Echo Express SE III Thunderbolt-to-PCIe Desktop Expansion System From Sonnet

Sonnet Technologies, Inc. announced the Echo Express SE III, the newest member of the company’s Echo Express family of Thunderbolt-to-PCIe expansion systems.

Echo Express SE III with MacBook Pro

With support for Thunderbolt 3, the Echo Express SE III is a compact desktop device that enables the use of up to three performance PCIe cards with Mac computers equipped with Thunderbolt 3 ports.

With the Echo Express SE III, users of Mac computers equipped with 40Gb/s Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports, such as the MacBook Pro, are able to take advantage of Thunderbolt 3’s 2,750MB/s of PCIe bandwidth to support the most demanding, highest-performance adapter cards. It features three x8 PCIe 3.0 slots, accommodates full-height, half-length+ (up to 7.75 inches long) PCIe cards, and connects them to one of the Mac’s Thunderbolt 3 ports via the included 0.5-meter Thunderbolt 3 cable. The unit supports nearly every Thunderbolt 3- and Mac-compatible PCIe card available, except those longer than 7.75 inches in length or with auxiliary power requirements.

“As our most compact three-slot Echo Express system ever, the Echo Express SE III delivers full performance and the power of Thunderbolt 3 in a space-saving and lightweight design. It’s ideal for broadcast, post, or A/V professionals who need the ability to connect multiple cards simultaneously but don’t need to use full-length cards,” said Robert Farnsworth, CEO, Sonnet. “The Echo Express SE III is the latest model in the industry’s most extensive line of Thunderbolt-to-PCIe card expansion systems.”

The Echo Express SE III provides two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports. One port is reserved for connection to the computer, while the second supports daisy chaining of up to five additional Thunderbolt peripheral devices plus two 4K monitors or one 5K display, or a single USB device. The system provides up to 15W of power to any connected peripheral or host.

The system includes an automatic, temperature-controlled, variable-speed fan that cools the cards quietly, with energy-saving operation that powers the unit on and off automatically with the computer. The Echo Express SE III’s rugged aluminum housing provides robust and secure protection for the installed cards, and the included company’s ThunderLok 3 Thunderbolt connector retainer clip guards against accidental disconnection of the Thunderbolt 3 cable.

The Echo Express SE III (ECHO-EXP-SE3-T3) is expected to be available May 22 at a suggested retail price of $499.