Western Digital MyBook Thunderbolt Duo Dual-Drive Storage System Review

Western Digital announces that it's now shipping its first Thunderbolt storage device, the My Book Thunderbolt dual-drive storage system, available in 4TB and 6TB for $600 and $700, like other Thunderbolt desktop drives, the My Book Thunderbolt Duo comes with two Thunderbolt ports on the back so you can daisy chain them together. There are dual Thunderbolt ports on the drive so you can daisy-chain multiple My Book Thunderbolt Duo devices or other peripherals and the My Book Thunderbolt Duo is a two-drive external array capable of 250MBps (actual) transfer rates using the Thunderbolt interface built into newer Macintosh desktops and laptops.



Western Digital,the world's leader in external storage solutions is now shipping its first external hard drive with Thunderbolt technology, the My Book Thunderbolt Duo dual-drive storage system. The new My Book Thunderbolt Duo provides professionals and Mac rates for greater work efficiency; a 4 TB/6 TB large-capacity; customized dual-drive storage system with RAID 0, 1 and JBOD options; customer serviceable drives; and dual Thunderbolt ports for daisy-chaining multiple My Book Thunderbolt Duo devices or other peripherals. Thunderbolt technology brings a new way to connect high-speed storage devices to any desktop or notebook computer with a Thunderbolt port while delivering unmatched speed for multitasking activities such as, editing video/music, 3D rendering, and completing other high definition graphics-intensive projects. "Offering lightning-fast throughput in both directions, the new WD Thunderbolt Duo storage systems are just what I need for organizing, editing, and archiving complex High Definition video projects," said Bruce Dorn, DGA (Director's Guild of America). "Configurable as either RAID 0 or RAID 1 and offered in both 4 TB and 6 TB capacities - these new WD Thunderbolt Duo systems are the perfect solution for video filmmakers who are desperate for an uber-fast time sensitive project management solution."



"The My Book Thunderbolt Duo offers large storage capacities for creative professionals and enthusiasts who produce, edit, or need quick access to large files, including HD video," said Jody Bradshaw, general manager of WD consumer storage solutions. "Its dual Thunderbolt ports provide amazing creative flexibility while allowing daisy-chaining of up to six My Book Thunderbolt Duo drives or other high performance peripherals for fast and efficient workflow. The combination of storage, backup, security, flexibility and speed makes the My Book Thunderbolt Duo the ideal choice for creative professionals who need to write, store, protect and edit high-definition and graphic intensive projects." My Book Thunderbolt Duo is an ideal, all-in-one external drive for creative professionals, enthusiasts, and consumers who own vast amounts of digital content including videos, music, and photos. The drive serves as a safe and reliable way to backup content stored on your computer while providing the fastest way to get information to and from the WD drive. In addition, its RAID 1 support allows users to create a second copy of their digital content on the drive for double-safe protection, and peace of mind. The drive also supports a JBOD mode (allocate each disk individually to a specific task) excellent option for users running Windows OS on a Mac. Additional features found on the My Book Thunderbolt Duo include out-of-the-box compatibility with Mac OS Time Machine and formatting for HFS + Journaled for Mac; capability for multi-stream workflows; and a 3-year limited warranty. The My Book Thunderbolt Duo is available now at select U.S. retailers and online at www.wdstore.com starting at $599.99 USD MSRP (4 TB) and $699.99 (6 TB).

OWC Mercury Aura Pro Express 6G 480GB SATA 3.0 SSD For MacBook Air Review

Apple's been cramming SSDs into MacBook Air machines for some time now, but Other World Computing believes in pushing the envelope and Mercury Aura Pro Express 6G 480GB SSD offers up to 3x faster performance and 8x more storage capacity for the MacBook Air, and for those who are already running low on local storage, this is a huge boon. Apple’s stock SSDs in current-generation Airs usually stop at around half the maximum speed and OWC gets to the faster speed by using a modern SandForce memory controller, although it doesn’t officially support the TRIM command to optimize the drive, it’s touted as having its own data block management techniques to keep the SSD fast throughout its lifespan. Compatible with current 11.1" and 13.3" MacBook Air models, the Mercury Aura Pro Express 6G 480GB model has a MSRP of $1,149.00 and is available from OWC and all Mercury Aura Pro Express 6G models include 7 percent over provisioning, Toggle Synchronous NAND, and a three-year warranty.

Other World Computing (OWC), a leading zero emissions Mac and PC technology company confirmed at Macworld its OWC Mercury Aura Pro Express 6G SSD is now available in a 480GB model size for the latest Apple MacBook Air 11.1-inch and 13.3-inch models which incorporate 6G (6Gb/s) data rate capabilities. The new Mercury Aura Pro Express 480GB model combines award-winning SandForce technologies and Tier 1/Grade A Toggle Synchronous NAND to deliver data rates up to 3x faster than factory 3G (3Gb/s) options and up to 8x the storage capacity of the factory's base 64GB SSD model. Joining two previously released Mercury Aura Pro Express 6G capacity models-120GB and 240GB-the new 6Gb/s SATA Revision 3.0 480GB model continues OWC's position as the only alternative to factory SSD options for the MacBook Air models. 3G speed Mercury SSDs from OWC are also available in capacities up to 480GB. OWC offers an easy online guide to assist consumers in selecting the correct Mercury Aura Pro Express SSD for any of Apple's MacBook Air models from 2008 to current. The Mercury Aura Pro Express 6G offers the latest MacBook Air owners a cost-effective SSD upgrade path that delivers higher performance, functionality, and reliability over the factory installed SSD. Because the Mercury Aura Pro Express 6G SSD is SATA Revision 3.0 (6Gb/s) compatible, it can take advantage of the MacBook Air's faster processors and built-in 6Gb/s SATA data bus to deliver peak, sustained data rates over 500MB/s, versus the factory installed SSDs, which are limited by SATA Revision 2.0 (3Gb/s) capability.


While ordinary SSDs initially offer fast read/write performance; they experience significant write speed degradation over repeated usage. Independent simulation tests conducted by leading drive performance experts like MacPerformanceGuide confirm OWC Mercury SSD's ultra-efficient Block Management & Wear Leveling technologies are able to eliminate virtually any reduction in data transfer speeds over heavy, long-term usage without dependency on less-than-effective OS TRIM management. "Our initial 120GB and 240GB 6G models were wildly successful as they enabled current model MacBook Air owners to experience the true capabilities of their machine," said Larry O'Connor, Founder and CEO, Other World Computing. "However, we continually received requests to duplicate the 480GB capacity offered in our 3G SSD line for the MacBook Air. Our new 6G 480GB model truly enables owners of 6G capable MacBook Air machines to have the best of both worlds: highest capacity and highest performance versus factory options." Compatible with current 11.1-inch and 13.3-inch MacBook Air models, the Mercury Aura Pro Express 6G 480GB model has a MSRP of $1,149.00 and is available from OWC. All Mercury Aura Pro Express 6G models include 7 percent over provisioning, Toggle Synchronous NAND, and a three-year warranty. For more information on the OWC Mercury Aura Pro Express 6G SSD for the MacBook Air line, including reseller inquires, visit: http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/SSD/OWC/Aura_Pro_Express