OWC ThunderBay 4 RAID 5From real comments

Verdict distilled from 18 mentions across 11 aspects in comments under product review videos.

Positive sentiment41%
PROS 41%
CONS 59%

Rank based on 18 mentions across 11 aspects

View the verdict as

Buy this if...

  • You want a Thunderbolt RAID 5 enclosure that works with SoftRAID on Mac, including M1 systems
  • You can tolerate multi-day certification/rebuild processes without needing it fast
  • You value community tutorials that fill gaps in OWC's own documentation

What users love

Skip this if...

  • You need quick, hassle-free RAID setup without extended certification waits
  • You're on Apple Silicon and unprepared for extra Startup Security Utility/stripe-size steps
  • You need dependable vendor support if the unit stops powering on or drives error out

What users complain about

Compare in seconds

Based on user comments

Best choice
1Mid
Synology DS220
Easy setup and intuitive DSM software
Synology DS220
Easy setup and intuitive DSM software
2Mid
Ugreen DH4300
Easy setup for beginners
Ugreen DH4300
Easy setup for beginners
3Mid
Synology DS920
Long-term reliabilityNetworking speed beyond 1GbpsPlex and media handling improved by SSD cacheFan noiseCPU thermal and virtualization limitsMixed value of RAM/SSD upgrades for basic use
Synology DS920
Long-term reliability
Networking speed beyond 1Gbps
Plex and media handling improved by SSD cache
Fan noise
CPU thermal and virtualization limits
Mixed value of RAM/SSD upgrades for basic use
4Premium
Synology DS1821
Expandable storage capacityReliability and data recoveryEase of use / DSM interfaceDrive compatibility alerts and vendor lock-inWeak Plex transcodingExpensive proprietary RAM
Synology DS1821
Expandable storage capacity
Reliability and data recovery
Ease of use / DSM interface
Drive compatibility alerts and vendor lock-in
Weak Plex transcoding
Expensive proprietary RAM
5
OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual
Bus-Powered FlexibilityCompact, Portable DesignDrives Readable If Enclosure FailsNoisy Drive ActivityAbrupt Unmount SoundRAID 1 Doesn't Boost Read Speed
OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual
Bus-Powered Flexibility
Compact, Portable Design
Drives Readable If Enclosure Fails
Noisy Drive Activity
Abrupt Unmount Sound
RAID 1 Doesn't Boost Read Speed
Best value
6Budget
Synology DS118
Sufficient for backups, streaming, and surveillanceEasy setup for beginnersGood value versus higher-tier modelsNo drive redundancyConfusing entry-level lineup overlapMissing vibration dampers
Synology DS118
Sufficient for backups, streaming, and surveillance
Easy setup for beginners
Good value versus higher-tier models
No drive redundancy
Confusing entry-level lineup overlap
Missing vibration dampers
7Mid
Synology DS923
Great for Time Machine and photo backupLong-term reliabilitySolid upgrade from older/competing NASRAID is not a backupDrive/component lock-in and costNoise and power draw
Synology DS923
Great for Time Machine and photo backup
Long-term reliability
Solid upgrade from older/competing NAS
RAID is not a backup
Drive/component lock-in and cost
Noise and power draw
8Mid
Ugreen DXP6800 Pro
Dual 10GbE and Thunderbolt connectivityStrong hardware for the priceExpandable and third-party OS friendlySoftware stability issuesFan noise at idleNVMe/PCIe lane limitations
Ugreen DXP6800 Pro
Dual 10GbE and Thunderbolt connectivity
Strong hardware for the price
Expandable and third-party OS friendly
Software stability issues
Fan noise at idle
NVMe/PCIe lane limitations
9Premium
Ugreen DXP6800
Flexible RAID and third-party OS supportStrong hardware specs vs competitorsCapable for video editing workflowsInconsistent idle fan noiseUGOS software immaturityReal-world transfer speed issues
Ugreen DXP6800
Flexible RAID and third-party OS support
Strong hardware specs vs competitors
Capable for video editing workflows
Inconsistent idle fan noise
UGOS software immaturity
Real-world transfer speed issues
10Premium
Synology DS1621+
Highly expandable hardwareHigh throughput with 10GbE and cacheStrong VM and app supportNo hardware transcoding for 4KConfusing cache setup guidanceConsumer NVMe cache reliability risk
Synology DS1621+
Highly expandable hardware
High throughput with 10GbE and cache
Strong VM and app support
No hardware transcoding for 4K
Confusing cache setup guidance
Consumer NVMe cache reliability risk
You are here
31Premium
OWC ThunderBay 4 RAID 5
Drive replacement/rebuild capabilityHelpful community tutorialsWorks with SoftRAID on MacExtremely long certification/rebuild timesCertification process interruptions and errorsInaccurate time estimates
OWC ThunderBay 4 RAID 5
Drive replacement/rebuild capability
Helpful community tutorials
Works with SoftRAID on Mac
Extremely long certification/rebuild times
Certification process interruptions and errors
Inaccurate time estimates

Who wins on what

Ranked by what users actually praise

Overall Impression

Setup and certification can take an unexpectedly long time. Multiple users describe certification or rebuilds lasting days rather than hours, with SoftRAID's time estimates proving unreliable. One user's first pass dropped the estimate by 20 hours instantly, another saw 54 hours quoted for four 4TB drives, and an 8-bay rebuild reportedly ran 11 days without a completion estimate, testing user patience throughout the process.

Apple Silicon users need extra configuration steps. An M1 Mac mini owner found the standard process didn't work until they switched Startup Security Utility to Reduced Security and changed the stripe size from 16KB to 64KB. They noted existing instructions didn't cover M1-specific steps, suggesting official guidance lags behind newer Mac hardware requirements for RAID setup.

Reliability and support experiences are mixed. One user reported the enclosure failing to power on after two weeks off, despite lights indicating power, and received no response from OWC support, calling it 'junk.' Another had a disk disconnect mid-certification for no clear reason, forcing a five-day restart. Others, however, completed setup smoothly in about 20 minutes with no issues.

Outdated / Not-accurate data?