Storage Systems

8 HDD Maximum Capacity Configuration

Ideal for taming the voracious drive space appetite of RAW, 4K, large format, and VR workflows. Arrives pre-set with RAID 5 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

Whether you call it a workflow workhorse, a productivity platform, or a configurable command center, one description of the ThunderBay Flex 8 says it best. It is a groundbreaking workflow solution for digital imaging, VFX, video production, and video editing professionals from the world's leading Thunderbolt accessory manufacturer.

ThunderBay Flex 8 offers eight drive bays that support a mix of SATA/SAS and U.2/M.2 NVMe drives for virtually limitless storage capacity. Next, there's a plethora of ports including two Thunderbolt 3, one USB-C, and two USB-A for device docking and charging.

See your work in greater detail by adding up to an 8K display via a built-in DisplayPort 1.4 connection. Ingest hi-res images and video via front-side SD 4.0 and CFexpress card readers. And when you want to expand your desktop capabilities, there's a PCIe slot waiting for your specific project needs.

ThunderBay Flex 8 is the one Thunderbolt 3 desktop device that rules them all. With an irresistible economy of scale, this consolidated solution is ideal for anyone waiting for the right moment to invest in Thunderbolt technology.

NVMe. PCIe. What's It Mean to Me?

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.

Tying both of these technologies together is the Thunderbolt 3 interface which uses the PCIe bus. This interface offers the fastest data transfers possible on a single cable between computers and peripherals like storage solutions, docks, and expansion devices while also supplying 85W of power to keep your laptop ready to go at a moment's notice.

Muscle-FLEXing Data Performance

Right out of the packaging, all eight bays are configured with SATA 6Gb/s 3.5-inch HDDs. With real-world read/write speeds of 2750MB/s that saturates the Thunderbolt 3 speed threshold, you're ready to handle 4K/8K and even Phantom high-speed files.

Done with the drives but need the docking connectivity?

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

A virtual buffet of productivity-enhancing possibilities awaits you with the docking connections built into ThunderBay Flex 8. Power your notebook with up to 85W power delivery while capturing multi-stream hi-res footage at full frame rate. Connect audio and video mixers, digital camera, keyboards, and other peripherals and charge mobile devices via one USB-C and two USB-A 10Gb/s ports. Ingest and work with 4/8K RAW video and RAW photo files immediately at speeds up to 985MB/s with frontside SD 4.0 and CFexpress card readers. Add more viewing space with up to an 8K monitor via the DisplayPort 1.4 interface. And if all that's not enough to satisfy your project needs, daisy-chain up to five additional Thunderbolt 3 devices!

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1 NVMe SSD + 7 HDD Maximum Workflow Configuration

Ingest and edit live on a hyper-fast U.2 SSD or use the drive as a swappable transport for fast lab processing while being able to edit and store entire projects on the ultra-capacity HDD RAID 5 array. Plus, enjoy docking convenience and expand your capabilities by selecting a recommended PCIe card or add your own.

Flex Your Way Through Every Workflow

Whether you call it a workflow workhorse, a productivity platform, or a configurable command center, one description of the ThunderBay Flex 8 says it best. It is a groundbreaking workflow solution for digital imaging, VFX, video production, and video editing professionals from the world's leading Thunderbolt accessory manufacturer.

ThunderBay Flex 8 offers eight drive bays that support a mix of SATA/SAS¹ and U.2/M.2² NVMe drives for virtually limitless storage capacity. Next, there's a plethora of ports including two Thunderbolt 3³, one USB-C, and two USB-A for device docking and charging.

See your work in greater detail by adding up to an 8K display⁴ via a built-in DisplayPort 1.4 connection. Ingest hi-res images and video via front-side SD 4.0 and CFexpress card readers. And when you want to expand your desktop capabilities, there's a PCIe slot waiting for your specific project needs.

ThunderBay Flex 8 is the one Thunderbolt 3 desktop device that rules them all. With an irresistible economy of scale, this consolidated solution is ideal for anyone waiting for the right moment to invest in Thunderbolt technology.

NVMe. PCIe. What's It Mean to Me?

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.

Tying both of these technologies together is the Thunderbolt 3 interface which uses the PCIe bus. This interface offers the fastest data transfers possible on a single cable between computers and peripherals like storage solutions, docks, and expansion devices while also supplying 85W of power to keep your laptop ready to go at a moment's notice.

