The ARC-8050T5U-8E is an 8-bay desktop RAID enclosure exposing SAS/SATA drive connectivity via a true hardware RAID controller and dual Thunderbolt 5 host ports. It includes a full-sized DisplayPort 2.1 output and a 1m 120 Gbps active Thunderbolt 5 cable for immediate connection.
* New Thunderbolt 5 Version – Maximise Your Computer’s TB5 Bandwidth.
** New, Even Faster Internal RAID Controller Compared To Previous TB3 Version.
£ please call for the price
We pride ourselves on knowing, selling and supporting Areca RAIDs & Controllers better than anyone else in the UK!
All our Areca RAIDs ship pre-configured & tested (RAID5 or RAID6, for Mac or PC). Please allow us 1-2 days to do this for you for free.
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– The UK’s Areca RAID Experts!The ARC-8050T5U-8E is an 8-bay desktop RAID storage enclosure that exposes SAS/SATA drive connectivity through a hardware RAID controller and high-speed Thunderbolt 5 host interfaces. It is intended for professional video and data workflows that demand hardware RAID, on-board cache, and modern Thunderbolt/USB host compatibility.
Designed to sit next to a workstation, the unit combines controller-level features for data protection with Thunderbolt 5 bandwidth and a full-sized DisplayPort output for display routing.
Built around a Raid-on-Chip (ROC) storage controller with on-board SDRAM cache and ECC protection, the unit supplies true hardware RAID functionality so parity and rebuild work are handled by the controller rather than the host.
Two Thunderbolt 5 ports provide the primary host connections while a full-sized DisplayPort 2.1 MF video output offers direct display routing from the enclosure.
Thunderbolt 5 delivers 80 gigabits per second (Gbps) bi-directional bandwidth and, with Bandwidth Boost, can provide up to 120 Gbps for demanding display and data scenarios.
The 8E variant uses SAS/SATA drive interfaces, accommodating industry-standard SAS and SATA HDDs or SSDs in an 8-bay desktop chassis.
Supports RAID levels 0, 1, 10, 3, 5, 6, 30, 50, 60, Single Disk and JBOD, with controller-level hardware encryption and support for self-encrypting drives (SEDs).
Configuration and monitoring are available through the front-panel LCD, in-band Thunderbolt management, out-of-band RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet, the firmware web-based McRAID manager and the ArcSAP graphical utility.
Local controller-based hardware encryption supports 128- and 256-bit AES keys or password-based keys, while SED support enables drive-level encryption without OS interaction.
The 8-bay unit is cooled by two 2700rpm fans and supplied by a 300W power supply; intelligent fan control reduces noise to a whisper-quiet level suitable for AV workspaces.
The ARC-8050T5U-8E is a desktop 8-bay enclosure sized for desktop placement and does not provide SAS expansion on this variant.
Computer port compatibility includes Thunderbolt™ 5 and USB 3.2 Gen 2; the unit is designed to work with modern Thunderbolt/USB hosts and supports daisy-chaining up to 10 devices.
| Form Factor | Desktop 8-Bay |
| Connection | Thunderbolt 5 x 2 / Display Port x 1 |
| Host Interface | 2 x Thunderbolt 5 ports; 1 x Display Port |
| Display Output | Full sized DisplayPort 2.1 MF video output |
| Thunderbolt Bandwidth | 80 gigabits per second (Gbps); with Bandwidth Boost provide up to 120 Gbps |
| Included Cable | 1m 120 Gbps active Thunderbolt™ 5 (USB-C) cable included |
| Storage Interface | SAS/SATA |
| RAID Level | 0, 1, 10, 3, 5, 6, 30, 50, 60, Single Disk, JBOD |
| Expansion Support | N/A |
| Cooling Fan | 2 x 2700rpm |
| Power Supply | 300W |
| On-board Cache | On-board SDRAM Cache with ECC Protection |
| Controller | Raid-on-Chip (ROC) Storage Controller |
| Hardware RAID | True hardware RAID controller |
| Encryption | Controller-level hardware encryption; supports 128- and 256-bit encryption keys using AES or password |
| SED Support | SED (self-encrypting drives) function support |
| Management Interfaces | LCD; RJ-45 out-of-band Gigabit Ethernet port; In-band Thunderbolt management (ArcHTTP); Web browser-based McRAID manager; ArcSAP |
| Power On/Off Controls | Integrated power On/Off controls to turn power in unison with host computer |
| Whisper-Quiet Operation | Intelligent cooling with low sound levels |
| Sound Pressure Level | 37 dB |
| Thunderbolt Daisy-chain | Supports daisy-chaining up to 10 devices |
| Computer Port Type | Thunderbolt™ 5 & USB 3.2 Gen 2 |
| Compatibility | Works with any Thunderbolt 5 | Thunderbolt 4 | Thunderbolt 3 (Mac Only) | USB4 or USB 3.2 Gen 2 |
| OS Support | Thunderbolt 5: macOS 15.0 or later & Windows 11 or later ; USB: OS Independent |
| Physical Dimensions (H x W x D) | 5.7 x 11.8 x 11.4 in (146 x 302 x 290 mm) |
| Weight | 14.9 lbs / 6.8 Kg |
| XLR | N/A |
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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