OWC’s new ThunderBlade X8 SSD RAID array promises up to 2,949 MB/s real-world speeds and up to 16% performance in RAID 4/5 redundant configurations when used in conjunction with Apple Silicon workstations.

“Constructed for fast-paced environments where time is money, ThunderBlade ensures your projects outpace your deadlines. ThunderBlade effortlessly navigates through uncompressed, high-bandwidth content streams, delivering unmatched speed and reliability. Designed for mobility and featuring an integrated fin-designed cooling system, ThunderBlade is at home on set, in the edit suite, or traveling comfortably between shoots in its ballistic hard-shell case,” OWC claims. “The unmatched quality and performance do not end with cutting-edge hardware. Before a ThunderBlade is delivered, it undergoes rigorous multi-hour “burn-in” performance certification to ensure it arrives in pristine condition and is ready to begin work immediately.”

Unlike other popular HDD RAID arrays, which can be large and unwieldy, OWC’s ThunderBlade is incredibly tiny while still accommodating up to eight drives for configuration into RAID. Unlike standard RAID arrays, OWC portrays the ThunderBlade X8 as a transportable and portable machine, thanks to its small footprint and what it calls a “custom-fit ballistic hard-shell case.”

According to OWC, the ThunderBlade X8 is “incomparable” since it enables RAID 4 or 5 configurations with up to eight NVMe M.2 SSDs for up to 32TB of total storage and speeds of up to 2,949 MB/s. The external array uses Thunderbolt, which allows it to be daisy-chained with up to five other devices or linked to a USB-C device or display via the second Thunderbolt port instead.

The ThunderBlade X8’s base has rubber feet to keep it in place on a desktop, and the fanless aluminum chassis has a heat-dissipating finned design that keeps the array cool while remaining silent.

OWC claims its ThunderBlade line as the greatest production drive available for editing experts, and the new X8 model supports increased capacity, improved performance, and design features that enhance the system even further. Specifically, the X8 supports up to 4TB (16.7%) more capacity in RAID 4 or 5, better performance in those RAID configurations when combined with Apple Silicon machines (all M1 devices and later, including Pro, Max, and Ultra lines), an improved power connector, and a revised LED angle to reduce and eliminate on-set light distraction.

The OWC ThunderBlade X8 is available in 8TB, 16TB, and 32TB sizes, with pre-orders starting at $1,749.99.