OWC announces Helios PCIe Thunderbolt Chassis


Other World Computing recently announced a Thunderbolt chassis for PCIe cards. Essentially it provides PCIe expansion similar to a Mac Pro to all Thunderbolt Macs.

The OWC Mercury Helios PCIe Expansion Chassis gives users of Thunderbolt port equipped computers like the Mac mini, iMac, and MacBook the ability to tap into a wide variety of professional-level performance PCIe adapters that were once the sole domain of desktop workstations. Helios utilizes any half-length PCIe 2.0 card (up to 6.5") to provide a massive boost to your workflow.


The Helios is certified to work with a handful of compatible cards. In many cases vendors needed to rework their drivers to function over Thunderbolt. OWC is marketing the product for both storage and expansion for its SSD products, in addition to third party cards. The solution offers up to 10 Gb/sec speeds, ideal for uncompressed video, network, or fast data storage. Users can chain up to six Helios boxes, plus a Mini Display Port to a Mac.

The OWC Mercury Helios is available now for $379.99.

Other World Computing
List of compatible cards