Sonnet Echo Express SE IIIe Thunderbolt 3 Expansion Chassis for PCIe Cards

BH #SOECEXSE3ET3 • MFR #ECHO-EX-SE3E-T3
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Sonnet Echo Express SE IIIe Thunderbolt 3 Expansion Chassis for PCIe Cards
Key Features
  • Use PCIe Cards via Thunderbolt 3
  • 2 x PCIe 3.0 x8/x8 | 1 x PCIe 3.0 x8/x4
  • 2 x 40 Gb/s Thunderbolt 3 Ports
  • Daisy-Chain up to 5 Thunderbolt Devices
Connect three half-length, full-height PCIe cards to systems with a Thunderbolt 3 port using the Echo Express SE IIIe Thunderbolt 3 Expansion Chassis from Sonnet. The Echo Express SE IIIe is useful for expanding the connectivity of systems like the MacBook Pro, which does not have the PCIe slots needed for pros working in creative fields. Instead, the Echo Express SE IIIe connects to Thunderbolt 3 hosts to leverage this connectivity via PCIe expansion slots that are outside of the computer. This chassis has two PCIe 3.0 x8/x8 slots and one PCIe 3.0 x8/x4 slot. These three slots can support one half-length+ (up to 7.75" long), double-width, full-height PCIe x8 card, plus one single-width card, or three half-length+, full-height PCIe x8 cards for video capture, audio DSP, 6Gb or 12Gb SAS or SATA host bus adapters, 10Gb, 25Gb, or 40Gb Ethernet cards, RAID controllers, and more.
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Sonnet Express SE IIIe Overview

Connect three half-length, full-height PCIe cards to systems with a Thunderbolt 3 port using the Echo Express SE IIIe Thunderbolt 3 Expansion Chassis from Sonnet. The Echo Express SE IIIe is useful for expanding the connectivity of systems like the MacBook Pro, which does not have the PCIe slots needed for pros working in creative fields. Instead, the Echo Express SE IIIe connects to Thunderbolt 3 hosts to leverage this connectivity via PCIe expansion slots that are outside of the computer. This chassis has two PCIe 3.0 x8/x8 slots and one PCIe 3.0 x8/x4 slot. These three slots can support one half-length+ (up to 7.75" long), double-width, full-height PCIe x8 card, plus one single-width card, or three half-length+, full-height PCIe x8 cards for video capture, audio DSP, 6Gb or 12Gb SAS or SATA host bus adapters, 10Gb, 25Gb, or 40Gb Ethernet cards, RAID controllers, and more.

The Echo Express SE IIIe features two 40 Gb/s Thunderbolt 3 ports, one of which is used to connect to your host Windows, Mac, or Linux system and provides up to 100W of power. The second Thunderbolt 3 port, which provides up to 15W of power, can be used to daisy-chain up to 5 additional Thunderbolt devices, plus one 5K display at 60 Hz, two 4K displays at 60 Hz, or one USB 3.0 device. For power hungry cards, there is an additional internal 6-pin PCIe power connector.

Cool operations are driven by an internal 80 x 80 x 25mm cooling fan. Included with this chassis is a Thunderbolt 3 cable, a ThunderLok 3 retainer clip, a 120W universal power adapter, and a power cord. Protection is provided by a limited 2-year warranty and free lifetime technical support.

Please note that the Echo Express SE IIIe does not support GPUs. Also, two 4K displays requires a monitor with multi-stream transport support (DP out) or a Thunderbolt 3 to Dual DisplayPort Adapter.

