain a 4K Perspective
With a dedicated DisplayPort 1.2, OWC Gemini empowers you to add the fresh, crisp perspective of a 4K display to your workflow. Whether in your home office or on a mobile studio job, seeing your work in full detail is just one connection away. Use it to free up your laptop port, so you can dock in and out quickly and stay mobile.
Reclaim Your Desktop
With multi-drive media dumps, controllers, A/V outputs, and a mess of device cables, it can be hard enough to find space for your notebook let alone room to work. OWC Gemini fights the clutter with a single-cable connection that delivers storage, ethernet sharing, charging power, and 4K monitor support while neatly consolidating all your peripheral device cables. Reclaim your workspace and reduce your stress.
Finally, a RAID as Mobile as Your Life
With the built-in hardware-based RAID controller, you get speed and security without being dependent on what operating system you are running. If you work in a cross-platform world, you can easily connect OWC Gemini to Mac and PC using OWC's MacDrive software (sold separately).
Disconnect in One Click
Safely disconnect multiple drives in a single click. OWC Dock Ejector was designed by OWC hardware and software engineers to ensure all data is written before disconnection, saving time and protecting against data loss. It makes losing your hard-earned work a thing of the past.
OWC Thunderbolt Cable Included
OWC Gemini 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.
Innergize Your Workflow with Highest Performance and Reliability
OWC Innergize™ is the first stage of the Capture to Completion™ ecosystem of OWC products designed to seamlessly propel professional photographers, videographers, and content creators to the highest level of workflow performance and reliability. This OWC custom-designed app is a complete health, performance, and field upgrade management tool when using OWC Atlas memory cards with OWC Atlas readers and reader equipped products.
Work with Maximum Confidence and Reliability
Health
Over time and use cycles, flash memory does wear out. Innergize verifies and reports the percentage of use life remaining. Now you can work with full confidence your OWC flash memory product will deliver the reliability you can trust.
Sanitize
Writes, deletes, and formatting all take their toll on memory cards. Innergize cleans and restores the flash memory performance of OWC memory cards so you can get the best results on every use.
Field Upgrade
When new cameras or firmware updates to existing cameras are introduced, they may not work properly with flash memory cards and drives. Innergize gives OWC memory card users the ability to quickly upgrade their firmware in the field for full compatibility, additional performance enhancements, and bug fixes for optimal reliability.
- Thunderbolt 2/Thunderbolt compatibility requires a certified Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 (mDP) adapter and a Thunderbolt 2 cable. This configuration provides data transfer at Thunderbolt 2 speeds (up to 20Gb/s) but does not support notebook charging.
Includes
Back to top- (1) OWC Gemini Thunderbolt Dock and External Storage Solution
- (1) 0.7M (28") Thunderbolt (USB-C) Cable
- (1) External Power Supply and Power Cable
- (1) Quick Start Guide for OWC Gemini
- (1) User Guide for OWC Gemini
- (1) OWC Dock Ejector for Mac and Windows (software download)
- (1) User Guide for OWC Dock Ejector
- 2 Year OWC Limited Warranty
Specs
Back to topDrive Bays
- 2 bays supporting: 2.5-inch SATA drives, 3.5-inch SATA drives
Total Capacity
- 12.0TB
Total Solution Cache Size
- 512 MB
Drive Mechanism
- (2) 6.0TB Seagate Exos 7E8 7,200RPM Self-Encrypting (SED) Hard Disk Drive with 256 MB cache
- *OWC reserves the right to replace or upgrade to equivalent or better components.
Hot Plug Support
- Yes
Boot Support
- Mac only
Rotational Speed
- 7,200RPM
Storage Interface
- SATA 6.0 Gb/s
RAID Capable
- Yes
Default RAID Level
- RAID 0
RAID Levels Supported
- RAID 0
- RAID 1
- SPAN
- JBOD
RAID Features
- Hardware RAID
Device Ports
- (1) Host Port - Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) up to 40Gb/s (5000MB/s)
- (1) Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) Port
- (2) USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A Ports up to 600MB/s
- (1) DisplayPort Port
- (1) Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) RJ-45 Port
Memory Card Slots
- (1) SD
Power Delivery
- Provides up to 27 watts of power via Thunderbolt 3 to charge or reduce laptop and device battery draw.
Display Support
- Up to one 5K display @ 60Hz,
- or one 4K display @ 60Hz,
- or one 4K display @ 30Hz,
- or two 4K displays @ 60Hz,
- or one 4K display @ 60Hz and one 4K display @ 30Hz
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
Ethernet Speeds (RJ-45)
- 1Gb/s "Gigabit" (1000BASE-T)
- 100Mb/s (100BASE-T)
- 10Mb/s (10BASE-T)
Jumbo Frame Support
- Yes
Data Rate
- Up to 40 Gb/s
Data Transfer Rate (Maximum)
- Thunderbolt 3 : Up to 40Gb/s (or 5000MB/s)
Benchmark Speed, Read (Max)
- Up to 498 MB/s
Benchmark Speed, Write (Max)
- Up to 493 MB/s
Chipset / Controller
- Thunderbolt (2): Intel JHL6540
- Media Reader: Genesis Logic GL-3227
- USB (2): Fresco Logic FL1100EX
- Ethernet (1): Intel i210
- SATA Controller: ASMedia AS
Contact Start Stops
- 600,000
Host Interface Requirements
- Thunderbolt (USB-C) port (backward compatible with Thunderbolt 2/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
PC OS Compatibility
- Windows 10 64-bit Edition
- Windows Server 2016
- Windows Server 2022
- Windows 11
Mobile OS Compatibility
- iPadOS 18
- iPadOS 17
- iPadOS 16
- iPadOS 15
- iPadOS 14
Driver Required
- Download Driver
- Windows driver required for 8TB and 10TB models
Other Requirements
- Thunderbolt 2/Thunderbolt compatibility requires a certified Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 (mDP) adapter and a Thunderbolt 2 cable. This configuration provides data transfer at Thunderbolt 2 speeds (up to 20Gb/s) but does not support notebook charging.
