Compatibility Charts
Sonnet Thunderbolt Expansion Systems PCIe Cards Compatibility
Have an earlier generation Echo Express or xMac mini Server? View our legacy support page.
All Sonnet Thunderbolt products are designed to comply with comprehensive Thunderbolt compatibility requirements, and have passed the Apple/Intel compatibility certification tests.
For PCIe card expansion products, there is an additional requirement that each PCIe card's driver must also be compatible with
Thunderbolt technology. PCIe cards' Thunderbolt compatibility requirements include: 1) the card driver must enable the correct card ID to b
recognized over Thunderbolt, and 2) it must properly support hot-plug/unplug, recover from sleep, etc. as defined in the Thunderbolt device
interconnect paradigm.
All cards identified on this list have either been tested for compliance with Intel's Thunderbolt connectivity requirements in Sonnet's labs, by the PCIe card developer using Sonnet's Thunderbolt PCIe expansion products, or both. The compatibility list is broken out with a column for each Sonnet product and, in the case of xMac mini Servers, a column for each of its PCIe slots.
We will update this list as new cards are tested and verified to be compatible. Please download the latest drivers from the PCIe card developer's website before attempting to use the card in one of our Thunderbolt expansion products. |
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Select a Category:
Pro Audio | Ethernet Adapters (Gigabit) | Ethernet Adapters (10 Gigabit) | Ethernet Adapters (40 Gigabit)
Fibre Channel | FireWire/USB | PCIe Bus Extender | SAS/SATA | SSD | Video Capture & Processing | Storage
Information Updated September 12, 2016
| Ethernet Adapters (10 Gigabit) |
| Product |
Mac |
PC |
Echo Express
SE I, SE II
|
Echo Express
SEL
|
Echo Express
III-D/III-R,
xMac Pro Server |
xMac mini Server
(3rd & 4th Gen) |
| |
|
|
Full Height
Half Length |
Low-Profile
Half Length |
Full Height
Full Length |
Full Height
Half Length |
Full Height
Full Length |
| ATTO Fast Frame NS11, NT11 |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
| ATTO Fast Frame NS12, NT12 |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
| ATTO Fast Frame NS14 |
√ |
√ |
√ |
|
√ |
√ |
√ |
| Myricom 10G-PCIE-8B-1S+E |
√ |
|
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
| Myricom 10G-PCIE-8B-2C |
√ |
|
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
| Myricom 10G-PCIE-8B-2S |
√ |
|
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
| Myricom 10G-PCIE-8B-C |
√ |
|
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
| Myricom 10G-PCIE-8B-S |
√ |
|
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
| Myricom 10G-PCIE2-8B2-2C |
√ |
|
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
| Myricom 10G-PCIE2-8B2-2S |
√ |
|
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
| Myricom 10G-PCIE2-8C2-2S |
√ |
|
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
| Myricom 10G-PCIE2-8C2-2S+E |
√ |
|
√ |
|
√ |
√ |
√ |
| Myricom 10G-PCIE2-8C2-2T |
√ |
|
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
| Myricom 10G-PCIE2-8C2-T |
√ |
|
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
| Small Tree 10GbE PETG2NDA, PETG2-CAT6, PETG2-CX4, PETG1SFP+, PETG2SFP+ |
√ |
|
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
| Small Tree 10GbE PETG4NDA, PETG4SFP+ |
√ |
|
√ |
|
√ |
√ |
√ |
| Small Tree 10GbE PETG6NDA, PETG6SFP+ |
√ |
|
√ |
|
√ |
√ |
√ |
| Sonnet Presto 10GbE 10GBase-T |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
| Sonnet Presto 10GbE SFP+ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
| Sonnet Presto 10GbE 1-Port |
√ |
|
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
| Sonnet Presto 10GbE 2-Port |
√ |
|
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
 |
| Ethernet Adapters (40 Gigabit) |
| Product |
Mac |
PC |
Echo Express
SE I, SE II |
Echo Express
SEL |
Echo Express
III-D/III-R,
xMac Pro Server |
xMac mini Server
(3rd & 4th Gen) |
| |
|
|
Full Height
Half Length |
Low-Profile
Half Length |
Full Height
Full Length |
Full Height
Half Length |
Full Height
Full Length |
| ATTO FastFrame NQ41 |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
| ATTO FastFrame NQ42 |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
 |
| PCIe Bus Extender |
| Product |
Mac |
PC |
Echo Express
SE I, SE II |
Echo Express
SEL |
Echo Express
III-D/III-R,
xMac Pro Server |
xMac mini Server
(3rd & 4th Gen) |
| |
|
|
Full Height
Half Length |
Low-Profile
Half Length |
Full Height
Full Length |
Full Height
Half Length |
Full Height
Full Length |
| Accusys ExaSAN QSFP to PCIe HBA |
√ |
|
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
| Sonnet PCIe 2.0 Bus Extender Card |
√ |
|
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
 |
Technical Notes
- Some older versions of the Apple/LSI Fibre Channel Card may not be compatible with Thunderbolt technology. Here's what we know:
• Compatible Versions: H3-2507-01D, H3-250770-01D, L3-25077-00E, L3-25007-00G
• Incompatible Versions: L3-00137-01D, L3-00137-01E, LSI 7104-EP-LC, LSI 7404-EP, H3-25077-01E
• Please send an email to support@sonnettech.com if you have another version that does or does not work.
