---
product_id: 224525297
title: "OWC Mercury Helios 3S Thunderbolt 3 PCIe Expansion Solution"
brand: "owc"
price: "$862"
currency: NZD
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 8
category: "Owc"
url: https://www.desertcart.nz/products/224525297-owc-mercury-helios-3s-thunderbolt-3-pcie-expansion-solution
store_origin: NZ
region: New Zealand
---

# 40Gbps Thunderbolt 3 speed Tool-free PCIe card installation Supports up to 8K DisplayPort 1.4 OWC Mercury Helios 3S Thunderbolt 3 PCIe Expansion Solution

**Brand:** owc
**Price:** $862
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Summary

> ⚡ Unlock Pro-Level Power & Speed — Your Laptop’s New Best Friend

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** OWC Mercury Helios 3S Thunderbolt 3 PCIe Expansion Solution by owc
- **How much does it cost?** $862 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.nz](https://www.desertcart.nz/products/224525297-owc-mercury-helios-3s-thunderbolt-3-pcie-expansion-solution)

## Best For

- owc enthusiasts

## Why This Product

- Trusted owc brand quality
- Free international shipping included
- Worldwide delivery with tracking
- 15-day hassle-free returns

## Key Features

- • **Tool-Free PCIe Card Swapping:** Switch professional-grade PCIe cards in seconds—no tools, no downtime, just pure efficiency.
- • **8K-Ready DisplayPort 1.4 Output:** Connect stunning ultra-high-definition displays for crystal-clear visuals and immersive productivity.
- • **Versatile Pro-Grade Expansion Dock:** Transform your laptop or compact desktop into a powerhouse with support for video, audio, storage, and network PCIe cards.
- • **85W Notebook Charging While You Work:** Keep your laptop powered up and ready without cluttering your desk with extra chargers.
- • **Blazing 40Gbps Thunderbolt 3 Transfer:** Experience ultra-fast data flow that keeps your workflow lightning quick and future-proof.

## Overview

The OWC Mercury Helios 3S is a premium Thunderbolt 3 PCIe expansion enclosure delivering blazing 40Gbps transfer speeds, tool-free installation, and support for half-length, full-height, double-width PCIe cards. It features DisplayPort 1.4 for up to 8K displays and provides 85W charging to keep your notebook powered. Compatible with both Windows and macOS, it’s the ultimate solution for professionals seeking to extend their laptop or compact desktop’s capabilities with pro-grade video, audio, storage, and networking cards.

## Description

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. Instead of buying one or more function-dedicated Thunderbolt interface devices, you can use Mercury Helios 3S like a dock for multiple PCIe cards. Capture incredibly high-quality audio with a PCIe audio card and then retask Helios 3S with a PCIe SSD card to edit and archive tracks. You can swap cards in minutes, adding a new level of flexibility to your workflow. 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

Review: The Unit worked flawlessly - I used this earlier today to bring in two cameras using the Blackmagic Decklink card. The connection was flawless. I am using vMix to stream and I can bring in the cameras separately. The price is right and the unit is well made. You don't need extra tools to install your card and mine fits in easily. I am still looking for something to complain about...wish me good luck...lol
Review: Flawless way to add 1394 FireWire PCIe card via Thunderbolt 3+ - Needed to find a new solution to add 1394a over Thuderbolt 3+, now that the latest firmware from Intel dropped legacy Thunderbolt 2 support. That meant I can no longer use the Thunderbolt 3 to 2 and Thunderbolt 2 to 1394b adapters from Apple on my Asus Maximus Z790 Hero. I also did not want to take up a PCIe slot on the motherboard. The Helios 3S allowed me to use my 1394 PCIe card via the Thunderbolt 4 port on my motherboard. So far it has worked flawlessly. Quality of the enclosure is top notch, and shipping was incredibly fast. Great product. I'm now able to use PowerSDR with my Flex 5000A (ham radio).

## Features

- LIGHTNING-FAST 40GBPS TRANSFER SPEEDS: (2) Thunderbolt 3 ports
- PLAY YOUR CARD: physical slot and enclosure support cards up to half-length, full-height, double-width
- SEE MORE: DisplayPort 1.4 for connecting up to an 8K display
- EASY CARD INSTALLS: No tools required
- CHARGE WHILE WORKING: 85W of notebook charging

