Sonnet Echo Express SE III, User Manual

1

Chapter 1 – Introduction and System Requirements

Preparing to Use the Echo Express Chassis With a 

Mac Computer

The drivers required to support the Echo Express chassis are 
installed as part of macOS; there are no preparation steps beyond 
updating your computer to macOS 10.12.6 or newer. 

Preparing to Use the Echo Express Chassis With a 

Windows Computer

1

. Update Windows. You must use Windows 10, 64-Bit 

Version 

1703 

or newer (also called the Creator’s Update). To check the 

version number, type winver in the search bar and click enter.

2

. Update your computer’s BIOS to the latest version. If you 

need help updating your BIOS, contact your computer 
manufacturer.

3

. Update your Thunderbolt Bus Driver to the latest version; 

you will need version 16.3.61.275 or newer. To check 
your driver version, go to Settings:Apps:Thunderbolt(TM) 
Software and you will see the version number. If it is not 
16.3.61.275 or newer, then you need to update it. Check with 
your computer manufacturer for an update.

Introduction

Congratulations on your purchase! The Echo Express SE III is 
a Thunderbolt 3 expansion system for PCIe cards. Through its 
PCIe slots, you may connect three adapter cards to any Mac

®

 or 

Windows

®

 computer with Thunderbolt 3 ports to expand its 

capabilities and add connectivity beyond what’s offered through 
its native ports. 

Mac Compatibility

• Macs with Thunderbolt 3 ports
•  Macs with Thunderbolt 2 or Thunderbolt ports and Apple 

Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter (sold 

separately)

•   macOS

®

 10.12.6+  

macOS High Sierra compatible

Windows Compatibility

• PCs with Thunderbolt 3 ports
•  64-bit editions of Windows 10, Version 1703 (Creator’s Update) 

or newer

Important Note

: Windows computers require the latest BIOS 

and Thunderbolt drivers to support this product. Check with 
your computer manufacturer for update information.

System Requirements

While the Echo Express SE III requires no drivers, most expansion 
cards you install do; Thunderbolt-compatible drivers to enable 
them to work properly through the Thunderbolt interface are 
required. More information on which cards are compatible with 
Echo Express SE III is available at: http://sonnettech.com/support