Sonnet Announces Industry-First Thunderbolt 5 PCIe Expansion Solutions for Latest Apple Silicon Mac Lineup

Sonnet Announces Industry-First Thunderbolt 5 PCIe Expansion Solutions for Latest Apple Silicon Mac Lineup

Brie Clayton March 6, 2025

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Featured: Sonnet xMac Studio/Echo II DV Thunderbolt 5 Pro 3U Rackmount and Thunderbolt 5 Expansion System for Mac Studio Computers (PCIe Cards and Mac Studio Sold Separately)

Designed for Apple's new Mac Studio, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini; New Two-Slot, Dual Thunderbolt 5 Interface Expansion Systems Support Two Full-Size Cards and Deliver Up to 2x Performance of Previous-Generation Models

Available in Desktop and Rackmount Configurations or as a Standalone Upgrade to Sonnet Modular Expansion Systems

What's New: Sonnet Technologies today announced the launch of the Echo II DV Thunderbolt 5 Module, Echo II DV Thunderbolt 5 Desktop, Echo II DV Thunderbolt 5 Rackmount, and xMac Studio/Echo II DV Thunderbolt 5, the newest members of the company's award-winning family of Thunderbolt to PCI Express (PCIe ) card expansion systems. Each of these products enables the use of two high-performance, bandwidth-hungry PCIe cards at maximum performance at the same time with the new Mac Studio , MacBook Pro with M4 Pro and M4 Max, and Mac mini with M4 Pro; and other computers equipped with Thunderbolt 5 ports, doubling the available PCIe bandwidth per slot (up to 6,000 MB/s) compared to previous generation Thunderbolt PCIe expansion chassis.

Sonnet Echo II DV Thunderbolt 5 Module Two-Slot, Dual Thunderbolt 5 Interface to PCIe Card Expansion System (PCIe Cards Sold Separately)

The Echo II DV Thunderbolt 5 Module is offered as an upgrade for use in Sonnet modular rackmount enclosures, as well as the Sonnet xMac Studio pro 3U rackmount and Thunderbolt expansion system for Apple Mac Studio computers. The Echo II DV Thunderbolt 5 Desktop is an easy-to-transport, standalone expansion system, while the rackmount version is a 2U stand-alone expansion system with space for an additional expansion module. The xMac Studio/Echo II DV Thunderbolt 5 is a preconfigured system including the Echo II DV module.

What They Do: The Echo II DV Thunderbolt 5 Module - the heart of all Echo II DV Thunderbolt 5 products - allows users to connect two PCIe cards to their computer with Thunderbolt 5. The module features two x16 PCIe 4.0 slots, each equipped with its own Thunderbolt interface; accommodates up-to full-height, full-length (up to 12.28 inches long) PCIe cards; and connects them to a computer's Thunderbolt ports via two included Thunderbolt 5 (120Gbps) cables. The module integrates a universal 400W power supply and includes two 75W auxiliary power connectors for non-GPU cards that require extra power.

Sonnet Echo II DV Thunderbolt 5 Desktop Two-Slot, Dual Thunderbolt 5 Interface to PCIe Card Expansion System

Why They're Important: Pro audio and video users often require specific interfaces to support the I/O, digital signal processing, video capture and playback needs of their workflow. Sonnet Echo II DV Thunderbolt 5 systems enable users to add these solutions to the computers with Thunderbolt 5 support favored by pro users, like the new Mac Studio, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini. Sonnet Echo II DV expansion systems also enable users to save space and money by mounting two up-to full size PCIe cards, each supported through its own Thunderbolt interface, in a single transportable desktop or rackmount enclosure and connecting them to their computer through Thunderbolt cables. Additionally, using PCIe cards in a Sonnet expansion system gives pro users flexibility to easily connect and use these cards on different computers, great for shared workspaces like production studios.

Sonnet Echo II DV Thunderbolt 5 Rackmount Two-Slot, Dual Thunderbolt 5 Interface to PCIe Card Expansion System

How They're Distinctive: Mac computers with M4 Pro, M4 Max, and M3 Ultra chips- including the latest Mac mini, MacBook Pro, and Mac Studio, and some pro PCs - have two or more 120Gbps Thunderbolt 5 ports, each providing 6,000 MB/s of PCIe bandwidth, that are perfect for connecting Thunderbolt to PCIe card expansion systems. Employing a separate Thunderbolt interface for each card slot, Echo II DV Thunderbolt 5 systems are equipped to provide full Thunderbolt PCIe bandwidth to each slot when connected to two computer Thunderbolt 5 ports that also have independent PCIe bandwidth. This design enables users to exploit two cards' full potential performance at the same time, which is ideal for cards with high-bandwidth requirements such as DV I/O, NVMe SSD storage, and multiport 25Gb Ethernet adapters.

When You Can Get Them: The new Sonnet products are expected to be available late Q2 and soon after from channel partners worldwide at the following suggested retail prices:

Echo II DV Thunderbolt 5 Module (part number DM-MOD-E2DV5) $999.99

Echo II DV Thunderbolt 5 Desktop (part number ECHO-2DDV-TB5) $1,099.99

Echo II DV Thunderbolt 5 Rackmount (part number ECHO-2RDV-TB5) $1,199.99

xMac Studio/Echo II DV Thunderbolt 5 (part number XMAC-STD-IIDV5) $1,549.99

Where You Can See Them First: Echo II DV Thunderbolt 5 products will be on display in Sonnet booth SL10016 at the 2025 NAB Show in Las Vegas, April 6-9.

February 27, 2025Sonnet Announces Rugged Rackmount Enclosure for New 2024 Apple Mac mini ComputersSecurely Mounts One, Two, or Three Mac mini Computers in a 2U

January 31, 2025Sonnet Announces Secure Mounting Bracket for All-New 2024 Apple Mac mini ComputersSecurely Mounts a Mac mini Under a Desk or to a Wall

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