SonnetTech Echo 11 TB3 Dock – one cable to rule them all

Packaging and parameters

Today we will have a look at an unusual product in our portfolio. It is an accessory that we do not pay much attention to here. However, the Echo 11 is a very interesting dock that deserves your attention. Especially now that Thunderbolt 3 is part of the new Intel Ice Lake processors, there is a good chance this technology will no longer be limited to use in premium notebooks, but will appear in mainstream products as well.

Parameters

Packaging and closer look

Sonnet packs the product in a brown cardboard box that appears to be recycled, so we are giving them a thumbs-up for environmental thinking.

In addition to the dock itself, the package also includes a manual, 50 cm Thunderbolt 3 cable, power adapter, and power cable.

The dock’s power cables are long enough so that you could place it anywhere on your desk. However, the length of the TB3 cable that connects the dock to your notebook limits your placement options. The ideal location for the dock appears to be under or next to a monitor.

The power adapter’s output is 180 watts, but the dock supports only 87 watts client charging. Rest of the power is used for providing power through the USB ports and second Thunderbolt 3 port.

If the half-meter TB3 cable is not long enough, Sonnet also offers a two-meter version. In general, TB3 cables are very expensive, and you should also pay attention to the rated throughput. Half-meter cables commonly offer 40 Gb/s throughput (the specified speed for TB3 connection), but some longer cables offer only half the speed, thus 20 Gb/s. Thankfully, the two-meter version from Sonnet is a 40 Gb/s version so you will see no speed difference.

The dock’s main purpose is to expand your notebook’s port selection to enable you to connect multiple monitors and various accessories. On the front you will find a green power connection indicator and a blue TB3 connection indicator. There’s also a standard SD card reader, which is now uncommon in notebooks, especially so in the case of Ultrabooks. Next to it we find two 5-gigabit USB 3.0 ports, one of which supports charging of your smartphone, for example. The last connection on the front is 3,5 mm audio connector for your headset.

There are no ports on the right and left sides. On the back you will find the main ports. There are three USB 3.0 ports, one 1Gb Ethernet RJ-45 port, and two Thunderbolt 3 ports (one used for connection to your notebook, and one for daisy chaining other TB3 devices). The main Thunderbolt 3 port can charge your Ultrabook with up to 87 watts of power as we already mentioned. That is enough for the majority of Ultrabooks on the market with low-voltage U processors from Intel with 15 watts TDP and without a dedicated graphics card. Talking about Apple MacBooks, we have verified the dock can charge the entire range, from Air up to 15″ MacBook Pro. Thanks to the Echo 11, you can leave your original power adapter in your computer bag. Next to the TB3 ports there’s an HDMI 2.0 port which supports 4K @ 60 Hz, and the power adapter port.

Both the top and bottom panels are metal. The middle black strip is shiny plastic, which will attract fingerprints and scratches, so the choice of this material could have been better. Except for this one minor issue, the dock is very well built and there isn’t much to criticize. Let’s have a look at how it actually works.

Today we will have a look at an unusual product in our portfolio. It is an accessory that we do not pay much attention to here. However, the Echo 11 is a very interesting dock that deserves your attention. Especially now that Thunderbolt 3 is part of the new Intel Ice Lake processors, there is a good chance this technology will no longer be limited to use in premium notebooks, but will appear in mainstream products as well.

Tests

We have tested the dock on both Windows and macOS platforms.

When connecting to a Windows computer for the first time, you need to permit the connection of a new Thunderbolt device. When you attach the TB3 cable to your notebook a new device connection pop-up window appears. When you open it, you can reject the connection, accept for one time use or always. If you accept the connection, you can start using the dock immediately.

In the Thunderbolt devices’ details you will find more information about the dock, such as the vendor, name, and power status. When you connect a compatible laptop, the dock will charge it. We have tested this with Lenovo X1 Carbon 6th gen. In the images you can see Lenovo Legion Y740, which won’t support charging since its power adapter has higher than 87 watts output, a detail we mentioned in our review of the laptop.

Connection under macOS was faster, but it was more difficult to determine if the connections were already working. The charging icon appeared right away. After I connected a LAN cable to the dock, the MacBook connected to the Internet. You can find more details about the dock in System Information.

The Echo 11 dock worked flawlessly in all testing scenarios, and met expectations. There is nothing to criticize; it only deserves praise.

Final thoughts

Sonnet Technologies’ Echo 11 Thunderbolt 3 dock is a great accessory for your Thunderbolt 3 enabled notebook. With just one cable you can greatly expand your notebook’s capabilities. My favorite example is using the dock at work, where through one cable I get charging, and connection to two monitors, Ethernet, mouse and keyboard. All that with just one cable! There are even more USB ports available, plus an SD card reader that is missing on my laptop. This is exactly the “One Cable Solution” that Intel described when it announced Thunderbolt 3. In practice, it’s really outstanding and comfortable to use.

The dock works as expected, and it’s hard to find any real negatives. Its black plastic trim will be prone to fingerprints and scratches. However, it’s not just a trend in computers, but cars too, for example. I’m not sure why “piano black” is so popular when it’s so impractical. The only real negative is the single dedicated video output in the form of HDMI. It would be nice to have DisplayPort as well. DP is available through the second Thunderbolt 3 port, but you will need an adapter to use it, since there are only a few monitors with USB-C. Alternatively, you could use USB-C to DP cable which are available for purchase as well. TB3 devices have high price tags, and this dock is no exception. The Echo 11 costs 8500 Kč / 330 eur, which is a lot for a notebook accessory. However, if you consider all the benefits the dock brings, and want the luxury of connecting just one cable to your notebook to gain full peripheral connectivity, you will have to accept the price tag.

• Contents
• Packaging and parameters
• Tests and final thoughts