Hands-On: Sonnet Echo 21 Thunderbolt 5 SuperDock - a significant speed boost [Video]

The Sonnet Echo 21 Thunderbolt 5 SuperDock, the follow-up to the similarly named Echo 20 Thunderbolt 4 SuperDock (review), lets you add tons of I/O to your Mac via a single Thunderbolt cable, and brings several noteworthy improvements for those looking to upgrade or future-proof their Mac setups.

Perfect for both laptops like the MacBook Pro, and desktop machines like the just-announced M5 Pro Mac mini, the Echo 21 SuperDock adds a vast array of I/O to these machines. Watch our full hands-on video walkthrough for the details, and be sure to subscribe to 9to5mac on YouTube for more.

Specifications Video: Sonnet Echo 21 Thunderbolt 5 SuperDock

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What’s new?

How does the Echo 21 Thunderbolt 5 SuperDock compare to its direct predecessor? If you were just to take a quick glance, you’d be hard-pressed to tell the difference between the two. The design, form factor, color, and virtually everything else about these two devices look the same. But upon closer inspection, it’s clear the Thunderbolt 5 SuperDock adds a helping of new features to enhance workflows.

Thunderbolt 5 ports

The most noteworthy benefit of the Echo 21 over its predecessor is that all Thunderbolt ports have been upgraded from Thunderbolt 4 to Thunderbolt 5. This is a substantial upgrade, as Thunderbolt 5 supports double the bandwidth of Thunderbolt 4, increasing from up to 40 Gbps to up to 80 Gbps of bidirectional data. You’ll notice the difference when transferring data between both the internal and externally mounted SSDs if connected to a Thunderbolt 5 machine.

Thunderbolt 5 connectivity also supports Bandwidth Boost, which dynamically reallocates some downstream lane capacity to the upstream lane when necessary. Under certain conditions, this reallocation may peak at up to 120 Gbps on the upstream side. This dynamic bandwidth allocation enables connecting to displays with high resolutions and refresh rates that require extra throughput.

One interesting thing that eagle-eyed users will notice is that there are actually four ports listed in System Information for the dock’s Thunderbolt 5 controller. Port A is the upstream port to the host computer, and ports B and D are the downstream ports. So, where does that leave Port C? That particular port, although not tied to a physical USB-C connection, is used for the DisplayPort/HDMI output. 

DisplayPort

Notably, Sonnet adds a full-size DisplayPort connection to the Thunderbolt 5 SuperDock, a feature not available on the Thunderbolt 4 version. It means the dock can now connect to a display via Thunderbolt/USB-C, HDMI, or DisplayPort. Note that you can use only HDMI or DisplayPort; it’s either/or, not both, and HDMI takes precedence when both are connected. When connecting via HDMI, connectivity tops out at 4K60, so I recommend using DisplayPort, which supports up to 4K144. If you’re looking for the most capable connectivity option, use Thunderbolt, which supports a wider range of resolutions and frame rates.

Upstream Thunderbolt port

Because Thunderbolt 5 has a minimum mandatory power delivery requirement of 140W, it can deliver full power to a power-hungry machine like the 16-inch MacBook Pro, while the Thunderbolt 4 version of the dock was limited to 100W. This change also means that the power adapter that drives the dock is now larger and rated for higher power: 20V at 12A vs 20V at 7.5A.

10Gb Ethernet

One of the main complaints I heard in response to my Echo 20 SuperDock review was about the lack of 10GbE. Sonnet has allayed these concerns with the Echo 21 SuperDock, which uses a Marvell AQC113 chipset to deliver high-performance connectivity up to 10 Gbps at relatively low power. The chipset also supports GbE, 2.5GbE, and 5GbE, which is handy when connecting to a NAS or other devices with those options. 

Hi-res audio

The Echo 21 SuperDock features an upgraded hi-resolution codec that supports the audio ports, enabling lossless audio up to 24-bit/192 kHz. So if you’re the type who can discern the difference between lossless audio files, you’ll be happy with this upgrade. With that said, I currently use a Rode Rodecaster Duo as an audio interface and mixer, but if ever in a pinch, the Echo 21 lets me connect directly to my powered Yamaha HS3 monitors for full audio output.

microSD

In the past, I’ve tended to overlook microSD support, always feeling like it was a superfluous addition. But as I add more devices to my workflow that use this storage medium, like the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 and the aforementioned Rode Rodecaster Duo, I’m grateful for its inclusion. No finagling with microSD → SD Card adapters, just insert the microSD card and be done with it. 