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| ASIN | B083V3DKCN |
| Additional Features | Play, Plug |
| Best Sellers Rank | #64,903 in Electronics ( See Top 100 in Electronics ) #19 in Computer Networking Hubs |
| Brand | OWC |
| Color | Enclosure |
| Compatible Devices | Desktops, Laptops |
| Customer Reviews | 4.5 out of 5 stars 69 Reviews |
| Data Transfer Rate | 40 Gigabits Per Second |
| Enclosure Material | Aluminum |
| Hardware Interface | Thunderbolt |
| Item Dimensions L x W x H | 9.2"L x 5.6"W x 3.2"H |
| Item Weight | 1.7 Kilograms |
| Manufacturer | Other World Computing |
| Number of Ports | 3 |
| Operating System | Windows, macOS |
| Special Feature | Play, Plug |
| Total USB Ports | 2 |
| Total Usb Ports | 2 |
| UPC | 810586032773 |

## Product Details

- **Brand:** OWC
- **Color:** Enclosure
- **Compatible Devices:** Desktops, Laptops
- **Hardware Interface:** Thunderbolt
- **Special Feature:** Play, Plug

## Images

![OWC Mercury Helios 3S Thunderbolt 3 PCIe Expansion Solution - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51qnp1z4rRL.jpg)
![OWC Mercury Helios 3S Thunderbolt 3 PCIe Expansion Solution - Image 2](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51AfhOiURRL.jpg)
![OWC Mercury Helios 3S Thunderbolt 3 PCIe Expansion Solution - Image 3](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61W4MVAfDOL.jpg)
![OWC Mercury Helios 3S Thunderbolt 3 PCIe Expansion Solution - Image 4](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41I3bgq2EcL.jpg)
![OWC Mercury Helios 3S Thunderbolt 3 PCIe Expansion Solution - Image 5](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41JKwlETjfL.jpg)

## Questions & Answers

**Q: Does it support daisy chaining another Thunderbolt 3 device to the 2nd port? e.g. A 10gbe Thunderbolt network adapter.**
A: Hello. Yes, the OWC Mercury Helios 3S will allow or thunderbolt device to be daisy-chained off the second port of this chassis.

**Q: Can you install a gpu card like nvidia into this?**
A: Hello. No this unit does not support GPU's.

**Q: is this thunderbolt 4 compatible?**
A: Hello. This Mercury Helios 3S is a Thunderbolt 3 device, but can be used in a Thunderbolt 4 port as 3 is backwards compatible.

**Q: Will this work with bootcamp windows 10/11 for a lynx aes16e interface card?**
A: I bought this for my vive wireless pcie wigic card and just googled yours. From what I see so long as you have a thunderbolt 3 port it should work.vyour card should fit. However from the looks of the googled image you may have to keep the casing off. No loss it will still work just no shell.

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Unit worked flawlessly
*by H***S on August 28, 2025*

I used this earlier today to bring in two cameras using the Blackmagic Decklink card. The connection was flawless. I am using vMix to stream and I can bring in the cameras separately. The price is right and the unit is well made. You don't need extra tools to install your card and mine fits in easily. I am still looking for something to complain about...wish me good luck...lol

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Flawless way to add 1394 FireWire PCIe card via Thunderbolt 3+
*by K***D on January 25, 2024*

Needed to find a new solution to add 1394a over Thuderbolt 3+, now that the latest firmware from Intel dropped legacy Thunderbolt 2 support. That meant I can no longer use the Thunderbolt 3 to 2 and Thunderbolt 2 to 1394b adapters from Apple on my Asus Maximus Z790 Hero. I also did not want to take up a PCIe slot on the motherboard. The Helios 3S allowed me to use my 1394 PCIe card via the Thunderbolt 4 port on my motherboard. So far it has worked flawlessly. Quality of the enclosure is top notch, and shipping was incredibly fast. Great product. I'm now able to use PowerSDR with my Flex 5000A (ham radio).

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Nice for like adding a External Capture Card like the Elgato
*by T***H on January 29, 2024*

OWC specifies that this will work with PCIex Firewire cards BUT, Does not mention that if your planning on using this with ANY 1394 Firewire Card that if running your running a 12th Gen Intel Based CPU or Higher that Wonderful Intel Killed the 1394b PCIex Support altogether which was one of the reasons I had got this, NOW, it's a $250 Paper weight that only so an so works for certain PCIex card, Definitely not graphics cards if thats what your thinking about using this for. Originally, I had got this to use with a PCIex 1394 Firewire Card to use with my 13th Gen Intel I7 Lenovo Computer, Now I can't even do that which SUX!!!!

## Frequently Bought Together

- OWC Mercury Helios 3S Thunderbolt 3 PCIe Expansion Solution
- Cable Matters [Intel Certified] 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 Cable 3.3ft with 8K Video and 240W Charging - 1m, Compatible with USB4, Thunderbolt 3 Cable and USB-C

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*Product available on Desertcart New Zealand*
*Store origin: NZ*
*Last updated: 2026-03-12*