Are you in the market for a new computer? It’s amazing how much processing power the latest ultra-light notebooks, small form factor computers, and all-in-one desktop computers pack in such small and thin enclosures. But, thinness comes with a cost—there’s nowhere for you to install PCIe cards for the additional connectivity and processing capabilities beyond what’s offered by a computer’s standard ports. Although thin Mac and Windows computers with Thunderbolt 3 ports offer processing power to spare, for many, such as pros in the creative fields, on-board processing power alone is not enough.

Fortunately, your choices are not limited to desktop workstations—think external. With the Echo Express SE I (Thunderbolt 3 Edition), Sonnet has created a solution that enables you to connect a single PCIe card outside of your computer. This compact desktop expansion system supports one professional video capture, audio interface, 6Gb or 12Gb SAS or SATA host bus adapter, 8Gb or 16Gb Fibre Channel, 10Gb or 40Gb Ethernet, or RAID controller PCIe card, and connects it to your computer through a thin cable.

The Echo Express SE I (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. With the ability to handle multiple demanding, high performance PCIe cards, support for connecting two 4K displays @ 60Hz or one 5K display @ 60Hz, and support for a vast array of Thunderbolt and USB devices, Thunderbolt 3 is a leap forward in every way.

Click here for a list of compatible PCIe cards

Features

• Connects a PCIe Expansion Card to Computers Without Slots—Use high-performance PCIe cards with any Mac or Windows PC with a Thunderbolt 3 port
• One PCIe 3.0 x8 Slot—Supports one half-length+ (up to 7.75 inches long), full-height, single-width PCIe card (plus one daughter card)
• 40Gbps Thunderbolt 3 Interface—Offers 2750 MB/s of PCIe bandwidth, doubling the performance of Thunderbolt 2
• Full Performance In a Small and Light Design—Takes up little space on the desktop, but large enough to support nearly every Thunderbolt-compatible PCIe card, at full performance
• Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports—One port reserved for connection to the computer; second port supports daisy-chaining of up to five additional Thunderbolt⁽⁵⁾ devices to your computer, attaching a single USB⁽⁶⁾ peripheral device, or connecting up to two 4K displays or one 5K display⁽⁴⁾
• Remarkably Quiet—Temperature-controlled, variable-speed fan automatically and quietly cools the card  
• Energy Saver Mode—Powers on/off automatically with the computer
• Rugged Aluminum Housing—Provides robust and secure protection
• Power for Peripherals—Provides up to 15W of power to connected peripherals
• Thunderbolt 3 Cable & ThunderLok 3 Included—Includes 0.5-meter Thunderbolt 3 (40Gbps) cable and ThunderLok 3 Thunderbolt connector retainer clip to secure cable from accidental disconnection

 For further information check out the Sonnet website