Areca ARC-8050T5U-8E Thunderbolt™ 5 80 Gb/s Enclosure | USB 3.2 RAID 8x NVMe (U.2/U.3)/SAS/SATA

Areca ARC-8050T5U-8N – 8-bay Thunderbolt™ 5 hardware RAID array with support for NVMe, SAS, and SATA

Next-generation professional Thunderbolt™ 5 RAID array for 4K, 6K, and 8K content creators

Areca ARC-8050T5U-8N is an advanced 8-bay enterprise-class RAID array equipped with the latest Thunderbolt™ 5 interface and a hardware RAID controller featuring Tri-Mode technology, enabling simultaneous support for NVMe U.2/U.3, 12 Gb/s SAS, and 6 Gb/s SATA drives. With a bandwidth of 80 Gb/s—and up to 120 Gb/s in Bandwidth Boost mode—the device delivers the performance required for professional editing of 4K, 6K, and 8K content, rendering special effects, and working with massive data libraries.

The ARC-8050T5U-8N model is designed for users of Apple Mac computers and high-performance Windows workstations who demand the highest performance, data security, and configuration flexibility.

Key Features

• Thunderbolt™ 5 with up to 80 Gb/s bandwidth
• Bandwidth Boost technology up to 120 Gb/s
• 8 drive bays supporting:
• NVMe U.2/U.3
• SAS 12 Gb/s
• SATA 6 Gb/s
• enterprise-class hardware RAID controller
• 8 GB of DDR4 ECC cache
• two Thunderbolt™ 5 (USB-C) ports
• compatibility with Thunderbolt 5, Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3 (Mac), USB4, and USB 3.2 Gen 2
• DisplayPort 2.1 output with support for two 6K monitors
• Hardware-based data encryption
• Support for SED (Self-Encrypting Drives)
• Configuration via Thunderbolt, Ethernet, or LCD display
• Active Thunderbolt™ 5 cable (120 Gb/s) included.

Thunderbolt 5 – Maximum Performance for Professionals

Thanks to Thunderbolt™ 5, the ARC-8050T5U-8N array offers up to twice the bandwidth of Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4 solutions.

This allows for simultaneous:

• editing of 4K, 6K, and 8K content,
• support for two 6K monitors,
• transfer of large files,
• connecting additional Thunderbolt devices via daisy chain,
• charging a compatible laptop via Thunderbolt.

Tri-Mode – Complete Configuration Flexibility

The ARC-8050T5U-8N model utilizes Tri-Mode technology, allowing each of its eight bays to support three types of storage media:

• NVMe U.2/U.3 PCIe
• SAS 12Gb/s
• SATA 6Gb/s

This allows you to create both ultra-fast NVMe arrays designed for video editing and AI workloads, as well as high-capacity SAS or SATA configurations for archiving and long-term data storage.

Enterprise-Class Hardware RAID

At the heart of the device is a modern RAID-on-Chip (ROC) controller equipped with 8 GB of DDR4 ECC memory, which performs all RAID operations in hardware without taxing the computer’s CPU.

Supported RAID levels:

• RAID 0
• RAID 1
• RAID 10
• RAID 3
• RAID 5
• RAID 6
• RAID 30
• RAID 50
• RAID 60
• JBOD
• Single Disk

The array also offers advanced enterprise-class features, such as:

• online RAID level migration,
• capacity expansion without downtime,
• automatic array rebuild,
• hardware-based data encryption,
• and performance optimization for video environments.

Built for Apple Mac and Windows

The Areca ARC-8050T5U-8N is designed for professional users:

• Apple Mac Studio
• Mac Pro
• MacBook Pro
• Mac mini
• Apple Silicon computers (M1, M2, M3, M4, and newer)
• Windows workstations with Thunderbolt™ 5

The array also works with computers equipped exclusively with a USB4 or USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2) port, allowing it to be used outside of a Thunderbolt environment as well.

Professional Data Protection

The ARC-8050T5U-8N offers features that enhance data security:

• hardware-based encryption at the controller level,
• support for SED drives,
• ECC cache,
• intelligent power management,
• simultaneous firmware updates for all drives,
• monitoring and configuration via Thunderbolt, Ethernet, or the LCD display.

Technical Specifications

• Model: Areca ARC-8050T5U-8N
• Number of bays: 8
• Host interface: 2 × Thunderbolt™ 5 (USB-C)
• Bandwidth up to 80 Gb/s (120 Gb/s Bandwidth Boost)
• Supported drives: NVMe U.2/U.3, SAS 12 Gb/s, SATA 6 Gb/s
• RAID controller: Hardware RAID-on-Chip (ROC)
• Cache 8 GB DDR4 ECC
• Supported RAID modes: 0, 1, 10, 3, 5, 6, 30, 50, 60, JBOD, Single Disk
• Video output: DisplayPort 2.1
• Daisy chain up to 6 devices
• Power supply: 300 W
• Cooling: 2 smart fans
• Dimensions: 146 × 302 × 290 mm
• Weight: approx. 6.8 kg
• Operating system: macOS 15.3 or later, Windows 11 (23H2) or later; USB – platform-independent
• Package contents: Active Thunderbolt™ 5 cable (1 m, 120 Gb/s)

Ideal Applications

The Areca ARC-8050T5U-8N is perfect for:

• editing 4K, 6K, and 8K footage,
• film post-production,
• television production,
• photography and graphic design,
• DIT environments,
• AI and machine learning projects utilizing high-speed data storage,
• professional backup,
• data archiving,
• and work with Adobe Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut Pro, Avid Media Composer, and other applications requiring very high storage performance.

Why buy from Abart Pro?

Abart Pro is the official distributor of Areca solutions in Poland. We offer professional Thunderbolt RAID arrays, hardware controllers, and SAS, NVMe, and Fibre Channel solutions for macOS and Windows users. We provide expert technical advice, assistance in selecting the right RAID configuration, and support for implementing high-performance and secure storage systems for film studios, production companies, photographers, and data centers. With many years of experience, we help build solutions that guarantee the highest performance, reliability, and data security.