1-800-275-4576
8.0TB OWC ThunderBlade X8
Thunderbolt (40Gb/s) NVMe RAID SSD External Storage Solution with SoftRAID
Mfr P/N: TB3TBL8X08 OWC SKU: OWCTB3TBL8X08
$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
BONUS Bundle - Get a FREE OWC ThunderBlade X Spacer when you buy two (2) OWC ThunderBlades! (Limit 1)
Must purchase with: OWC ThunderBlade X Spacer
BONUS Bundle - Save $10.00 on OWC ThunderBlade X Spacer when you buy OWC ThunderBlade! (1 Rebate per ThunderBlade purchase, Limit 3)
Must purchase with: OWC ThunderBlade X Spacer
$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
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The fastest shuttle RAID SSD in the universe for creative professionals
- Incomparable: Up to 2921MB/s ready-to-run, time-saving speed that has no competitor1
- Spacious: up to eight NVMe M.2 SSDs for up to 32TB
- Includes SoftRAID: robust software for creating, monitoring, and managing advanced RAID sets
- Versatile: daisy-chain up to five additional Thunderbolt devices or connect a USB-C device or display via the second Thunderbolt port
- Stable: non-skid rubber feet keep ThunderBlade in place while OWC ClingOn secures the included Thunderbolt connecting cable2
- Reliable: heat-dissipating fanless aluminum chassis keeps you working silently at top speed
- Informative: confirm use status instantly via integrated LED
- Mobile: compact footprint and custom-fit ballistic hard-shell case make this the perfect shuttle drive
- Certified: meets Intel Thunderbolt and OWC operating certifications for assured performance and reliability
- 3 Year OWC Limited Warranty
Overview
Be Your Best with the Best
There’s a good reason our ThunderBlade NVMe RAID SSD is called the best production drive in the universe by film pros. Built rugged and silently cool for on-location use, its mobile-ready small footprint blazes through uncompressed high bandwidth content streams with unrivaled speed and reliability. In fast-paced environments where time is money, you’ll keep productions ahead of deadline while elevating your professional reputation to the highest level with ThunderBlade.
Incomparable
Up to 2949MB/s ready-to-run, time-saving speed that has no competitor1
Reliable
Heat-dissipating fanless aluminum chassis keeps you working silently at top speed
Spacious
Up to eight NVMe M.2 SSDs for up to 32TB
Informative
Confirm use status instantly via integrated LED
Includes SoftRAID
Robust software for creating, monitoring, and managing advanced RAID sets
Mobile
Compact footprint and custom-fit ballistic hard-shell case make this the perfect shuttle drive
Versatile
Daisy-chain up to five additional Thunderbolt devices or connect a USB-C device or display via the second Thunderbolt port
Certified
Meets Intel Thunderbolt and OWC operating certifications for assured performance and reliability
Stable
Non-skid rubber feet keep ThunderBlade in place while OWC ClingOn secures the included Thunderbolt connecting cable2
Reliability. Efficiency. Transportability.
Our team is filled with creatives highly experienced in all phases of the video production world. We understand your need for more speed and capacity when it comes to making everything from backups to editing faster. ThunderBlade was purposefully built to be the best high-performance mobile-ready RAID SSD in the universe for:
DITs needing to offload memory cards on set at maximum transfer speeds while also having the option to choose RAID 5 reliability for peace-of-mind or production requirements.
DITs and productions needing a blazing fast, highly reliable shuttle drive that can be easily and safely shipped.
Creative professionals working with cutting edge workflows such as multicam sequences, 8K RAW video, and VFX looking for the best possible performance from an easy to transport, plug and play external storage solution.
Remote editors working with cloud-based workflows such as LucidLink which require a high performance cache drive solution to ensure flawless video editing performance.
Professional video editors desiring a seamless editing experience when working on large projects with all their files centralized for easy access.
Which ThunderBlade is Right for Me?
 OWC ThunderBlade |
 OWC ThunderBlade X8 |
|
|---|---|---|
|
Interface |
2 x Thunderbolt 3 (40Gb/s) |
2 x Thunderbolt 3 (40Gb/s) |
|
Drives |
4 x 2280 NVMe M.2 |
8 x 2242 NVMe M.2 |
|
Capacity |
Up to 32TB |
Up to 32TB |
|
RAID Support |
RAID 0/1/4/5/1+0 (10) |
RAID 0/1/4/5/1+0 (10) |
|
Maximum RAID 0 Speed |
2831MB/s Write |
2826MB/s Write |
|
Useable RAID 0 Capacity |
32TB |
32TB |
|
Maximum RAID 5 Speed |
2120MB/s Write |
2464MB/s Write |
|
Useable RAID 5 Capacity |
24TB |
28TB |
|
Cooling |
Silent fanless |
Silent fanless |
|
Material |
Solid aluminum |
Solid aluminum |
|
Key Differences |
Smaller footprint, smaller capacity (4TB) model available |
Up to 4TB (16.7%) higher capacity in RAID 4/5. Over 16% higher performance in RAID 4 and 5 redundant configurations with Apple Silicon (all M1 and later including Pro / Max / Ultra) machines, improved power connector, LED angle revised to reduce/eliminate on-set light distraction possibility. |
Daisy-Chain Possibilities
ThunderBlade isn’t just about being the best performing production drive on the planet. It also gives you all the options you need to work at your best. With an extra Thunderbolt port, you have the flexibility to daisy-chain devices and place a USB-C device at the end of your chain to create a world of possibilities.
