The Fastest Thunderbolt Shuttle and Editing RAID SSD in the Universe

Incomparable Performance and Reliability
- Incomparable: up to 2949MB/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
- Worry-Free: 3 Year OWC Limited Warranty

Time Saver, Life Changer
ThunderBlade is fervently revered among DITs, production companies, video editors, and creative professionals for good reason. Hailed as the fastest production drive in the universe. Legendary confidence inspiring reliability. Shuttle use ready with a compact footprint and ballistic case.

With ThunderBlade, you don’t merely reduce the time you need to work. You gain precious time back for your personal life. More than anything, people want more time. ThunderBlade isn’t just a drive. It’s a life changer.

Created For Pros Like You
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 fastest Thunderbolt shuttle and editing 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.

Trust the Truth
We understand your workflow requires real-world speed you can count on. Instead of promoting eye-catching maximum theoretically possible performance numbers, we take the time-consuming step to run our storage solutions through intensive performance testing and share our test parameters in the results. By truthfully listing the speeds we observed, our commitment to the “OWC Difference” ensures your ThunderBlade will deliver the performance you require and expect.

Unlimited Workflow Possibilities
Working at your best means getting more than blazing through uncompressed high bandwidth content streams with unrivaled speed and reliability. 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 unlimited possibilities.

When Reliability Is a Requirement
Using RAID 5 with most solutions means giving up precious capacity and taking a big hit on performance. Our 8 drive ThunderBlade 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.

Work Faster
Hold at least three copies of all original camera files (OCF) and audio.

Work Bigger
Store the OCF and audio copies on at least two different types of media.

Built for RAID
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.

Features
Interface: 2 x Thunderbolt 3 (40Gb/s)
Drives: 8 x 2242 NVMe M.2
Capacity: Up to 32TB
RAID Support: RAID 0/1/4/5/1+0
Maximum RAID 0 Speed: 2826MB/s Write, 2949MB/s Read
Useable RAID 0 Capacity (using 32TB model example): 32TB (8 x 4TB)
Maximum RAID 5 Speed: 2464MB/s Write, 2565MB/s Read
Useable RAID 5 Capacity (using 32TB model example): 28TB (7 x 4TB with 1 x 4TB used for redundant protection)
Cooling: Silent fanless
Material: Solid aluminum
Key Differences: 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.

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 (available 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 ultimate confidence even in the highest foot traffic environments.

1. 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.
2. OWC ClingOn cable stabilizer available separately.

Includes
(1) OWC ThunderBlade External Storage Solution
(1) 0.7M (28") Thunderbolt Cable
(1) External Power Supply
(1) Power Cable
(1) Ballistic Hard-Shell Travel Case
(1) Support Manual for OWC ThunderBlade
(1) 3 Years of SoftRAID Premium Access (License located on device)
(1) Quick Start Guide for OWC SoftRAID (Digital)
3 Year OWC Limited Warranty

Detailed Specs
Drive Bays: 8 bays
Plug and Play: Yes
Hot Plug Support: Yes
Boot Support: Mac only. Boot volume must be independent from RAID volume. Boot Camp is not supported.
Drive Format: Formatted as 8 disk RAID 0 for Mac. To convert for PC, use SoftRAID for Windows.
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 2719 MB/s
Benchmark Speed, Write (Max): Up to 2537 MB/s
Chipset / Controller: Thunderbolt 3: (1) Intel DSL6540
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 10 64-bit Edition
Windows Server 2022
Windows 11
Driver Required: SoftRAID Only, SoftRAID automatically checks for the latest driver. Launch the app and if displayed, follow prompts to update driver.
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: Yes
Power Supply: External UL-listed universal auto-switching power supply
AC Input: 100-240V, 50-60Hz, 2.0A
DC Output: +15V, 4.8A
Wattage: 72W
Security Slot: No
Power/Activity LED: Yes
Housing Color: Black
Housing Material: Aluminum
Dimensions:
Height: 2.9 cm (1.1 in)
Length: 19.2 cm (7.6 in)
Width: 12.4 cm (4.9 in)
Weight: 676.0 g (1.49 lbs)
Certifications: CE, FCC, RoHS
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

1. 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.