At a look
Skilled’s Score
Execs
12 top-end ports, together with 4 Thunderbolt 5
Constructed-in quick M.2 NVMe SSD
2.5Gb Ethernet
Quick card readers
140W Energy Supply
Our Verdict
Thunderbolt 5 is the long run for professional Macs, and this premium docking station boasts 4 TB5 ports plus a built-in SSD of as much as 4TB.
Worth When Reviewed
This worth will present the geolocated pricing textual content for product undefined
Greatest Pricing At the moment
Evwr since we examined it, our favourite docking station for Mac has been the the Sonnet Echo 20 Thunderbolt 4 SuperDock. It has nearly all the things: 19 top-end ports, 2.5Gb Ethernet, and a slot so as to add your individual SSD drive to discreetly increase your MacBook’s inner storage with no large field hanging out the again.
Sonnet has now launched its super-dock for Thunderbolt 5: The Echo 13 Thunderbolt 5 SSD Dock. It has dropped the “SuperDock” moniker nevertheless it’s much more tremendous than its predecessor.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Echo 13 Thunderbolt 5 SSD Dock: Specs and options
Any docking station needs to be judged firstly on the ports and options that it affords the linked laptop computer/desktop/iPad Prouser.
The Sonnet Echo 13 doesn’t have as many ports because the TB4 SuperDock, and, simply because the Echo 20 had 19 ports, the Echo 13 has 12 ports, not together with the ability port.
One upstream Thunderbolt 4 port (80Gbps, 140W)
Three downstream Thunderbolt 5 ports (80Gbps, 1x 60W, 2x 15W)
Two USB-A ports (10Gbps, 7.5W)
One USB-A port (5Gbps, 7.5W)
Inside M.2 NVMe SSD (1TB / 2TB / 4TB)
Ethernet (2.5Gb)
UHS-II SD card reader (312MBps)
UHS-II microSD card reader (312MBps)
3.5mm combo audio jack (entrance)
180W energy provide
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Echo 13 Thunderbolt 5 SSD Dock: Thunderbolt speeds
When Thunderbolt elbowed Thunderbolt 3 out of the best way in 2020, Mac customers may very well be forgiven for shrugging their shoulders with its top-end data-transfer velocity staying at 40Gbps. In some ways, Thunderbolt 4 was a certification improve for Home windows computer systems. Apple’s Intel-certified Thunderbolt 3 had most of what TB4 delivered to the occasion, with a number of professional advantages thrown in (i.e., help for twin 4K shows or one 8K show).
Thunderbolt 5, then again, is a correct replace for all customers, boosting information speeds to bi-directional 80Gbps and as much as 120Gbps in increase mode for greater show bandwidth. Meaning a lot sooner information transfers between units and your Mac in comparison with Thunderbolt 4. TB5 has a mandated greater energy supply (to a laptop computer) of no less than 140W (up from 100W) with help for as much as 240W (vs 140W).
The Echo 13 can energy your MacBook at 140W (PD 3.1), which is sufficient to fast-charge the top-end 16-inch MacBook Professional by way of its upstream host TB5 port. The front-facing downstream Thunderbolt 5 port can cost at a robust 60W, and the 2 back-mounted downstream TB5 ports can cost at 15W. Thunderbolt 5 additionally helps three 4K, 144Hz shows on Mac, in comparison with TB4’s base two 4K shows at 60Hz.
You’ll want a Mac with Thunderbolt 5 to get the perfect worth—out there on the M4 Professional/Max MacBook Professional, M4 Professional Mac mini, and Mac Studio—however as it’s backward suitable with Thunderbolt 4 and earlier, shopping for a TB 5 dock now will future-proof you in your subsequent Mac buy.
Echo 13 Thunderbolt 5 SSD Dock: Design
Whereas produced from plastic, the smooth, black horizontal Sonnet Echo 13 appears to be like spectacular—perhaps not as high-end as docks in metallic casings, however nonetheless adequate subsequent to your Mac. On the entrance, there’s a helpful energy button so that you don’t must yank out the Thunderbolt 5 cable when leaving your laptop computer in a single day. Subsequent to which are indicator lights to indicate when the dock is linked to a pc and when it’s powered.
All of the ports are clearly labeled, which is appreciated. The upstream Thunderbolt 5 port is on the entrance, which isn’t our desire as we prefer it hidden on the again, however this setup may go well with others. A downstream Thunderbolt 5 port—with 60W charging energy—sits subsequent to the host port, adopted by a 10Gbps USB-A port. The 2 card readers for moveable storage are handily positioned on the entrance, as is the headset jack.
Across the again, there’s a row of three legacy USB-A ports—one at 5Gbps and two at 10Gbps—after which the two.5G Ethernet. Two extra downstream Thunderbolt 5 ports spherical off the again panel. There’s additionally a slot for a Kensington Safety Lock on the aspect and anti-slip rubber ft on the backside. There are air vents on the prime of the dock, which stored it cool throughout our assessments.
Echo 13 Thunderbolt 5 SSD Dock: USB ports
Thunderbolt 5 is extra velocity than most units want, which is why the dock comes with a bunch of normal USB ports as effectively. There aren’t any USB-C ports because the Thunderbolt ports are suitable with all type-C connectors, however there are 4 legacy USB-A ports, which is loads in at this time’s USB-C world. We’d have most well-liked a few these USB-A ports to be USB-C, however there are sufficient information and charging choices right here to fulfill most setups.
Simon Jary / Foundry
Energy is equipped to the linked laptop computer at 140W. With a most 180W out there from the exterior energy provide, you received’t get the total 140W plus the beneficiant 60W from the neighboring downstream TB5 port however probably each of the opposite two TB5 ports at 15W every. A better-powered energy provide would have been most well-liked as little question the dock itself together with the SSD storage would require some juice itself in regular operation.