RAID 5 Ready
Using RAID 5 in the past meant giving up precious capacity and taking a big hit on performance. Our 8 drive ThunderBlade X8 model solves that problem by offering the most amount of useable capacity while still offering eye-popping write speeds up to 2464MB/s. Now you can streamline ingestion and backup times on set, edit ultra-high-res multi-cam sequences, and adhere to mandatory requirements (the 3-2-1 Principle) when producing content for large studios such as Netflix.
Hold at least three copies of all original camera files (OCF) and audio.
Store the OCF and audio copies on at least two different types of media.
Keep at least one of these backups in a different geographical location from the others.
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.
Really Cool Details
You’ll never have to worry about heat throttling slowing you down because we focus on the little details that will keep you working at consistent top speed. Besides keeping ThunderBlade securely in place, the non-skid rubber feet elevate the heat dissipating aluminum housing to create a highly effective silently cool encompassing airflow.
Pre-Tested = Ready to Work
We understand having confidence in gear reliability is paramount to creative professionals. That’s why every ThunderBlade undergoes our rigorous multi-hour "burn-in" performance certification prior to shipping and includes a Thunderbolt connecting cable. This ensures your ThunderBlade arrives operating properly and immediately ready for demanding use.
Combine & Conquer
While one ThunderBlade is great, two are awesome when daisy chained together for additional speed and capacity gains. Keep them running cool and fast by stacking them vertically with the OWC ThunderBlade X Spacer. This innovative, no tools required aluminum drive spacer keeps your drives secure while enhancing your conquer any challenge image.
Work with Ultimate Confidence
Active workspaces expose gear to unexpected bumps and shoves. OWC ClingOn custom cable stabilizers (sold separately) screw into the OWC Thunderblade to reduce – if not completely eliminate – cable strain on Thunderbolt and USB-C connections so you can work with ultimate confidence even in the highest foot traffic environments.
- Up to 2949MB/s peak performance with 8.0TB (8 x 1.0TB OWC Aura SSDs) ThunderBlade X8 connected to a 16-inch MacBook Pro 2021 (MacBookPro18,1) with 16GB RAM and Apple M1 Pro 10-core CPU and 16-core GPU running AJA System Test (8K-Full resolution, 64GB file size, 16 bit RGBA codec, single file test). ThunderBlade ready-to-run SSD vs unproven enclosure only choices.
- OWC ClingOn cable stabilizer available separately.
Includes
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- (1) OWC ThunderBlade X8 External Storage Solution
- (1) 0.7M (28") Thunderbolt Cable
- (1) External Power Supply
- (1) US Power Cable (3-Prong IEC C13)
- (1) Ballistic Hard-Shell Travel Case
- (1) Support Manual for OWC ThunderBlade X8
- (1) 3 Years of SoftRAID Premium Access (License located on device)
- (1) Quick Start Guide for OWC SoftRAID (Digital)
- 3 Year OWC Limited Warranty
For more information on OWC SoftRAID, see OWC SoftRAID Support. Need an additional power supply? Secondary/replacement power supplies are also available.
Specs
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Drive Bays
- 8 bays
Total Capacity
- 7680GB Useable Capacity
- Total Capacity: 8192GB
- 512GB Allocated to real-time data redundancy and error correction
Drive Mechanism
- (8) 1.0TB OWC Aura Pro IV PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 2242 Solid-State Drive
- *OWC reserves the right to replace or upgrade to equivalent or better components.
Plug and Play
- Yes
Hot Plug Support
- Yes
Boot Support
- Mac only. NOTE: Boot volume must be independent from RAID volume. Please consult " OWC ThunderBlade: macOS Boot Drive Setup"
Drive Format
- Formatted as an 8 disk SoftRAID RAID 0 for Mac. PC users please consult the "Mac to Windows – SoftRAID Volume Conversation" guide.
Storage Interface
- M.2 NVMe (PCIe 3.0)
RAID Capable
- Yes
Default RAID Level
- RAID 0
RAID Levels Supported
- RAID 0
- RAID 1
- RAID 4
- RAID 5
- RAID 10
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
Display Support
- Up to one 5K display @ 60Hz,
- or one 4K display @ 60Hz,
- or 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
Data Transfer Rate (Maximum)
- Thunderbolt 3 : Up to 40Gb/s (or 5000MB/s)
Benchmark Speed, Read (Max)
- Up to 2921 MB/s
Benchmark Speed, Write (Max)
- Up to 2814 MB/s
Chipset / Controller
- Titan Ridge DD (JHL7440)
Host Interface Requirements
- Thunderbolt (USB-C) port (backward compatible with Thunderbolt 2/Thunderbolt1)
Mac OS Compatibility
- 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 11
Driver Required
- SoftRAID Only
- SoftRAID automatically checks for the latest version. Launch the app and if displayed, follow prompts to complete the SoftRAID update.
