Sonnet Launches DuoModo Thunderbolt 3 Expansion Boxes
Sonnet's new enclosures allow to attach AIBs to Mac Mini, TB3 notebooks.
Sonnet has introduced its new DuoModo family of expansion boxes with Thunderbolt 3 interfaces. Three of the boxes are designed for add-in-cards that can be connected to TB3/TB4-equipped laptops or Apple's Mac Mini desktop, whereas the fourth box is designed to install Apple's Mac Mini into a rack.
The Sonnet DuoModo Echo III Module is an expansion box that has one PCIe 3.0 x16 slot for double-wide graphics cards and two x8 PCIe 3.0 slots for other types of add-on boards, such as high-performance SSDs or video encoding accelerators. It can accommodate full-height, full-length (up to 12.28 inches long) PCIe cards and has a built-in 400W power supply. To cool down these cards, the DuoModo Echo III Module has two fans from Noctua that are rated at 17 dBA.
For those who needs to add only a graphics card to their x86-based Macs or other systems, Sonnet offers its DuoModo eGPU module that can house a full-length, full-height, 2.5 slot-width graphics card. The DuoModo eGPU box is equipped with two fans and an 800W power supply, thus ensuring compatibility even with the most power-hungry GPUs.
Specifically for owners of Apple's Mac Mini that want to upgrade their systems with an add-on board and additional SSDs, Sonnet has the DuoModo xMac mini box. The DuoModo xMac mini can accommodate a Mac Mini itself, two M.2-2280 SSDs, and a graphics card or another AIB (depending on actual configuration). The enclosure provides access to Mac Mini's rear ports, but also has Thunderbolt 3, USB Type-C, and USB Type-A ports on the front.
Many businesses these days use some form of remote desktops and workstations. To address these customers, Sonnet developed its DuoModo 2U Rackmount enclosure. The box can accommodate a Mac Mini, three PCIe cards, and two M.2 SSDs. Alternatively, the enclosures can be used without a Mac Mini.
Sonnet's DuoModo product line is available now directly from the company as well as its channel partners.
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Anton Shilov is a contributing writer at Tom’s Hardware. Over the past couple of decades, he has covered everything from CPUs and GPUs to supercomputers and from modern process technologies and latest fab tools to high-tech industry trends.