StarTech.com 4 Bay Thunderbolt 3 NVMe Enclosure

The StarTech 4 Bay Thunderbolt 3 NVMe Enclosure is a purpose-built, high-performance external storage solution that turns four M.2 SSDs into a single, fast, versatile storage array. Designed for professionals who demand speed, capacity, and flexible connectivity, this self-powered enclosure leverages the blistering bandwidth of Thunderbolt 3 to deliver sustained throughput for demanding workloads such as 4K video editing, large data transfers, and real-time data processing. With support for both NVMe and AHCI M.2 drives, you can tailor your array for maximum performance or cost-effective capacity, all in a compact, rugged enclosure that fits seamlessly into professional workstations, studios, and IT environments. The inclusion of DisplayPort video output and two downstream Thunderbolt 3 ports further enhances its versatility, enabling direct monitor connections and expanded peripheral options without sacrificing speed or simplicity. Whether you are building a portable edit suite, expanding a workstation, or archiving large projects, this enclosure is engineered to deliver reliable, scalable storage with a unified, easy-to-manage interface.

• Four-bay M.2 support: Holds up to four M-Key PCIe NVMe or AHCI SSDs in M.2 form factor, enabling expansive external storage with high throughput for demanding workloads. This flexible design lets you combine fast NVMe drives for speed with larger SATA-based M.2 drives for capacity, all within a single, streamlined enclosure.
• Thunderbolt 3 performance: Delivers up to 40Gbps of bandwidth, providing rapid data transfers for large media files, project libraries, and database workloads. The high-throughput connection minimizes bottlenecks when working with multi-terabyte datasets or high-resolution video assets, helping keep your creative and IT workflows smooth and responsive.
• DisplayPort video output: Includes a built-in DisplayPort video output, enabling you to drive an external monitor directly from the enclosure. This is ideal for on-site editing suites, reference displays, or multi-display workstation configurations without needing an additional video capture or external GPU enclosure.
• Two downstream Thunderbolt 3 ports: Two TB3 downstream ports provide expansion options, allowing you to daisy-chain additional TB3 devices or connect multiple peripherals—such as external GPUs, hubs, or storage arrays—without sacrificing bandwidth to the main enclosure.
• Self-powered design: The enclosure ships with a 72W EPS power supply to reliably power all four drives and the Thunderbolt 3 bridge. This independent power source ensures stable operation regardless of host power constraints and helps maintain performance under heavy load.

Technical Details of StarTech.com 4 Bay Thunderbolt 3 NVMe Enclosure

• Drive support: Four bays designed for M.2 PCIe SSDs, compatible with NVMe and AHCI drives using the M-Key edge connector. This configuration enables flexible builds—maximize speed with NVMe or balance cost and capacity with SATA-based M.2 options.
• Interface and bandwidth: Thunderbolt 3 interface offering up to 40Gbps of total bidirectional bandwidth, enabling fast data movement between drives and host systems for intensive workloads.
• Video output: 1x DisplayPort video output on the enclosure to drive an external display directly from the device, streamlining multi-display setups or reference viewing without additional adapters.
• Expansion and daisy chaining: 2x Thunderbolt 3 downstream ports to connect additional TB3 devices or hubs, enabling scalable workstation configurations and extended connectivity while preserving high-speed access to the internal four-bay array.
• Power: Self-powered with an included 72W EPS power supply, ensuring stable operation and consistent performance across all installed drives without relying solely on host power.
• Product type: External multi-bay NVMe enclosure designed for professional storage expansion, content creation workflows, and data-intensive applications requiring fast, reliable external storage with flexible connectivity.

how to install StarTech.com 4 Bay Thunderbolt 3 NVMe Enclosure

• Prepare four M.2 PCIe SSDs (NVMe or AHCI) that you intend to use in the enclosure, ensuring you have the correct form factor and keying (M-Key) for PCIe compatibility.
• Power down your computer and the enclosure. Connect the included 72W power supply to the enclosure and plug it into a reliable outlet to ensure stable operation.
• Open the enclosure as directed in the manual, and insert each M.2 SSD into its respective bay, aligning the edge connectors with the card slots. Secure or seat each drive according to the enclosure’s mounting mechanism.
• Close the enclosure and reattach any access panels or screws as required by the design. Confirm that all drives are securely seated before proceeding.
• Connect a Thunderbolt 3 cable from your computer to the enclosure’s Thunderbolt 3 port. If you plan to use the DisplayPort output, connect a monitor to the DisplayPort connector on the enclosure as desired.
• Power on the enclosure and your computer. The operating system should recognize the new external storage. Use your OS’s disk management tool to initialize and format the four drives as needed for your workflow, applying the file systems appropriate for your needs (for example, APFS, HFS+, NTFS, exFAT, etc.).
• Configure any desired RAID or storage layout within your operating system if supported by your workflow requirements and ensure backups are in place for critical data.
• Test performance with representative workloads to confirm that read/write speeds meet expectations, and verify that the DisplayPort output and daisy-chained TB3 devices function correctly in your setup.

Frequently asked questions

• Q: Is this enclosure compatible with both Windows and macOS?

  A: Yes. The enclosure uses Thunderbolt 3, which provides cross-platform compatibility for systems with Thunderbolt 3 ports. Ensure your computer’s OS supports Thunderbolt and PCIe storage, and install any OS-level updates or Thunderbolt software if needed for optimal performance.

• Q: What kinds of drives can I install?

  A: You can install up to four M.2 PCIe SSDs, with support for NVMe and AHCI SATA drives that use the M-Key edge connector. This allows you to mix drive types to balance performance and capacity according to your needs.

• Q: How many Thunderbolt 3 devices can I daisy-chain?

  A: The enclosure provides two downstream Thunderbolt 3 ports, enabling you to daisy-chain additional TB3 devices or connect TB3 hubs, while maintaining access to the internal four-bay array.

• Q: Do I need any special drivers?

  A: In most cases, Thunderbolt 3 external storage is plug-and-play, and no extra drivers are required. Some Windows systems may benefit from Thunderbolt software or firmware updates, but this is dependent on the host system and OS version.

• Q: What powers the enclosure?

  A: The unit is self-powered with the included 72W EPS power supply, ensuring stable performance even when four drives are installed. It does not rely solely on the host for power.