General Features
Nearly Every Thunderbolt-Compatible, Non-GPU PCIe Card Supported
Smaller than the 3-slot Echo Express III-D (Thunderbolt 3 Edition), the Echo Express SE IIIe is still large enough to support nearly every Thunderbolt 3 compatible card available. With its three x8 slots, the SE IIIe supports PCIe 3.0, PCIe 2.0, and PCIe 1.1 cards up to 7.75" long. Do you have a card in mind but aren't sure it's compatible? Sonnet put together a list in their supporting PCIe Card Thunderbolt Compatibility Chart (PDF). There you'll find cards identified as conforming to Thunderbolt technology requirements, and organized by fit and power compatibility with specific expansion system.
Design Smarts - Aluminum Enclosure, Auto Power On/Off
The inside of the Echo Express SE IIIe is wrapped in a rugged, yet lightweight aluminum outer shell, resulting in a lightweight system small enough to carry in your backpack, yet durable enough to protect the installed PCIe cards securely. Since Echo Express products automatically power on and off with your computer, there is no power switch on the chassis, ensuring you don't waste energy by forgetting to turn it off.
Three PCIe 3.0 Slots for Demanding Professional Needs
T‍he Echo Express SE IIIe's PCIe 3.0 x8 slots support three half-length+, full-height, single-width PCIe cards, or one single-width card plus one double-width card.
Double Width
‍Some specialty cards, such as RME's HDSPe MADI FX, Blackmagic Design's DeckLink 4K Extreme, and the Lynx AES16e 50, include a daughter card that mates with and provides additional external connections to the main card.
Power to Spare
‍The Echo Express SE IIIe includes an auxiliary PCIe power connector, enabling you to install a card requiring extra power, such as the AJA Kona 5 or Blackmagic DeckLink 4K Extreme 12G, and Bluefish444's Epoch and KRONOS SDI cards.
Quiet Please
The Echo Express SE IIIe is designed to be quiet so that it can be comfortably used in noise-sensitive environments. Its enclosure is ventilated front and back to facilitate airflow over the cards by a large, quiet, temperature-controlled fan to efficiently cool the system. The fan automatically speeds up and slows down smoothly as needed, so there's no guesswork in deciding which fan speed to select.
Thunderbolt 3 Cable and ThunderLok 3 Included
Sonnet includes a 2.3' 40 Gb/s Thunderbolt 3 cable that, unlike some other cables, transfers data at Thunderbolt 3's full 2750 MB/s bandwidth and supports up to 100W of Power Delivery (PD). Sonnet also provides a ThunderLok 3 Thunderbolt connector retainer clip that prevents accidental cable disconnections. Just slide it over one end of the cable and then plug in the connector and secure it to the chassis by turning a thumbscrew. Because of its unique design, the ThunderLok remains on the cable so it won't get lost when not in use.
Fast External Interface
The Echo Express SE IIIe features a 40 Gb/s 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.
Thunderbolt 3 / USB Type-C
The Echo Express SE IIIe includes two Thunderbolt 3 ports. The first connects it to your computer, while the second supports the daisy-chaining of up to five additional Thunderbolt peripheral devices to a single port on your computer. The SE III also includes 10 Gb/s USB 3.1 Gen 2 support, meaning you can connect a USB device to the second port using the proper cable or adapter. For connected peripherals requiring extra power, 15W is provided to connected bus-powered devices. With the ability to handle multiple demanding, high-performance PCIe cards, support for connecting two 4K displays at 60 Hz or one 5K display at 60 Hz, and support for a vast array of Thunderbolt and USB devices, Thunderbolt 3 is a leap forward.
Fast Performance
With 2750 MB/s of bandwidth, connect your computer to one Thunderbolt 3 port on the Echo Express SE IIIe, then use the second Thunderbolt 3 port to daisy chain up to five additional Thunderbolt devices, plus two 4K display, one 5K display, or one USB 3.0 device.
OS Compatibility
Mac
  • Mac system with Thunderbolt 3 ports
  • Mac system with a Thunderbolt 2 or Thunderbolt port with an Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 cable
  • macOS 10.12.6 or later
  • macOS Catalina compatible
  • Windows
  • Windows system with Thunderbolt 3 ports
  • Windows 10 (64-bit edition, version 1809 or greater)

    Note: Windows computers require the latest BIOS and Thunderbolt drivers to support this product. Check with your computer manufacturer for update information.
  • Linux
  • Linux system with Thunderbolt 3 ports
  • Linux Kernel 5.0 or later
  • UPC: 732311012938

