The compact enclosure adds three PCIe 3.1 x8 slots to Mac, Windows and Linux computers, with support for professional video, audio, networking and storage cards.
Sonnet has launched the Echo SE III T5, a compact Thunderbolt 5 to PCIe expansion enclosure intended to give laptops and small desktop computers access to professional add-on cards. The company says the unit is built for video, audio, broadcast, networking and storage work, where built-in ports are often not enough for specialist hardware.
According to Sonnet, the enclosure connects to a computer through a single Thunderbolt 5 cable and supports machines with Thunderbolt 5, Thunderbolt 4 or USB4 ports. It provides three PCIe 3.1 x8 slots and can take full-height, half-length cards up to 7.75 inches long. Users can fit three single-width cards, or one double-width card plus one single-width card, and a 6-pin auxiliary power connector is included for cards that need extra power.
The supported card categories cover capture and streaming hardware, audio and DSP cards, 10Gb and 25Gb Ethernet adapters, SSD storage and SAS host bus adapters. Sonnet says the enclosure works with Mac, Windows and Linux systems. That broad platform support is significant for production teams that move between editing, live production and post-production environments, where driver and operating-system compatibility can be as important as raw bandwidth.
The Echo SE III T5 is designed to remain practical in space-constrained studios and on location. Sonnet says the aluminium enclosure measures 6.5 inches wide, 11 inches deep and 4.6 inches tall, and weighs 3.7 pounds. A temperature-controlled Noctua fan is used to manage heat, while a ThunderLok connector lock is intended to reduce the risk of accidental cable disconnection. The second Thunderbolt 5 port can be used for an additional device and delivers up to 15 watts for bus-powered peripherals, and the unit powers on and off with the connected computer. Sonnet has priced the model at $799.99 and says it is available now.
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