- Cooling Kit for ATTO R680 RAID Card (Sonnet Part No. CK-R680) required for Echo Express III or xMac mini Server chassis. Ambient temperature limited to 30ºC in Echo Express SE II or SEL chassis. Note: Cooling kit not compatible with ATTO R680 RAID card installed with optional ATTO CacheAssure™ module.
- Single SSD in this chassis.
- SAS LTO models used with compatible SAS card such as ATTO H680 or H644.
- Recommended with Sonnet Tempo SATA 6Gb Pro 2-Port or Pro 4-port.
- Only Sonnet Presto Gigabit Pro PCIe model number GE1000LAB-E (shipping on or after January 1, 2014) is Thunderbolt compatible.
- See www.areca.com.tw/support/s_thunderbolt/thunderbolt.htm for the latest information.
- Supports up to three Avid Pro Tools|HDX cards.
- Using beta driver. Hot plug not supported.
- In Sonnet tests, RED ROCKET with a Thunderbolt 2-equipped Echo Express III supported:
• 24 fps @ 5K, full-frame, 8-bit
• 11 fps @ 5K, full-frame, 16-bit
These results may vary depending on configuration and are provided for information purposes. Sonnet does not guarantee any particular performance of third-party cards.
- In Sonnet tests, RED ROCKET X with a Thunderbolt 2-equipped Echo Express III supported:
• 32 fps @ 5K, full-frame, 8-bit (note: should be sufficient for playback of dailies in the field)
• 16 fps @ 5K, full-frame, 16-bit
• 22 fps @ 6K, full-frame, 8-bit
• 12 fps @ 6K, full-frame, 16-bit
• 64.5 fps @ 6K, full-frame, 8-bit, exporting to 1080
• 58.5 fps @ 6K, full-frame, 8-bit, exporting to 1080 (note: should be able to do 3D 1080 in real time)
These results are preliminary using beta software and may vary depending on configuration and are provided for information purposes. Sonnet does not guarantee any particular performance of third-party cards.
- Compatible with Thunderbolt equipped Windows computers, however some models may require computer shutdown before plug or unplug of Thunderbolt connection.
- OWC Mercury Accelsior PCIe RO supported in Echo Express SEL with serial numbers B01023001515 and greater.
- These cards supported in Echo Express SE II having serial numbers Gxxx and greater.
- Compatibility and feature limitations are outlined in the Avid Knowledge Base.
- UAD Solo, Duo, and Quad not compatible with Mac Pro (late 2013).
- SSL drivers for the MadiXtreme over Thunderbolt are listed as "beta". There has been limited testing and not all Mac and chassis model combinations have been verified. See the SSL MadiXtreme web site for more detail.
- This is a single slot but doublewide PCIe card that occupies two slot spaces. In the Echo Express SE II (two slot chassis) the extra slot space allows the BlackMagic DeckLink 4K Extreme 12G to occupy only one PCIe slot, leaving the second slot free for another PCIe card.
- Microsoft Windows does not support 3-slot expansion chassis and some combination of cards in a 2-slot chassis. See product specifications for details.
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Sonnet Thunderbolt Expansion Partners
Sonnet works closely with the following partners to ensure Thunderbolt compatibility for their products.
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