Sonnet Unveils Two Professional Thunderbolt 5 Docking Stations with 10GbE

Sonnet Technologies, Inc. announced the Echo 20 Thunderbolt 5 SecureDock and the Echo 21 Thunderbolt 5 SuperDock, premium offerings in the company’s family of docking stations, designed to offer maximum connectivity and flexibility, and exploit the tremendous bandwidth provided by Thunderbolt 5 technology.Equivalent in all other features, the Echo 21 dock was designed with an M.2 NVMe SSD socket to support storage inside, while the Echo 20 dock was created for users who don’t need or can’t use onboard data storage, such as some enterprises and government agencies.

The firm’s docks are compatible with Apple M series Mac computers; Thunderbolt 3 Intel Mac computers; Thunderbolt 5, 4, and USB4 Windows computers; Thunderbolt 5, 4, and USB4 Chromebook computers; and M series iPad Pro tablets.

Echo 20 Thunderbolt 5 SecureDock front and rear

What They Do:
The Echo 20 and Echo 21 Thunderbolt 5 docking stations enable users to conveniently consolidate connections of peripherals — such as storage devices, audio interfaces, headphones, etc. — to a single dock, replacing the need to plug devices directly into their computer. The new Sonnet docks connect all those peripheral devices — including as many as 4 monitors (subject to the computer’s display support) — through a single Thunderbolt 5 cable (which also charges laptop computers with up to 140 watts of power).

The Echo 21 dock’s internal M.2 NVMe SSD socket enables users to add up to 8TB of onboard storage, supporting data transfers up to 3,300MB/s.

Why They’re Important:
Some laptop computers include a very small number of ports — or port types — for connecting peripheral devices, while some others include more ports that only support older, slower standards. Most don’t have all the ports a user might need. Connected to a computer with Thunderbolt or USB4 ports, the Echo 20 and 21 Thunderbolt 5 docks bypass these limitations by providing 11 high-speed, powered peripheral ports; blazing-fast wired network connectivity; two video output ports for HDMI and DisplayPort displays; high quality lossless audio connections; and SD and microSD card readers — all in an enclosure measuring 9.6 inches wide by 4.2 inches deep by 1.3 inches tall.

Echo 21 Thunderbolt 5 SuperDock front and rear

How They’re Distinctive:
The Echo 20 Thunderbolt 5 SecureDock and Echo 21 Thunderbolt 5 SuperDock include several distinctive features:

• Built-in M.2 NVMe SSD Socket (Echo 21 SuperDock only)
  Enables users to install 8TB of storage with data transfers up to 3,300 MB/s. The internal storage is great for many uses, including pro content creation, application and media storage, and Time Machine backups
• Two Thunderbolt 5 Peripheral Ports
  Support Thunderbolt 5, 4, 3 and USB peripherals — including displays — and provide 15 watts of power each. When used with self-powered Thunderbolt devices, these ports support up to four devices in total via daisy chain connections
• 10Gb Ethernet Port
  Adds blazing-fast 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) network connectivity via inexpensive Cat 6 or Cat 6A copper cabling. Backward compatible with 5Gb, 2.5Gb, and GbE infrastructures
• Two Video Output Ports
  Connect a 4K@60Hz (macOS) or 8K@60Hz (Windows) HDMI display or a 4K@144Hz DisplayPort display directly with no adapter required
• Nine USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gb/s) Ports
  Includes 4x10Gb/s Type A ports and 5x10Gb/s USB Type-C ports, all able to support super-fast 10Gb/s USB NVMe SSDs at full speed. All the ports boost power to ensure that bus-powered SSDs with higher peak power requirements mount and operate reliably. The USB-C ports also support the Type-C Charging spec and can charge devices even when the computer is off, sleeping, or disconnected
• High Resolution Audio I/O
  A hi-res audio codec (coder-decoder) supports the docks’ audio I/O jacks with high-quality, lossless audio – up to a 24-bit/192-kHz sample rate. It includes a 3.5-mm headset jack and a 3.5-mm microphone jack. Separate left- and right-channel RCA jacks provide line level output to powered speakers or a direct connection to a receiver, power amplifier, or mixer; they are also excellent for connecting self-powered studio monitors and other pro audio gear
• Rear Panel Computer/140 Watt Charging (Thunderbolt 5) Port
  Placing the computer interface/charging port on the back panel allows for easier cable management
• ThunderLok Support
  The Echo 20 and Echo 21 docks feature an integrated threaded mount that secures the included Sonnet ThunderLok Thunderbolt connector lock, helping prevent accidental cable disconnections
• Aluminum Enclosure
  Durable design efficiently dissipates heat while maintaining a compact footprint

Availability:

• The Echo 20 Thunderbolt 5 SecureDock (part number ECHO-DK20-T5) is available from the company and soon from its WW distribution and reseller partners at the suggested retail price of $449.99
• The Echo 21 Thunderbolt 5 SuperDock (part number ECHO-DK21-T5) will be available in the 2nd half of May at the suggested retail price of $499.99