Muscle-FLEXing Data Performance

Right out of the packaging, the first bay is configured with a U.2 NVMe SSD while the remaining seven bays are configured with high-performance enterprise-class 3.5-inch HDDs. With real-world read/write speeds of 2750MB/s that saturates the Thunderbolt 3 speed threshold, you're ready to handle 4K/8K and even Phantom high-speed files.

Done with the drives but need the docking connectivity?

Eject the ThunderBay Flex 8 drives and any external drives in a single 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.

More from the Manufacturer

The Do-It-All Tool for Digital Workflows

With dual drive bays and seven connectivity ports including an SD 4.0 (UHS-II) 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-inch 7200RPM hard drives or 2.5-inch SATA SSDs. Preconfigured in high-speed RAID 0 mode to deliver maximum throughput from its drives, Gemini offers real-world HDD speeds up to 562MB/s for audio editors/musicians/producers, individual content creators, photographers, small photography studios, and filmmakers working with up to 4K resolutions and compressed codecs. A/V professionals seeking SSDs that start and stay fast over their full capacity can take advantage of the proven reliability of OWC Mercury Extreme SSDs. With sustained RAID 0 speed up to 956MB/s, you can easily handle 8K single and 4K multi sequences, slow motion video, 10 bits footage, and ultra-high-resolution RAW pictures.

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 2.5Gb/s Ethernet port so you can transfer files and work up to 2.5x faster over wired networks and enjoy increased productivity in an IP-based workflow. 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. It's also great for sending your files over to a NAS to keep them safely archived.

Gain a 8K Perspective

With a dedicated latest generation HDMI port, Gemini empowers you to add the fresh, crisp perspective of an 8K 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 8K 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).

More from the Manufacturer

The Do-It-All Tool for Digital Workflows

With dual drive bays and seven connectivity ports including an SD 4.0 (UHS-II) 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-inch 7200RPM hard drives or 2.5-inch SATA SSDs. Preconfigured in high-speed RAID 0 mode to deliver maximum throughput from its drives, Gemini offers real-world HDD speeds up to 562MB/s for audio editors/musicians/producers, individual content creators, photographers, small photography studios, and filmmakers working with up to 4K resolutions and compressed codecs. A/V professionals seeking SSDs that start and stay fast over their full capacity can take advantage of the proven reliability of OWC Mercury Extreme SSDs. With sustained RAID 0 speed up to 956MB/s, you can easily handle 8K single and 4K multi sequences, slow motion video, 10 bits footage, and ultra-high-resolution RAW pictures.

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 2.5Gb/s Ethernet port so you can transfer files and work up to 2.5x faster over wired networks and enjoy increased productivity in an IP-based workflow. 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. It's also great for sending your files over to a NAS to keep them safely archived.

Gain a 8K Perspective

With a dedicated latest generation HDMI port, Gemini empowers you to add the fresh, crisp perspective of an 8K 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 8K 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).

More from the Manufacturer

The Do-It-All Tool for Digital Workflows

With dual drive bays and seven connectivity ports including an SD 4.0 (UHS-II) 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-inch 7200RPM hard drives or 2.5-inch SATA SSDs. Preconfigured in high-speed RAID 0 mode to deliver maximum throughput from its drives, Gemini offers real-world HDD speeds up to 562MB/s for audio editors/musicians/producers, individual content creators, photographers, small photography studios, and filmmakers working with up to 4K resolutions and compressed codecs. A/V professionals seeking SSDs that start and stay fast over their full capacity can take advantage of the proven reliability of OWC Mercury Extreme SSDs. With sustained RAID 0 speed up to 956MB/s, you can easily handle 8K single and 4K multi sequences, slow motion video, 10 bits footage, and ultra-high-resolution RAW pictures.

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 2.5Gb/s Ethernet port so you can transfer files and work up to 2.5x faster over wired networks and enjoy increased productivity in an IP-based workflow. 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. It's also great for sending your files over to a NAS to keep them safely archived.

Gain a 8K Perspective

With a dedicated latest generation HDMI port, Gemini empowers you to add the fresh, crisp perspective of an 8K 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 8K 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).

More from the Manufacturer