Add 2TB of USB 3.2 Gen 1 and eSATA 6G storage to your compatible Windows or Mac system with the Mercury Elite Pro Dual 2TB 2-Bay USB 3.2 Gen 1 RAID Array (2 x 1TB) from OWC / Other World Computing. These drives are pre-configured in RAID 0 via hardware, and the array itself is designed for creative workflows, HD video, project archives, and system backups in environments ranging from production studios to home offices. 2TB also provides you with plenty of space to store files such as music, photos, movies, and documents. When configured as RAID 0, this array provides data transfer speeds up to 407 MB/s.

Within the array are two SATA III 3.5" drive bays that each house a single 1TB 7200 rpm SATA III 3.5" hard drive. Since the array ships with two drives, they can be hardware configured as RAID 0, 1, SPAN, or Independent modes, each of which offers performance, data redundancy, or a combination of both. However, please be aware this array is hardware configured as a RAID 0 volume, which provides increased read and write speeds, but no data redundancy.

This volume will be recognized on systems running macOS 10.6 and later, as well as Windows XP and later. When connected to a compatible Mac via USB, the Mercury Elite Pro Dual may also be used as a boot drive, and connectivity is achieved using an integrated 5 Gb/s USB-B 3.2 Gen 1 port, or an integrated 6 Gb/s eSATA 6G port. For those who do not have USB 3.2 Gen 1, the USB 3.2 Gen 1 port is backwards compatible with USB 2.0 at speeds up to 480 Mb/s. To help ensure a smooth operating environment, the array uses a cooling fan, and its included 100-240 VAC power supply runs at 50/60 Hz to help ensure worldwide compatibility.

Also included with the with the OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual is a 2.0' USB-B 3.2 Gen 1 to USB-A cable, a 3.3' eSATA 6G cable, an external power supply, and a power cable. Protection is provided by a limited 3-year warranty that includes complimentary Level 1 data recovery for one year.

2 x 1TB 7200 rpm 3.5" Hard Drives    2 x SATA III 3.5" Drive Bays    1 x USB-B 3.2 Gen 1 | 1 x eSATA 6G    RAID 0, 1, SPAN, and JBOD Modes    Pre-Configured in RAID 0    Hardware RAID Controller    Data Transfer Speeds up to 407 MB/s    Fan Cooled    Universal Auto-Switching Power Supply    Windows and Mac Compatible

The Mercury Elite Pro Dual is a dual-drive hardware RAID solution for creative workflows, project archives, and system backups where reliability and versatile performance count. With two fast hard drives that may be easily configured in multiple RAID modes at the flick of an easy-access switch, the Mercury Elite Pro Dual is built to seamlessly integrate with vritually any work environment, from high demand production studios to your home office.

Reliable hardware RAID maximizes the full potential of two 3.5" 7200 rpm hard drives in the Mercury Elite Pro Dual. It comes configured in high-speed RAID 0 mode for the high sustained throughput from your drives. With speeds up to 407 MB/s, that's fast enough for HD video workflows. Configure the Mercury Elite Pro Dual in RAID 1 mode for the extra security of mirrored data, set up a span of the two drives, or use them independently.

Mercury Elite Pro Dual features both high-speed USB 3.0 (also known as USB 3.1 Gen 1) and eSATA 6G ports to offer the connectivity and versatility to work with your current equipment at fast speeds. A second-generation, free-flowing brushed-aluminum chassis with a high-performance fan delivers cool, quiet operation. In addition, drive-activity LEDs give you an instant snapshot of the status of your RAID, and intelligent power management helps conserve energy and reduce wear by automatically spinning down the drives when inactive.

Related Questions and Answers

Q: 1. Does this come with two hdds? What brand/model?

A: At this time we are shipping this with a pair of Toshiba 2TB drives.

Q: 2. If this Raid enclose goes bad, will I be able to take the drives out and still get my data off of them?

A: If set up as a RAID 1 then yes, if it is a RAID 0, then no, you cannot.

Q: 3. I want this for redundancy. Is it easy to configure to RAID 1?

A: Yes, this would be easy to configure to RAID 1.

Q: 4. Are the drives user replaceable? Thanks.

A: Not during the warranty period, it will void the warranty. Physically, yes, you can replace the drives, they are standard 3.5 inch hard drives.

Q: 5. As of now 2021 does this raid system come with 2 4TB HDD drives of 7200rpm?

A: The two 4TB hard drives in this OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual 8TB 2-Bay USB 3.2 Gen 2 RAID Array with 3-Port Hub would be 7200 RPM.

Q: 6. If one of the drives goes bad, will I be able to open the enclosure, replace the drive, and have the RAID rebuild the backup given I have it set to Raid 1?

A: Yes.

Q: 7. Does this come with a Thunderbolt cable?

A: Yes, the Thunderbolt cable is included, as well as a USB 3.0 cable.

Q: 8. Does it work with Linux?

A: This unit only supports Windows and Mac environments.

Q: 9. What is the read/write speed of the new 3.2 Generation 2? It states in the description the transfer speed is 1250/MB/s. However, here in the question and answer it states the read write speed is only around 400mb/s/ Curious as to which one is accurate for the read/write speed actually is for the 3.2?

A: USB 3.2 gen 1 supports up to 10Gbps (1250MB/s). The read and write speed will depend on several factors including the drives being used and the RAID mode being used. OWC mentions how they got those numbers on their website: Up to 1026MB/s sequential read/write performance with 2 x 1.0TB Mercury Extreme Pro 6G SSDs in RAID 0 connected to a Windows 10 PC (GIGABYTE GA-Z170X-UD5 motherboard with 16GB RAM, Intel Core i5-6400 2.70GHz processor) running Crystal Disk Mark 7.0.0x64 (1GB test size, Q8T1). Up to 567MB/s sequential read/write performance with 2 x 16.0TB Seagate Exos X16 HDDs I. RAID 0 connected to 15-inch MacBook Pro 2018 (MacBookPro15,1) with 16GB RAM and 2.2GHz processor running AJA System Test (4K-Full resolution, 64GB file size, 10bit RGB codec, single file test). Performance will vary depending on drives and application used.

Q: 10. Can I connect this drive to a new iMac? The USB 3ports on this drive look different than the USB 3 ports on the new iMac.

A: The included cable has the proper connections to plug it into the USB 3.0 ports on the iMac.