by 14 reviews.
OWC 28TB miniStack STX Review: A High-Capacity Thunderbolt 4 Storage Hub for Professionals
The OWC 28TB miniStack STX is a Thunderbolt 4-certified storage and expansion hub designed for professionals who need both high-speed performance and massive storage capacity. Combining a 20TB 7200 RPM HDD and an 8TB NVMe M.2 SSD, this device promises lightning-fast speeds of up to 770MB/s, making it ideal for tasks like 4K video editing, large dataset management, and multitasking across multiple displays. With its sleek, stackable design and versatile connectivity options, the miniStack STX aims to be the ultimate solution for creatives and professionals. But does it live up to the hype? Let’s dive into the details.
Pros and Cons: What Customers Are Saying
Build Quality and Design
Pros:
- Premium Build: Customers consistently praise the miniStack STX for its solid construction and thoughtful design. One reviewer noted, "Even while unboxing, you can tell that a lot of thought and care went into this piece of equipment."
- Compact and Stackable: The device’s stackable design is a hit among users, especially those with limited desk space. It pairs seamlessly with other hubs and devices like the Mac Studio.
- Aesthetic Appeal: The sleek silver finish and LED light indicator add a touch of sophistication to any workstation.
Cons:
- LED Light Always On: Some users found the LED light (which changes color based on power status) to be distracting, as it remains lit even when the computer is off.
Performance and Speed
Pros:
- Fast SSD Speeds: The NVMe SSD slot delivers the advertised 770MB/s read/write speeds, which is more than sufficient for most professional tasks. A video editor shared, "I rendered a video on my NVMe, and the STX performed flawlessly, matching the speed of a more expensive hub."
- HDD Performance: The 20TB HDD averages around 270MB/s, which is standard for high-capacity hard drives.
- Real-World Usability: Despite some concerns about speed limitations, users found the miniStack STX more than capable for everyday tasks. "The STX will transfer a 5GB file in 6.5 seconds—pretty fast for most workflows," one reviewer noted.
Cons:
- Speed Limitations: Some users were disappointed by the device’s maximum speed of 770MB/s, which is significantly slower than other Thunderbolt 4 enclosures that can achieve up to 2800MB/s.
- PCIe 3.0 Bottleneck: The internal bus uses PCIe 3.0, which limits the potential speed of high-performance SSDs.
Noise and Durability
Pros:
- Quiet Operation: The larger radial fan in this generation of the miniStack STX is whisper-quiet, with most noise coming from the spinning HDD. "The fan is not really audible, and the HDD hum is minimal," said one user.
- Reliability: Many users reported no issues with durability, and the device comes with a 3-year OWC limited warranty.
Cons:
- HDD Noise: While the fan is quiet, the HDD can produce a noticeable hum when spinning. However, this is a common issue with any HDD enclosure.
- Potential Failures: One user reported that their unit died after just one week of use, with no lights or signs of life.
Compatibility and Setup
Pros:
- Versatile Connectivity: The miniStack STX works with Thunderbolt or USB-equipped devices, including Macs, PCs, iPads, and Chromebooks. It also supports multiple displays, making it a great hub for creative professionals.
- Easy Installation: Installing the HDD and SSD is straightforward, though it requires some patience.
Cons:
- Thunderbolt Requirement for SSD: A major drawback is that the SSD slot only works with Thunderbolt-capable motherboards. One frustrated user shared, "I found out the hard way that my PC’s motherboard isn’t Thunderbolt-capable, rendering the SSD slot useless."
- Misleading Marketing: Some customers felt that the product’s limitations were buried in fine print, leading to confusion and disappointment.
Value for Money
Pros:
- Massive Storage Capacity: The combination of a 20TB HDD and 8TB SSD offers unparalleled storage for professionals.
- Additional Thunderbolt Ports: The hub provides extra Thunderbolt 4 ports, which are invaluable for expanding your setup.
Cons:
- High Price Point: At its current price, some users feel the miniStack STX is overpriced, especially given its speed limitations.
- Better Alternatives: For those prioritizing speed, there are cheaper enclosures that offer faster performance.
Conclusion: Is the OWC 28TB miniStack STX Worth It?
The OWC 28TB miniStack STX is a powerful and versatile storage solution that excels in build quality, storage capacity, and quiet operation. It’s an excellent choice for professionals who need a reliable hub for large-scale data storage and Thunderbolt expansion. However, its speed limitations and Thunderbolt dependency for the SSD slot may deter power users seeking top-tier performance.
Final Verdict: If you’re a creative professional or data-heavy user looking for a sleek, high-capacity storage hub with solid performance, the miniStack STX is a great investment. However, if speed is your top priority, you might want to explore faster (and potentially cheaper) alternatives.