Echo 13 Thunderbolt 5 SSD Dock: Show choices
You possibly can join as much as two exterior shows by way of the Echo 13 Dock. There are not any devoted DisplayPort or HDMI ports, so in case your monitor requires both of those two video connectors you’ll want to purchase a USB-C adapter cable. Should you personal a USB-C monitor, you possibly can join straight with one of many downstream TB ports.
On the TB4 Echo 20 Sonnet dropped one of many doable downstream TB4 ports for an HDMI 2.1 port, however maintaining the Echo 13 at three downstream TB5 ports provides the person extra flexibility. A contemporary multi-monitor setup requires just one Thunderbolt 5 port, due to Thunderbolt 5’s excessive bandwidth and the power of contemporary screens to daisy chain and join the extra monitor by way of a Thunderbolt output on the monitor itself.
On the left, Apple’s inner SSD pricing for its MacBook Professional at 2TB and 4TB, in comparison with 1TB, 2TB and 4TB costs for the Echo 13 Dock with built-in storage.
Foundry
Echo 13 Thunderbolt 5 SSD Dock: Tremendous-fast storage choices
One of many main promoting factors of this Thunderbolt 5 dock is its built-in SSD storage. That is built-in relatively than being a slot that you just add your individual SSD to, as was discovered within the Echo 20.
Sonnet affords SSDs at 1TB, 2TB or 4TB. Having the ability to match your individual SSD most likely would have been a less expensive choice however let’s not complain as a result of this inner storage is not only cheaper than shopping for a Mac with a high-capacity drive from Apple, which might cost you an additional $400 for a 2TB inner SSD or $1,000 for 4TB. The SSD will not be formatted, nevertheless it’s simple to do that your self utilizing the Mac’s Disk Utility.
Should you do need the additional storage you’re in for a deal with. The SSD is blindingly quick—a lot sooner than you’d get with an exterior SSD. My colleague PCWorld’s Mark Hachman examined the Echo 13, and recorded a sequential learn efficiency of three,977MBps, nearly double the learn efficiency of two,036MBps from his Lexar SL600 exterior 20Gbps SSD. When copying a folder of uncooked multimedia information from the SSD to the desktop, he recorded a copying time of slightly below 14 seconds—78 % sooner than the earlier finest time he’d seen for this take a look at, which was over a minute.
Thomas Berghold from our German Macwelt used Aja System Check Lite to measured a formidable 5,331MBps write and 5,822MBps learn within the 4K take a look at. In comparison with the speeds we’ve measured for different inner storage units in docking stations, this class-leading efficiency.
Coupled with its 180W energy provide the Echo 13 isn’t notably moveable, so what you retailer on that SSD isn’t going with you once you disconnect the MacBook from the dock. It’s nice for backups, archiving, and for giant information you don’t want with you on the street.
LaCie
With an exterior Lacie Rugged SSD Professional 5, we measured 6,094MBps learn and 4,013MBps write. That’s solely barely slower than the 6,172MBps learn and 4,374MBps write straight on the Mac.
A take a look at with the OWC Categorical 1M2, our quickest USB 4 testing drive, yields 3,274MBps learn and three,132MBps write. Instantly on the Mac, it’s 3,665MBps learn and three,257MBps write.
The Echo 13 options simply each SD and microSD card readers for moveable storage, an enchancment on the SD-only Echo 20. Each are of the quick UHS-II selection. Measured with an OWC Atlas Extremely from our reminiscence card take a look at, the speeds listed below are additionally superb, with 292MBps for studying and 275MBps for writing.
Simon Jary / Foundry
Echo 13 Thunderbolt 5 SSD Dock: Community speeds
Whereas most networks are nonetheless rated at the usual 1Gb (Gigabit) Ethernet, extra fashionable networks are a lot sooner at 2.5Gb, 5Gb and even 10Gb speeds.
The Echo 13’s Ethernet port is rated at 2.5Gb, so a giant velocity bounce on most docking stations and hubs, however not the very quickest in case your community is on the leading edge.
If you’re nonetheless on Gigabit Ethernet, worry not as speedier variations are backwards suitable.
Echo 13 Thunderbolt 5 SSD Dock: Worth
Sonnet doesn’t supply a mannequin of the Echo 13 with no built-in SSD so for those who actually don’t want additional storage or choose a conveyable resolution you could be overpaying for simply the dock itself. However who doesn’t want extra storage, even when only for a number of backups?
The 1TB mannequin prices $400, 2TB is priced at $500, and 4TB at $700. Whereas pricier than docks with out an SSD, the additional you pay for such quick storage makes it an awesome funding. On the time of writing costs within the U.Ok. have been greater. See our value comparability field for the most recent stay costs.
Sonnet’s Echo 20 Thunderbolt 4 docking station is cheaper at $300, however you’ll want so as to add your individual SSD card. The Echo 13 may be much less versatile however it’s considerably sooner. For different options, learn our roundup of the perfect Thunderbolt docks for Mac.
Must you purchase an Echo 13 Thunderbolt 5 SSD Dock:
We’re delighted that Sonnet adopted its nice SSD-packing Thunderbolt 4 dock with this pro-level Thunderbolt 5 mannequin. There are many variations however the primary advantages stay—together with the (very quick) inner storage—and are topped up with the a lot sooner Thunderbolt 5 information speeds and energy supply.
Even for those who don’t but personal a Thunderbolt 5 pc or many units, shopping for this super-speedy premium dock will future-proof you for once you do.
Extra testing by Mark Hachman and Thomas Bergbold.
