The ARC-8050T5U-6 is a 6-bay Thunderbolt 5 desktop RAID enclosure optimised for SAS/SATA-only drives.
It pairs Areca's Raid-on-Chip hardware RAID controller with on-board ECC-protected SDRAM cache to deliver sustained throughput for media workflows.
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– The UK’s Areca RAID Experts!The ARC-8050T5U-6 is a 6-bay desktop RAID enclosure that connects to modern workstations via Thunderbolt 5 and is configured for SAS/SATA-only drives. Designed for content creators and small media teams, it combines Areca's hardware RAID controller with on-board ECC-protected cache for sustained throughput and dependable rebuild behaviour.
This specific model supplies dual Thunderbolt 5 host ports plus a DisplayPort output and is intended where SAS or SATA drives are required across six bays.
True hardware RAID is delivered by a Raid-on-Chip (ROC) storage controller to relieve host CPU load and to provide consistent parity performance during rebuilds and heavy throughput periods.
On-board SDRAM Cache with ECC Protection provides a high-speed buffer and can be tuned between read and write allocation to suit the application workload.
Connection is via Thunderbolt 5 x 2 with a Display Port x 1 on the rear, and the package includes a 1m 120 Gbps active Thunderbolt™ 5 (USB-C) cable for immediate use.
This SKU uses a SAS or SATA storage interface across six drive bays and accepts 6 x HDDs or SSDs for local storage capacity and performance scaling.
Flexible RAID support includes 0, 1, 10, 3, 5, 6, 30, 50, 60, Single Disk and JBOD, together with features such as hot spare support, background initialisation and online RAID migration.
Controller-level hardware encryption supports 128- and 256-bit AES keys (or password-based variable key sizes), and SED (Self-encrypting drives) function support is provided for drive-level protection.
Local configuration is available via the front-panel LCD and buttons; network and host management are supported through an RJ-45 out-of-band port and in-band Thunderbolt management using ArcHTTP, McRAID storage manager and ArcSAP utilities.
This 6-bay model uses a single 2700rpm cooling fan and a 180W power supply; sound pressure level is specified as 35.5 dB for typical operation and the controller provides power On/Off controls to synchronise with host power state.
| Model | ARC-8050T5U-6 |
| Form Factor | Desktop 6-Bay |
| Drive Bays | 6 x HDDs or SSDs |
| Host Interface | 2 x Thunderbolt 5 ports |
| Video Output | Display Port x 1 (DisplayPort 2.1 MF video output) |
| Connection | Thunderbolt 5 x 2 / Display Port x 1 |
| Storage Interface | SAS or SATA |
| RAID Level | 0, 1, 10, 3, 5, 6, 30, 50, 60, Single Disk, JBOD |
| Expansion Support | N/A |
| Cooling Fan | 1 x 2700rpm |
| Power Supply | 180W |
| Physical Dimensions (H x W x D) | 4.84 x 8.45 x 9.11 in (146 x 255 x 290 mm) |
| Weight | 13.2 lbs / 6.0 Kg |
| Sound Pressure Level | 35.5 dB |
| XLR | N/A |
| OS Support | Thunderbolt 5 Host: macOS 15.3 or above, Windows 11(23H2) or above Thunderbolt 4 Host: macOS 14.x or above, Windows 11 or above Thunderbolt 3 Host: macOS 15.0 or above USB: OS Independent |
| Computer Port Type | Works with any Thunderbolt 5 | Thunderbolt 4 | Thunderbolt 3 (Mac Only) | USB4 or USB 3.2 Gne 2 |
| Included Cable | 1m 120 Gbps active Thunderbolt™ 5 (USB-C) cable included |
| Controller | Raid-on-Chip (ROC) Storage Controller |
| On-board Cache | On-board SDRAM Cache with ECC Protection |
| Encryption | Supports 128- and 256-bit encryption keys using AES (a key size of 128, or 256 bits), or password (a variable key size) |
| SED Support | SED (Self-encrypting drives) function support |
| Management | LCD; RJ-45 connector out-of-band management port; In-band management via Thunderbolt (ArcHTTP), McRAID and ArcSAP utilities |
| Power Controls | Power On/Off controls on the controller |
In general, next working day delivery services (UK Mainland) are available on Areca equipment orders placed before 2pm (subject to stock availability).
We kindly advise you let us preconfigure each Areca RAID (as RAID5, RAID6 etc), so they arrive properly setup, ready to “plug’n’play”.
This is a free service, and takes 1-2 days prior to shipping.
Non-timed deliveries should be delivered between the hours of 9am and 6pm.
Orders placed after 2pm on Fridays and on weekends will be processed as normal the following Monday.
Orders placed on Bank Holidays will be processed the next working day.
If urgent, please call one of our helpful account managers so they may double check everything for you, enabling you to place your order with confidence.
Please note: these product details are for guide purposes only, and may contain errors.
We always recommend double-checking the product specs and features on the the manufacturer website, or contact us if unsure before ordering.
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