Specification OWC 28TB (20TB HDD 7200 RPM, 8TB NVMe m.2 SSD) miniStack STX Stackable Storage and Thunderbolt Hub Xpansion Solution:
Comments from Amazon:
I purchased this to use as a backup device for my data. I bought only the enclosure and got a 20TB WD Red Plus and a 4TB Crucial P3 Plus M.2 SSD. It's my first SSD purchase so I can't comment on speed vs other brands but I can say that Crucial is a good middle of the road option. It balances Speed with Cost and Reliability. It performs much better than I expected. Very fast transfers compared to using the WD HDD. This is the second MiniStack that I've purchased over the years. The first one I bought didn't have nearly the versatility of this one and although they claimed it was supposed to be silent it wasn't. Same goes for this one but I'm pleased to report that this generation uses a larger radial fan and it's whisper quiet. The HDD spinning makes more noise than the fan. Installing the HDD and SSD were relatively easy if you take your time. On the front of the enclosure is the OWC logo. When your computer is powered on the logo changes to blue and when the computer is off it changes to white but stays lit continuously. Overall I am very happy with this purchase. I did save some money by populating it with my own HDD and SSD. I'm not sure what brand of drives OWC uses but I'm sure the SSD will be capable of higher speeds and larger capacity than what Crucial offers. You just have to be willing to pay the price for it.
I just found out the hard way after speaking with OWC technical support that this product's SSD slot will NOT work if the motherboard of the PC is not Thunderbolt capable. What?!?! This is AFTER I unboxed the item, bought and installed a standard hard drive, threw away the box, and purchased a 2 TB SSD. I was having multiple issues with getting the SSD recognized. Does this look like language that indicates there is significant product limitations on PCs? "Compatible with Thunderbolt or USB equipped Macs, PCs, iPads, Chromebooks, Android tablets, virtually anything that supports external storage; includes Thunderbolt cable" When I called tech support, they referred me to the product page 1. On their own website 2. Under the specifications section 3. In the fine print along the bottom This is akin to burying something important in terms and conditions, and hoping nobody notices! I'm furious and I'm likely going to ask for a refund (without a box), and hope for the best. My other options include 1. locating and installing a brand new motherboard with thunderbolt compatibility, 2. Buying a brand new PC and hoping it's TB compatible, or 3. Switching from a PC to a Mac for all of my computing.
the data transfer rate is not as fast as you might expect. The ministack uses PCI3 which is not as fast as other protocols. However, changes are you will not notice it.
This will give your Mac Mini greater storage and 4 more thunderbolts ports.
The blurb makes the STX sound wonderful and if it did what it claims it would be great. However buyer beware, this thing is slower than a tortoise - it's supposed to be Thunderbolt 4! Copying 8x5gb files from the STX to my Mac mini 2023 - over 7 hours!!! Most OWC are good, sadly this one is garbage
This thing has a DARK SECRET. It has a maximum speed of 770MB/s because of a substandard slow internal bus. A fast M.2 SSD over thunderbolt 4 should be able to do around 2800 MB/s in a professional enclosure. This is not a pro piece of gear. This is an absolute rip off. You can buy an enclosure for 1 tenth the price that will be 5 times faster. UPDATE: After only one week of running, this piece of gear has DIED. NO lights, just dead. Nice.
I was impressed with the build quality of the STX, and even while unboxing it you can tell that a lot of thought and care went into this piece of equipment. The MiniStack STX will hit the stated 770MB/s read/write speeds for the NVMe SSD drive slot (the HDD drive won't hit those speeds because of limitations of those drives, not because of the STX). The HDD I used averaged about 270MB/s read/write speeds. After moving from an old 2011 iMac with USB 2.0 and seeing external drives transfer at 25MB/s, when I got my new computer with much faster ports, I wanted drive speeds to match that. So I ended up initially buying the Trebleet hub, which with the same NVMe drive I have, will do 2800MB/s read/write. It also has some useful ports on the front which my computer lacked (as a video editor, I mostly use the extra SD card slot). I decided to buy the STX mainly as a backup hub. After years of lots of small external drives scattered around my desk, I love that it stacks neatly with my other hub and Mac Studio, and can handle a high-capacity HDD drive, in addition to the NVMe SSD. As a video editor, I saw others mention the noise, and can say that the fan is not really audible, but the HDD makes a tiny hum when spinning (not the STX's fault, would happen with any HDD enclosure). Overall it's super quiet and I can tell you it would not affect my video editing. You can eject the HDD disk on your computer and it will stop spinning, which is also an option. The NVMe drive in the STX does not make any noise as it has no moving parts. I was concerned about speed limitations for rendering video, but even with a new fast computer, I rendered a video on my NVMe, moving the drive between the Trebleet and the MiniStack STX. The final file rendered in 1 minute, 9 seconds in both scenarios (the computer was the limiting factor) and the file was 254.3MB. So when rendering to the external NVMe, it had to move 3.69MB/s onto the drive, far under the 770MB/s or 270MB/s the STX is capable of. Speed geeks may have trouble pairing it with a Mac Studio due to a "max performance" obsession, but in reality the 770Mb/s of the STX is far and above what is actually needed day-to-day in the real world, in my opinion. The STX will transfer a 5 Gigbyte file in 6.5 seconds. Pretty fast. Pair that with the ability to put up to a 24TB HDD in addition to the NVMe SSD, and you have a powerful combination. It also provides extra Thunderbolt 4 hubs as well, which I am using to run my display. Overall, if you want to pair blazing SSD speeds with a massive HDD storage capability, as well as additional Thunderbolt 4 ports, the MiniStack STX comes highly recommended!