OWC Mercury Helios 3S

  • Category: Adapter/Expansion
Other World Computing, Inc.
Operating System: 
MacOS
Operating System: 
Windows
Self or Bus Powered: 
Self Powered
Number of Thunderbolt Ports: 
2
Thunderbolt Version: 
Thunderbolt 3

Maximize Your PCIe Card Investment
Using a video, audio, storage, network, or even gaming PCIe card with a Mac Pro or PC desktop is a simple matter of inserting your card into an open slot. But what do you do if you have a laptop or even a space-confined desktop like an iMac or Mac mini that doesn’t contain a PCIe slot?

The OWC Mercury Helios 3S is an easy to use yet powerful expansion solution that adds an external PCIe slot to your Thunderbolt 3 equipped computer. Now you can maximize your existing PCIe card investment — or expand it! — while enjoying the flexibility of adding professional-class video production, transcoding, audio processing, data storage, and high-speed network connectivity to your machine.

Pro-Level Performance Cards for Every Need
Mercury Helios 3S supports a wide variety of half-length, full-height, single or double-width, pro-level PCIe cards from leading brands like AJA, Apogee, ATTO, Avid Pro Tools, Blackmagic Design, CalDigit, HighPoint, Intel, Solid State Logic, Universal Audio, and OWC:

* Video capture
* Digital audio
* Solid State Drive (SSD)
* 40GbE/10GbE network adapters
* SAS controllers
* Firewire, USB, or eSATA host adapters

Capture, Stream, and Share in Seconds
With dual 40Gbps Thunderbolt 3 ports, the Mercury Helios 3S offers the bandwidth needed to support data-intensive 4K capture cards to speed up diverse video workflows such as vlogging. Boost your DAW with external DSP acceleration and run larger mixes with multiple plug-ins. Live stream the action in your gaming sessions or share files over a 10GbE or Fibre Channel network without any speed throttling.

Quick and Easy Card Swaps with Helios 3S
1. Disconnect Helios 3S Thunderbolt cable from computer
2. Disconnect power cord from Helios 3S
3. Remove two thumb screws and swap card
4. Reconnect power cord to Helios 3S
5. Reconnect Helios 3S Thunderbolt cable to computer

Note: If your PCIe card requires a driver, always follow the manufacturer’s instructions for installation.

Add New Capabilities to Your Workflow
Thunderbolt 3 offers more than just speed. Mercury Helios 3S leverages the full power of Thunderbolt 3 to deliver added potential to your Mac or PC. Daisy-chain up to five additional Thunderbolt peripherals for incredible capabilities to work or play. Charge your notebook with 85W while you work. Even add another 4K monitor via the DisplayPort interface to expand your viewing space.

Plug and Play
No special software or drivers needed…just plug the Mercury Helios 3S into an open Thunderbolt 3 port on your computer with the included cable to immediately expand your system capabilities.

No tools required either…just remove two thumb screws and insert a card to start enjoying productivity gains wherever your work takes you.