Front-facing USB-C port with 15W power output

The Echo 21 SuperDock includes a third front-facing USB-C port, bringing the total to five front-facing USB ports. But unlike the initial four USB-A and USB-C ports, this added port can charge devices up to 15W – double the speed of the other four ports on the front. This is handy for charging a smartphone, Apple Watch, powering a wireless charger, etc.

M.2 NVMe SSD

Like the Thunderbolt 4 SuperDock before it, the Echo 21 lets you add up to 8TB of SSD storage via an NVMe M.2 2280 SSD. I added a SanDisk WD_Black SN850X 2TB SSD, which, on paper, is capable of up to 7300 MB/s read, but when used with the Sonnet Echo 21 Thunderbolt 5 SuperDock, speeds max out around 3300 MB/s. This is a major upgrade over the Echo 20, which supports up to 800 MB/s due to its slower Thunderbolt 4 architecture.

While the internal SSD is much faster than it was in the dock’s predecessor, you’ll notice that external Thunderbolt 5 SSDs are faster in both read/write tests. That’s because, in order to properly support 10Gb USB ports and 10GbE, only 2x PCIe lanes were allocated to the internal SSD. The Thunderbolt 5 ports, on the other hand, have access to the full 4x PCIe Gen4 lanes, and thus external Thunderbolt 5 SSDs have more headroom.

Installation of the SSD is dead-simple. At the bottom of the dock, you’ll find the SSD cover plate that can be removed via the two Philips screws. Once the cover is removed, unscrew the standoff screw, insert the SSD, and reinstall the standoff screw to secure the drive. 

Once connected to the host computer, macOS will recognize the new SSD. I recommend using Disk Utility to format and manage the new drive.

One of the biggest issues with M.2 drives is that they generate significant heat under sustained load. Sonnet has made a couple of changes to help keep things cool. First, it added a second thermal pad, so now the drive is sandwiched between two pads. Second, and more importantly, it added a fan and corresponding intake port to the ends of the dock.

I will admit, when I first saw the fan, I was concerned. As most of you know, I hate fan noise with a passion, so despite the potential benefits, it initially gave me pause. However, I’m happy to report that the fan noise, while present if you get close enough to the dock, is virtually inaudible at normal distances. 

Thunderbolt docks tend to run on the warmer side, and adding an M.2 SSD only increases the thermal footprint. I think adding a fan was a wise decision to help maintain sustained peak drive performance and keep the device cool overall.

Using the Echo 21 Thunderbolt 5 SuperDock

Sonnet’s has long preferred the “flat on the desktop” horizontal approach to dock orientation, and the Echo 21 is no exception. It means the hardware takes up a little more desktop footprint, but enjoys a low center of gravity with cable connections resting close to the desktop surface. 

The Echo 21, like its predecessor, features rear-facing Thunderbolt I/O, so there’s no need to permanently connect cables to the front of the dock. 

That being said, there are plenty of I/O options within arm’s reach, thanks to eight front-facing ports, including the already-mentioned 15W USB-C port and microSD additions.

Having a much faster internal SSD only adds to the dock’s versatility. You can use it for general storage or for offloading and editing high-resolution, high-frame-rate videos. It’s also a good Time Machine drive candidate, since it’s always connected as long as your Mac is connected to the dock. It’s especially useful for desktop machines like the Mac mini or Mac Studio, which rarely, if ever, leave the desktop.

Display connectivity

If you’re interested in learning which display types the Echo 21 supports with macOS or other platforms, I recommend reading Sonnet’s documentation. Here’s a brief look at how many displays can be configured when connected to the same Mac.

9to5Mac’s Take

The Echo 21 SuperDock and its sister product, the Echo 20 Thunderbolt 5 SecureDock, are both available now. The SecureDock is basically the same dock, except it omits the built-in NVMe SSD option and costs $50 less.

At $499.99, the Sonnet Echo 21 Thunderbolt 5 SuperDock is pricey, but it yields one of the most versatile dock experiences you’ll find. Alongside its versatility, it affords room to grow thanks to the added bandwidth of its Thunderbolt 5 upstream and downstream connectivity. Such connectivity yields immediate benefits – faster I/O with both the internal and externally connected SSDs, and even faster support when you upgrade to a Thunderbolt 5-capable Mac and peripherals. 

What do you think about the Echo 21 SuperDock? Is it worth the asking price? Sound off in the comments below with your thoughts.

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