External Power Adapter
- Yes
Power Supply
- External UL-listed universal auto-switching power supply
AC Input
- 100-240V, 50-60 Hz, 2.0A
DC Output
- +12V, 10A
Wattage
- 120W
Cooling
- (1) 60mm 3,000RPM cooling fan
Security Slot
- Yes
Housing Material
- High quality aluminum for optimized heat dissipation
Color
- Aluminum
Dimensions
- Height: 14.7 cm (5.8 in)
- Length: 23.8 cm (9.4 in)
- Width: 8.5 cm (3.3 in)
Weight
- 3.0 kg (6.58 lbs)
Certifications
- CE
- FCC
- VCCI
- BSMI
- RCM
- Thunderbolt™technology
RoHS Compliant
- 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
- 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.
- Must be connected to host computer via Thunderbolt (USB-C), and cannot be used as a NAS. The Ethernet port provides the host computer with a 1GbE network connection over Thunderbolt (USB-C), but it cannot be used to access the drives over the network.
- When using 8TB or 10TB HDDs from Seagate and connecting the device to a PC running Windows, please make sure to first install the Windows driver.
- The DisplayPort port does not support DP++. When using a DisplayPort to HDMI adapter, make sure to use an active adapter.
- Dual display support, including available resolution and refresh rates, is dependent on host hardware and drivers.
- Apple silicon M1/M2/M3 Pro, M1/M2/M3 Max, and M1/M2 Ultra Mac models, Apple Intel-based Mac models, and Thunderbolt 4 PCs can support up to two displays at up to 4K @ 60Hz via Thunderbolt.
- Apple silicon M1/M2/M3 Mac models can support one external display up to 4K @ 60Hz via Thunderbolt. - The following Apple silicon M1/M2/M3 Mac models support a single display over a Thunderbolt port:
- MacBook Pro (14-inch, M3, 2023)
- 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 - A firmware update is required to use OWC Gemini with OWC Innergize software. Please consult the "Innergize for PC: Firmware Update" or "Innergize for Mac: Firmware Update" guide for download and installation instructions.
- SD cards inserted into the OWC Gemini will not be recognized by Windows Disk Management or applications after being safely removed. Power cycle the entire OWC Gemini by disconnecting the power source. This will allow the OWC Gemini to create a new card session resulting in Windows recognizing the SD card.
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 - 4K - Intel
Thunderbolt 3
AJA System Test - 4K - Apple silicon
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
Videos
Back to topLearn More
Customer Reviews
Back to topMy old WD Velociraptor with thunderbolt 1 and the needed dongle wasn't working well with my M2 Macbook. Swopped both WD Velociraptor 1TB 3.5" drives into the OWC Gemini and they are both running like a charm again with a more modern solution. The extra thunderbolt and two USB3 ports are a nice extra. Would recommend this to a friend.
I would recommend this product to a friend!
- Reviewer:JornVan
Wow, thank you so much for your amazing review! We're thrilled to hear that the OWC Gemini is working so well for you and that you've successfully swapped your WD Velociraptor drives. It's great to know that the extra Thunderbolt and USB3 ports are making your experience even better! Your recommendation means a lot to us, and we’re excited to support you and your friends with their storage needs. Keep enjoying that boosted performance!
All good . Has worked well so far.
I would recommend this product to a friend!
- Reviewer:Reviewer2772330794
Thank you for your 5-star review! We're thrilled to hear that everything is working well for you. Your satisfaction is our top priority, and we appreciate your support! If you ever need anything or have questions, we're here to help. https://eshop.macsales.com/Service/
I was hopeful this would function as my main dedicated external storage, as the specs look great, but there are a number of issues with this drive you should be aware of before purchasing. 1) It is noisy, very noisy. Every online review said this, and I thought they were exaggerating. They weren't. I've exclusively used external drives from OWC for two decades now, and none are half as loud as this one is. 2) There's no power switch. This wouldn't be a huge concern if it wasn't so loud, but I find myself having to physically unplug it when not in use. 3) When connected to my computer, but unmounted, the drives still randomly spin every couple of minutes. Aside from being noisy, I'm concerned it will lead to early failure as it seems to be creating unnecessary stress on the drives. 4) After not using the drive for a short time, just a minute or two, it semi powers down. Then when I try to access a file on the drive again, it has to power back up and takes about 20-30 seconds to do so. This is hugely detrimental to my workflow and massively slows down the process of editing photos directly on the external drive. I've never had any other past OWC drive do anything remotely similar to this. I was hoping to use this for the next 5-6 years at least, and after just 6 months I'm trying to figure out how I can get rid of this thing. Its various quirks don't inspire enough confidence in the product for me to trust it with my decades of work.
- Reviewer:DesertSodium
We appreciate the feedback on the 36TB OWC Gemini. We are sorry to hear that you are not fully satisfied with the product. The noise you are hearing in this device is from those HDD drives and not the device itself, the larger the HDD drive the more likely it is to be loud. We have found some success with placing this device on a neoprene pad to dissipate some of that noise as it can be amplified on a hard surface. The drives do power down when they enter sleep mode from inactivity and this can be prevented by not allowing the drives to go to sleep in the settings menu or turning off the sleep setting in general. If you need any additional help with this device please contact our technical support team. https://eshop.macsales.com/Service/