Sonnet Technologies, Inc. announced the Ech o 20 Thunderbolt 4 SuperDock, the latest and top offering in its Echo family of docking stations.

The Echo 20 features 3xThunderbolt 4 ports, 1xinternal M.2 NVMe SSD socket, 4xUSB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gb) Type-C Charging ports, 4xUSB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gb/s) Type A ports, 1xHDMI 2.1 port, 1×2.5GbE (RJ45) port, 1×3.5 mm combo audio port, 2xanalog line level output jacks, 1×3.5 mm microphone jack, and 1xSD 4.0 card slot.

This dock is compatible with Apple M series Mac computers; Thunderbolt 3 Intel Mac computers; Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 Windows computers; late-model Thunderbolt 3 Windows computers; Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 Chromebook computers; and M series iPad Pro tablets.

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What it does:
Thunderbolt docking stations enable users to connect their computer peripherals – such as storage devices, input devices, headphones, etc. – to a convenient central point instead of directly to their computer. The Echo 20 Thunderbolt 4 SuperDock connects all of those peripheral devices – including an HDMI monitor – through a single Thunderbolt cable (which can also charge laptop computers with up to 100W of power). It also supports the installation of 1xM.2 NVMe SSD inside the case. The Echo dock supports connecting 1x8K or 2x6K monitors (subject to the computer’s display support).

Why it’s important:
Many recent laptop computers include fewer peripheral ports and port types than those of the past, some with as few as 2 ports – with one sometimes also used for charging – thus limiting the number of devices that can be plugged in directly. The Echo 20 Thunderbolt 4 SuperDock bypasses these limitations by making up to 20 connections, charging the computer, supporting fast wired network connectivity, and reading SD memory cards. With its mix of peripheral ports, it connects an array of devices and supports high-performance peripherals with ease.

Echo 20 Thunderbolt 4 SuperDock includes several distinctive features:

Built-in M.2 NVMe SSD socket
This enables users to install up to 8TB of storage without connecting an external storage device to the Echo dock or to the computer. With data transfers up to 800MB/s, the internal storage is for many uses, including media storage and Time Machine backups.
HDMI 2.1 port
Connects an 8K @60Hz HDMI display directly with no adapter required.
2.5Gb Ethernet port
When connected to a compatible switch or NAS, 2.5GbE connectivity delivers faster data transfers over existing cabling with no adapter needed. It is also backward-compatible with a GbE infrastructure.
8xUSB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gb/s) ports
Includes 2 each USB-A and USB-C ports on both the front and the back panels. The firm dock’s 8 USB 3 ports boost power to ensure that bus-powered SSDs with higher peak power requirements mount and operate reliably. The USB-C ports support the Type-C Charging spec, enabling the dock to charge devices even when the computer is off, sleeping, or disconnected.
More Audio I/O ports
Includes a 3.5 mm TRRS headset jack on the front panel, plus a 3.5 mm microphone jack on the back panel. Separate left and right channel RCA output jacks provide line level output to powered speakers or an amplifier and avoid clipping and distortion that can occur when using a headphone jack as the source.
Rear panel computer/charging (Thunderbolt 4) port
Placing the computer interface/charging port on the back panel fulfills a frequent customer request and allows for cable management.
2xThunderbolt 4 peripheral ports
Support both Thunderbolt and USB peripherals – including displays – and provide up to 15W power each. When used with self-powered Thunderbolt devices, the ports support up to 5 devices via daisy chain connection.
ThunderLok support
Like Sonnet Thunderbolt-to-PCIe card expansion systems, the Echo 20 dock includes a threaded nut to secure the included ThunderLok 4 Thunderbolt connector retainer clip that prevents accidental cable disconnections.
Great value
The Echo 20 Thunderbolt 4 SuperDock offers more features and sells for 25% less than its closest competitor’s Thunderbolt 4 dock.

The Echo 20 Thunderbolt 4 SuperDock (part number ECHO-DK20-T4) is available from the company’s webstore and soon from its WW distribution and reseller partners at the suggested retail price of $299.99.

Compatibility:

Mac compatibility

Mac (M1/M2) supports 1 display
Mac (M1/M2 Pro, M1/M2 Max, and M1/M2 Ultra) supports 2 displays, including 2 Apple Pro Display XDRs
Mac (Intel) with Thunderbolt 3 ports supports 2 displays, up to 2 5K
macOS 13 (Ventura), 12 (Monterey), or 11 (Big Sur) required

Windows compatibility