    Sonnet Express SE IIIe Specs

    Key Specs
    Expansion Slots
    2x PCIe 3.0 x8
    1x PCIe 3.0 x8 (x4 mode)
    System Connection
    Thunderbolt 3
    Inputs/Outputs
    2x USB-C (Thunderbolt 3)
    PCIe Power Connector
    1x 6-Pin
    General
    Expansion Slots
    2x PCIe 3.0 x8
    1x PCIe 3.0 x8 (x4 mode)
    Supported PCI Card Sizes
    Full-Height, Half-Length, Single-Width, Double-Width
    System Connection
    Thunderbolt 3
    Inputs/Outputs
    2x USB-C (Thunderbolt 3)
    OS Compatibility
    Windows 10 or Later
    macOS 10.12.6 or Later
    Linux 5.4 or Later
    Power
    Power Source Type
    1x 120 W External Adapter
    PCIe Power Connector
    1x 6-Pin
    Input Power
    100 to 240 VAC, 50 / 60 Hz
    Port Power Delivery
    100 W Max
    Cooling
    Fans
    1x 80 mm PWM
    Maximum Airflow
    31.4 CFM
    Noise Level
    17.1 dBA
    Physical
    Form Factor
    Desktop
    Construction Material
    Aluminum
    Color
    Black
    Certifications
    RoHS
    Operating Conditions
    32 to 95°F / 0 to 35°C
    Status Monitoring
    LED Indicator
    Host Cable Length
    2.3' / 0.7 m
    Dimensions
    11 x 6.5 x 4.6" / 27.9 x 16.5 x 11.7 cm
    Weight
    2.6 lb / 1.18 kg
    Packaging Info
    Package Weight
    6.7 lb
    Box Dimensions (LxWxH)
    16.4 x 10.5 x 8.1"

    Sonnet Express SE IIIe Reviews

    For use with DeckLink cards

    By Gary
    Rated 5 out of 5
    Date: 2025-08-05

    Great enclosure to support DeckLink cards. Installed Blackmagic Design DeckLink Duo 2 for use with ProPresenter software running on an iMac. Card allows for output to audience screen, stage monitor, and key & fill outputs to send to BMD switcher. Also added DeckLink Mini Recorder 4K card to receive signal into ProPresenter from the presentation laptop.

    Right tool for the job

    By Samuel
    Rated 5 out of 5
    Date: 2022-05-27

    This worked perfect for using a decklink duo 2 with our iMac.

    See any errors on this page?

    Can I use 2 of these on the same system?

    Can I use 2 of these on the same system?
    Asked by: Lee
    Yes, you can use two of the Sonnet Echo Express SE IIIe Thunderbolt 3 Expansion Chassis for PCIe Cards on the same system.
    Answered by: Elliot
    Date published: 2024-06-05

    Is there a rack mount for this?

    Is there a rack mount for this?
    Asked by: Zachariah
    The Sonnet Echo Express SE IIIe Thunderbolt 3 Expansion Chassis for PCIe Cards is configured for a Desktop. Sonnet Echo has a Thunderbolt 3 to PCIe Rackmount Expansion System (BH #SOECHO3RTB3) that is recommended as an alternative for a rackmount workflow.
    Answered by: Raymond B
    Date published: 2021-11-05

    Does anyone know of a good hard case to transport ...

    Does anyone know of a good hard case to transport this?
    Asked by: Matt
    The Sonnet Echo Express SE IIIe Thunderbolt 3 Expansion Chassis for PCIe Cards BH #SOECEXSE3ET3 could be transported in the BH #PE1510FB.
    Answered by: Reuben K
    Date published: 2023-06-23

    Is this unit compatible with BMD DeckLink 4K ...

    Is this unit compatible with BMD DeckLink 4K Extreme 12G Capture and Playback?
    Asked by: Willian
    Yes, this unit is compatible with a wide variety of capture and display cards.
    Answered by: Michael M
    Date published: 2020-10-13

    Can you install a PAIR of Decklink Duo 2's into ...

    Can you install a PAIR of Decklink Duo 2's into this Sonnet Echo Express SE IIIe Expansion Chassis, thereby providing you with eight SDI I/O's, all of which are simultaneously accessible by your app?
    Asked by: Betsy
    Yes you could use a pair of Decklink Duo 2 in this enclosure.
    Answered by: Reuben K
    Date published: 2022-06-01

    Can use it with Macpro 2013 ( thunderbolt 2 )?

    Can use it with Macpro 2013 ( thunderbolt 2 )?
    Asked by: Jean Marie
    YES YOU CAN. Purchase an Apple Thunderbolt 3(usbc) to Thunderbolt 2 adapter and you'll be able to use chassis with that adapter.
    Answered by: Howard
    Date published: 2021-02-11

    Is it compatible with Decklink 8K Pro?

    Is it compatible with Decklink 8K Pro?
    Asked by: CELSO
    Yes, it is compatible.
    Answered by: Sagi C
    Date published: 2020-10-13

    How can I get a longer cable for this enclosure?

    How can I get a longer cable for this enclosure?
    Asked by: Felix
    We have the following longer cable: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1400943-REG/xcellon_tb3_540_2_thunderbolt_3_cable_40gbps_100w_2m.html
    Answered by: Michael M
    Date published: 2020-09-23
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