Other Requirements
- Windows certification on Windows 11 Pro Build 22621 - 64bit. Recommended Windows 11 version 22H2 and later.
- 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.
- SoftRAID works with Windows 11 or later and macOS 10.14 or later. SoftRAID is licensed per computer.
External Power Adapter
- Yes
Power Supply
- External UL-listed universal auto-switching power supply
- Need an additional power supply? Secondary/replacement power supplies are also available.
AC Input
- 100-240V, 50-60Hz, 2.0A
DC Output
- +12V, 7.5A
Wattage
- 90W
Security Slot
- No
Power/Activity LED
- Yes
Housing Color
- Black
Housing Material
- Aluminum
Dimensions
- Height: 3.4 cm (1.3 in)
- Length: 20.8 cm (8.2 in)
- Width: 12.4 cm (4.9 in)
Weight
- 1.1 kg (2.40 lbs)
Certifications
- CE
- FCC
- VCCI
- RCM
- UKCA
- IC
Ambient Temperature
- Operating: 50°F to 95°F (10°C to 35°C)
- Non-Operating: -40°F to 149°F (-40°C to 65°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
- 0.0dB
- Thunderbolt 2/Thunderbolt compatibility requires a certified Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 (mDP) adapter and a Thunderbolt 2 cable (not included). This configuration provides data transfer at up to 20Gb/s but does not support notebook charging.
Benchmarks
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Truth 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
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MacBook 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
Videos
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Learn More
Customer Reviews
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They're the 8TB & 16TB versions and they all work as intended. They're used for the cooking and silly-humor videos that my wife and I create.
I would recommend this product to a friend!
Verified Purchase.- Reviewer:efiebke
Wow, thank you so much for your fantastic review! We’re thrilled to hear that you own four of our drives and that they’re working perfectly for your cooking and humor videos! It’s amazing to know our products are helping you and your wife create such fun content. Keep up the great work, and we can’t wait to see what you make next!
It's my second Thunderblade, I didn't want to drop another $2k for only 8tb of ssd; however I have long term video clients who continue to use our services so these drives can keep two or three jobs on each and I just back them up to raid 5. . Comes with a great case so I can take it on the road and edit in hotels. Sure you can use a sandisk 4 tb for a 1/4 of the price but we have two many jobs in and out of our edit bay and I like the semi-permanence of the Thunderblades .
I would recommend this product to a friend!
Verified Purchase.- Reviewer:Mantafilms
Wow, thank you so much for your fantastic review! We’re thrilled to hear that you’re on your second ThunderBlade and appreciate the value it brings to your video editing workflow. It’s great to know that our drive is a reliable choice for your long-term clients and that the included case makes it easy to take on the go. We totally understand the investment, especially when the performance and reliability are paramount for your projects. Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we’re excited to support your editing adventures!
The unit is behaving well, but there are two things worrying me. I haven't had these problems, but Murphy's law says they will pop up at the worst time. 1. OWC has said that some apps do not "play well" with SoftRAID. Recommend RAID 4 and not RAID 5. Raid 5 avoids a bottleneck of having one disk designated as a checksum only. 2. I have some units at work, original Thunderblade, Thunderblade X8 etc. Have had occasional kernel panics with SoftRaid listed in the backtrace. But worse is that after 2 months of problems, working with support and shipping the X8 unit back to OWC, it still comes up with a failure of one of the NVMe units and then is unable to rebuild the array, thus losing everything on it. The idea is that RAID is supposed to be more reliable than single disks but it does not seem to be the case. The NVMe shows up as no errors, but the array is corrupted and tries to rebuild that single disk. SO yes, not a 5 star review. Possibly the hardware is fine and it is just software, but that is part of the system you are buying into. Would I recommend it to a friend? Maybe, with a warning.
Verified Purchase.- Reviewer:AnxiousChameleon-15004
Thank you for sharing your concerns about the unit and your experience with SoftRAID. It’s completely understandable to feel uneasy given the potential issues you've mentioned. It's great to hear that the unit is performing well so far, but we acknowledge that past experiences with kernel panics can be troubling. Regarding your thoughts on RAID configurations, you’re right that the choice between RAID 4 and RAID 5 can significantly impact performance. While RAID 5 offers redundancy, it does indeed have its own challenges with checksum management. If you’re considering an alternative setup, our team can help explore the best options to suit your needs. If you encounter any specific issues or have further questions about the setup, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We want to ensure that your experience remains positive and that you feel confident in your solution. https://eshop.macsales.com/Service/
