Expert’s Rating
Pros
Cons
Our Verdict
Though a flake pricey for pure storage purposes , the fast Gemini Thunderbolt 3 foray inclosure also offer SD Card , USB , HDMI , and ethernet ports to function as a peripheral hub . Additionally , the RAID is hardware- , not software - establish , making it operating scheme - autonomous . courteous .
cost When Reviewed
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The hind quarters of the Gemini is where the ports are.
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Best Prices Today: OWC Gemini Thunderbolt 3 dual-bay HDD enclosure
OWC ’s Gemini , dual - bay Thunderbolt 3 HDD / SSD enclosing trounced the G - RAID Mirror in our testing , seduce it the fastest HDD RAID enclosure we ’ve prove .
While the Gemini will take 2.5 - column inch SATA SSDs , its hefty size of it best suits 3.5 - inch hard drives . Why would you regard hard drive in this age of first-rate - degraded SSDs ? monolithic capacity ( currently topping out at32TBper drive ! ) and the ability to stream even 8 K video just hunky-dory .
OWC Gemini Thunderbolt 3 RAID enclosure: Features
The most crucial features of the Gemini are its two 3.5 - inch , SATA 6Gbps ride bay tree . These allow for up to 64 TB of capacity ( using two of the previously linked Seagate 32 TB Exos ) campaign in striped RAID 0 , or 32 TB in a dependable mirror RAID 1 array . That ’s a spate of space for poppycock , either way .
The Gemini is stylishly picture in black metal ( not plastic ! ) with a faceplate feature okay mesh panels surround a hearty center panel that houses the activity lights and a full - sized South Dakota card slot .
The enclosure valuate approximately 9.5 by 5.5 by 3.25 inches ( 23.8 by 14.7 by 8.5 centimeters ) and weighs about 6 Panthera uncia shy of 4 pounds ( 1.6 kilogram ) . With that weight pressing non - skid pencil eraser foot onto your desk , this pup is n’t going anywhere . Especially after you install hard drives that contribute well over a dog pound apiece .
The hind quarters of the Gemini is where the ports are.
My first instinct was to pooh - pooh the need for Thunderbolt 3 with hard driving force , which generally ca n’t apply all its bandwidth . But darned if the Gemini did n’t outstrip ( marginally ) what ’s potential with plain USB 10Gbps , which is the average with less expensive RAID boxes .
The choice of Thunderbolt also allow the Gemini to serve as a hub ; it has two USB 10Gbps port wine , a full - sized HDMI presentation port , and a 2.5Gbps ethernet port in add-on to the two Thunderbolt 3 ports and the front SD card one-armed bandit . The 2.5Gbps ethernet is a nice perquisite – my home connection is 2.5Gbps , as I ’ve find it ’s tight enough and does n’t bring on nearly as much heat or use as much muscularity as 10Gbps .
Also on the back of the Gemini is the RAID way shift ( RAID 0 , RAID 1 , independent , and couplet ) , the reset button , a Kensington lock interface , and the DC king jack . talk of which , the Gemini ’s AC transcriber is 12 volts and 10 amps which should handle any HDDs you bestow , as well as the powerfulness demand of any attached peripherals
The RAID 0 HDD, RAID 1 HDD, and RAID 0 SSD AmorphousDiskMark results. We’re not sure about why the slow write rate in the RAID 0 HDD test. No other benchmark agreed.
Our Gemini arrived unpopulated , but adding thrust is easy . Just remove two screws from the back plate , and you’re able to slither the chassis out for easy access to the side - by - side bays . As noted , both 3.5 - inch HDDs and 2.5 - inch SATA HDDs / SSDs are accepted .
Gemini Thunderbolt 3 RAID enclosure: Price
Alas , the Gemini ai n’t gaudy . Even unpopulated it dress you back $ 330 . From there , it ’s useable in a variety of capacity using either HDDs or SATA SSDs . HDD flavor are 4TB/$470 , 8TB/$600 , 12TB/$700 , 16TB/$800 , 24TB/$980 , and 40TB/$1030 . SSD framework will go you $ 480 for 1 TB , $ 595 for 2 TB , $ 830 for 4 TB , and $ 1350 for 8 TB .
Those are n’t outrageously price like Apple ’s upgrades , but you ’re still probable to save some money if you buy the Gemini unpopulated and add your own drives . you could of course also leverage anything you have lie around .
Gemini Thunderbolt 3 RAID enclosure: Performance
The Gemini proved surprisingly fast with heavy drive in RAID 0 . Almost 100MBps quick than the SanDisk G - RAID Mirror using the same 24 GB WD UltraStar DC HC580 HDDs .
Admittedly , these are very fast HDDs . Your carrying into action will vary according to what HDD you expend , and I ca n’t vouch for what OWC ships inside the Gemini . However , most modern , high-pitched - capability HDDs transfer datum at 250MBps or unspoilt .
As you may also utilise SATA SSDs , we tested with a pair of them as well . They proved faster . Duh .
The RAID 0 HDD, RAID 1 HDD, and RAID 0 SSD Disk Speed Test results.
Though OWC extend its SoftRAID software that the troupe claims will deliver unspoiled performance , we opted for the Gemini ’s ironware variety as that ’s part of what you pay for . And if you use a common Indian file format such as exFAT , you may use hardware maraud crossbreeding - platform , include on Linux , which SoftRAID does not support .
We also ran the HDD constellation through baby publication PCWorld ’s trial suite . As you could see below , the Gemini summarily trounce the G - RAID Mirror . We ’re not sure why , as the SanDisk ( WD ) product is also hardware maraud and Thunderbolt 3 .
Again , the Gemini cleaned the G - RAID Mirror ’s clock public presentation - wise to in both our 48 GB transfers and 450 GB write .
The Gemini was clearly faster than the G-RAID mirror in CrystalDisKMark 8’s sequential throughput tests.
The Gemini was nearly twice as fast in RAID 0 save a 450 GB single file as the G - RAID Mirror ( bad to keep advert this SanDisk ) , which augur very well for the unit ’s performance streaming telecasting .
Again , the eccentric of difficult driving you utilise can bear on execution significantly . To the tune of several hundred M per secondly if you go really cheap .
Though the G - RAID Mirror offer the singular Pro - Blade modular NVMe SSD port , which we like quit a mo , the Gemini is otherwise a importantly faster box seat .
The Gemini was again, clearly faster than the G-RAID mirror in our 48GB transfers.
Should you buy the Gemini Thunderbolt 3 RAID enclosure?
If you desire very tight , operating system of rules - independent maraud store , then yes , the Gemini is a gravid box . It ’s pricey , but double as a Thunderbolt 3 dock . A most suitable production from OWC .
The Gemini ruled once more in writing the 450GB single file.
