Sonnet Echo Express III-D Thunderbolt 3 Expansion Chassis for PCIe Cards

Connect Three Full-Length PCIe Cards to Any Mac with a Thunderbolt 3 Port
For pros working in the creative fields, a computer’s processing power alone is not enough to get the job done. A prime example is the latest MacBook Pro®, which, while offering great performance, lacks the PCIe expansion slots necessary to support specialty cards that connect pro video and audio inputs, transcode data, and connect to high-speed storage and networks. Instead of slots, these computers include ultra high-performance Thunderbolt 3 ports to support peripherals. Sonnet’s Echo Express III-D - Thunderbolt 3 Edition leverages the Thunderbolt 3 ports’ PCIe data to connect PCIe expansion slots outside of a computer. This desktop Thunderbolt-to-PCIe card expansion system enables you to connect three professional PCIe cards—including video capture, audio interface, SAS or SATA HBA, 16Gb or 8Gb Fibre Channel, 10 Gigabit Ethernet, and RAID controllers—at the same time to any Mac with a Thunderbolt 3 port.

The Echo Express III-D - Thunderbolt 3 Edition features a 40Gbps Thunderbolt 3 interface, which offers double the PCIe bandwidth and connectivity of Thunderbolt 2, and yields up to 2750 MB/s of bandwidth, enabling it to support 4K video capture and processing cards at high frame rates, and 16Gb FC cards and dual-port 10GbE cards at full performance(1)(2). With the ability to handle multiple demanding, high performance PCIe cards, support for connecting two 4K displays @ 60Hz or one 5K display @ 60Hz(3), and support for a vast array of Thunderbolt(4) and USB(5) devices, Thunderbolt 3 is a leap forward in every way.

Key Features
• Connects Three Full-Length PCIe Cards to any Mac With Thunderbolt 3 Ports—Use multiple high-performance PCIe cards at the same time
• Three PCIe 3.0 Slots—Supports three full-height, single-width cards, or one double-width card plus one single-width card
• 40Gbps Thunderbolt 3 Interface—Offers 2750 MB/s of PCIe bandwidth, doubling the performance of Thunderbolt 2
• Two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) Ports—One port used to connect to the computer; second port supports daisy-chaining of up to five additional Thunderbolt(4) peripheral devices to your computer, attaching a single USB(5) peripheral device, or connecting up to two 4K displays or one 5K display(3)
• Remarkably Quiet—Large, temperature-controlled, variable-speed fans that automatically cool the cards, plus computer-modeled design that reduces airflow turbulence and velocity, combine to provide quieter cooling for all cards
• Built-in Universal Power Supply—Integrated 300W power supply with 75W auxiliary power connector
• Rugged Aluminum Housing—Provides robust and secure protection
• Every Thunderbolt 3- and macOS-compatible Card Supported—Works with every Thunderbolt 3- and macOS compatible PCIe card, regardless of length or height
• 5-Year Warranty Included at No Extra Cost—No extra charge for a 5-year warranty
• Thunderbolt Cable Included—Includes 1.0-meter Thunderbolt 3 (40Gbps) cable

Hardware
• Warranty: 5-year
• Form Factor: Desktop Thunderbolt 3-to-PCIe card expansion system
• External Connectors: Two Thunderbolt 3 ports
• Internal Connector: 6-pin Mini-Fit Jr (same type as on legacy Mac Pro motherboard; provides up to 75W of power for PCIe cards that require supplemental power)
• Expansion Slots:
- One x16 mechanical (x8 electrical) PCIe 3.0
- One x8 mechanical (x8 electrical) PCIe 3.0
- One x8 mechanical (x4 electrical) PCIe 3.0
• PCIe Cards Supported(8):
- One full length, full-height, double-width PCIe card, plus one single-width card or
- Three full length, full-height, single-width PCIe cards
• Compatible PCIe Cards(8): PCIe cards listed on Sonnets supporting PCIe Card Thunderbolt Compatibility Chart and as specified by card manufacturers
• Power Adapter: Universal 300W, 115-230V AC, 50-60 Hz(9)
• Operating Temperature: 0˚C to 35˚C (32˚F to 95˚F)
• Dimensions (WxDxH): 3.8 x 16 x 10.2 in. (9.7 x 40.5 x 25.9 cm)
• Weight: 7.5 lbs (3.4 kg)
• RoHS Compliant: Yes

Mac Compatibility
• Mac with Thunderbolt 3 ports
• Mac with a Thunderbolt 2 or Thunderbolt port with an Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter
• macOS 10.12+

Windows Compatibility(1)
• Not certified for Windows systems at this time.

PCIe Card Compatibility
• For up-to-date PCIe card compatibility see Sonnet PCIe Card Thunderbolt Compatibility Chart

Technical Notes
1.While the Echo Express III-D - Thunderbolt 3 Edition features a 40 Gbps Thunderbolt 3 interface, some computers equipped with Thunderbolt 3 use an implementation of Thunderbolt 3 technology that limits PCIe performance to 20 Gbps. The MacBook Pro (13-inch, Late 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports) has this limitation in the two right-hand Thunderbolt 3 ports, while offering full performance from the left-hand ports.

2.Full performance requires the use of the included Thunderbolt 3 (40Gbps) cable, or other Thunderbolt 3 (40Gbps) cables; look for the Thunderbolt icon AND the number 3 on the connector housings to identify these cables.

3.One 4K monitor directly supported. Two 4K monitors requires either a 4K monitor with multi-stream transport support (DP out), or a Thunderbolt 3-to-Dual DisplayPort adapter. 5K monitor requires a Thunderbolt 3-to-Dual DisplayPort adapter. All Thunderbolt 3 Macs support two 4K monitors. Most Thunderbolt PCs support two 4K monitors.

4.Second Thunderbolt 3 port supports Thunderbolt and Thunderbolt 2 peripheral devices on Macs used with the Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter, sold separately.

5.Second Thunderbolt 3 port supports USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5Gb) or Gen 2 (10Gb) devices when connected with proper cable or adapter (sold separately).

6.The Echo Express III-D - Thunderbolt 3 Edition provides 15 watts of upstream power.

7.PCIe cards sold separately.

8.Compatibility requires the installation of Thunderbolt technology-aware drivers, available from the manufacturer. See Sonnet supporting PCIe Card Thunderbolt Compatibility Chart for a partial list of compatible PCIe cards. Check with card manufacturers for the latest Thunderbolt compatibility information.

9.Power supply will operate as low as 90VAC, with linear power deration from 300W @ 115VAC to 240W @ 90VAC.