MagStor LTO-9 18TB Thunderbolt 3 Desktop Tape Drive with HDD Bay - TAA

MagStor Thunderbolt 3 LTO-9 Desktop Tape Drive (TAA)
The ultimate solution for high-capacity, long-term data archival and backup.

Experience the perfect blend of cutting-edge LTO-9 technology and unmatched portability with the patented MagStor TRB3-HL9. Designed for creative professionals, government agencies, and businesses that demand reliable, long-term data security, this TAA-compliant desktop drive connects effortlessly to your Mac or PC.

Features and Benefits

• Dual-Interface Connectivity: Seamlessly connect to your modern desktop or laptop via Thunderbolt 3 or USB4-enabled USB-C ports. (Apple and Intel Certified for macOS and Windows).
• Massive LTO-9 Capacity: Store up to 18TB (native) of data per cartridge, offering a high-density, cost-effective solution for your growing archive. Backward compatible with LTO-8 (read/write 12TB native capacity).
• Blazing Fast Speeds: Achieve native read/write transfer rates of up to 300 MB/s, ensuring quick data access and efficient backup windows.
• Unrivaled Data Longevity: LTO tapes offer a remarkable 30-year shelf life under normal environmental conditions, providing true archival security far beyond hard drives.
• Built-in Power Supply: Internal 100-240V auto-sensing PSU—no external brick needed. Cleaner setup, reduced cable clutter, and reliable operation in desktop or mobile setups.
• TAA Compliant: Meets Trade Agreements Act requirements, making it ideal for U.S. government procurement. Premium LTO drives with a blue eject button are manufactured in Japan. 
• Patented Technology: MagStor holds the patent for Thunderbolt to LTO tape backup technology, ensuring you're investing in a protected and reliable solution.
• Integrated Hot-Swap Bay: Features a built-in 3.5" HDD/SSD Tray-less Hot-Swap Dock (SATA III connector) for convenient, tool-free temporary disk storage, backup, or staging.
• Three Year Warranty: MagStor has a standard 3 year warranty that can be upgraded to a 5 year warranty at an additional cost.

Thunderbolt™ 3 devices are fully backward compatible with earlier generations of Thunderbolt™ technology. For systems with legacy Thunderbolt™ ports, the Apple MMEL2AM/A adapter is recommended.

LTFS - Drag and Drop
MagStor supports the Linear Tape File System (LTFS) and ships a free license for Hedge Canister for MacOS and Windows (a $399 value). With LTFS, an LTO tape mounts just like a hard disk or USB device with drag and drop functionality.

Works with your Favorite Backup/Archive Software
MagStor LTO 9 is compatible with industry leading LTO archiving and media management software for macOS and Windows including:

• Hedge Canister (Included)
• IperiusBackup
• myLTO
• PreRollPost
• Retrospect
• StorageDNA
• Third-Party TAR based backup software, Acronis etc.
• Veeam
• YoYotta LTFS

Interface:
Two Thunderbolt™ 3 front-facing 40 Gb/s interface ports allow connection to a MAC or PC with a Thunderbolt™ 3 compatible USB-C Port

Speed:
LTO9 (HH) Half Height Tape drive with up to 300 MB/sec native transfer rate

Data Cartridge:
Read/Write LTO-9 data cartridge; 18TB native storage capacity
Read/Write LTO-8 data cartridge; 12TB native storage capacity

Power Supply:
No power brick - Internal 100/240 VAC 50/60 Hz Auto-sensing

Dimensions and Weight:
13.4 x 5.8 x 6.8 inches (L x H x W) / 12.7 lbs

Supported Operating Systems:

• MAC OSX 10.12 or higher (Intel or Apple Silicon M1, M2, M3, M4)
• Windows 10, 11

What's in the Box?

• One desktop MagStor HH LTO9 tape drive with two Thunderbolt™ 3 front-facing interface ports
• One 2 Meter MagStor (Intel Certified) Thunderbolt™ 3 Active 40 Gb/s cable
• One US power cable (No power brick - Internal 100/240 VAC 50/60 Hz Auto-sensing)
• Three-year warranty from MagStor that can be upgraded to a 5 year warranty at an additional cost

Thunderbolt™ 3 devices are fully backward compatible with previous generations of Thunderbolt™ technology. We recommend the Apple MMEL2AM/A adapter with those using older Thunderbolt™ ports.

System Requirements

• USB Type-C Port with Thunderbolt or USB4 specification (USB 3, 3.1, 3.2 not supported)
• Data Source of 170 MB/s+ transfer rate (1GbE Ethernet is not sufficient)
• Backup or Archive Software (Hedge Canister is Included)

Download the MagStor Thunderbolt 3 Tape Drives Data Sheet

What you need to know about LTO-9 Tape Initialization
When you insert a brand-new LTO-9 tape into your MagStor (or any other brand ) drive for the first time, the drive will automatically perform a one-time media initialization (also called characterization or calibration) process. This is a required step unique to LTO-9 technology that optimizes data placement on the tape by calibrating to its specific characteristics, ensuring maximum performance, reliability, and long-term durability over the tape's 30-year archive life. The process involves the drive spooling through the entire tape and typically takes 35-90 minutes (though it can occasionally extend up to 2 hours), during which the drive light may flash and the tape will be unavailable for reading or writing. Importantly, this initialization happens only once per tape—subsequent loads into any compatible LTO-9 drive (even in different systems or locations) will not require it again. After initialization completes, you can then format the tape with LTFS software (such as the included Hedge Canister) for easy drag-and-drop file access, or use it with your preferred backup application. This simple, automatic step helps deliver the full potential of your LTO-9 media right from the start.

MagStor® is a registered trademark of MagStor Inc • Thunderbolt™ 3 is a trademark of Intel • MAC™ is a trademark of Apple