Sonnet Technologies rolled out its new Echo 5 Thunderbolt 4 Hub on Tuesday to enable Mac and iPad Pro users — or anyone with a Thunderbolt 3 or 4 port on their machine — to expand their connectivity to peripherals like displays, input devices and storage. And it offers a robust 85W of charging power.
When you get a computer or tablet and it has fewer ports than you’d like, hubs like this one can come in handy.
Echo 5 Thunderbolt 4 Hub
The newest member of Sonnet’s Echo family of devices features four Thunderbolt 4 ports and one USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps) Type A charging port. Sonnet’s hub delivers up to 85 watts of charging power.
It’s compatible with all computers with Thunderbolt 4 ports, including all the new M1-powered Macs; all Macs with Thunderbolt 3 ports; and iPad Pro tablets with a Thunderbolt port.
Depending on the computer or iPad Pro it’s connected to, the Echo hub also supports connecting one display (always 4K, up to 5K, 6K, or 8K) or up to two displays (4K + 4K, 5K + 5K, or up to 6K + 6K).
Greater connectivity
Featuring four Thunderbolt 4 ports — three for connecting peripheral devices, one for charging the computer — the Echo 5 Thunderbolt 4 Hub enables users to connect three bus-powered Thunderbolt end devices at once. That means they’re not limited to connecting multiple separately powered devices in a daisy chain.
All told, the hub’s Thunderbolt ports support up to five Thunderbolt peripherals. For users with more USB than Thunderbolt peripherals, the Thunderbolt 4 ports are still of great use. They support USB 4 and USB 3 devices (including displays) when connected with the correct cable or adapter.
USB-A charging port
The Echo hub’s 10Gbps USB-A charging port supports most USB peripherals at full speed, including USB NVMe SSDs, Sonnet Technologies said. The port provides up to 7.5 watts of power to ensure bus-powered devices will keep going. Or it can charge a phone or tablet.
Price: $199.99
Where to buy: Sonnet Technologies
