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Go to StarTech.comThunderbolt 3 PCIe Expansion Chassis with DisplayPort - PCIe x16
Add an external PCIe (PCI Express 3.0) x16 slot and a DisplayPort connection to your Thunderbolt 3 equipped MacBook or laptop
Product ID: TB31PCIEX16
- Increased productivity with Thunderbolt 3 and up to 40Gbps bandwidth — twice the speed of Thunderbolt 2 (20Gbps) and eight times faster than USB 3.0 (5Gbps)
- Supports one 4K DisplayPort monitor, and a second extended monitor display through the Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) port
- Daisy chain up to six Thunderbolt 3 devices
- Supports 5K Thunderbolt displays
- Supports half-length and dual-slot PCIe card standards at all heights, with standard profile slot brackets
- Provides a x16 4 lane PCIe 3.0 slot or interface
- Durable aluminum construction
- Works on Mac and Windows® computers
- Internal 60 mm cooling fan
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Overview
This Thunderbolt™3 PCIe expansion chassis lets you add a PCI Express card to your laptop or desktop computer, through an external Thunderbolt 3 connection. The chassis also features a DisplayPort video output, so you can connect an additional monitor to your laptop, and supports Thunderbolt 3 daisy chaining, so you can expand your workstation even further.
Expand the capabilities of your Thunderbolt 3 computer
The Thunderbolt 3 PCIe chassis makes it easy to expand your system with the capabilities you need to work at peak productivity. You can add many types of PCI Express cards, such as a PCIe USB 3.1/3.0/2.0 and USB-C, SSD, network, eSATA, FireWire or video capture cards. And, with the speed and bandwidth support of Thunderbolt 3 and PCIe 3.0, you can enjoy many of the same port additions you would from the PCI Express expansion slots of a desktop system.
Extend your workstation
The external PCIe enclosure features a dedicated DisplayPort output that lets you add an additional display to your laptop or desktop computer. The enclosure features a second Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) port, that you can use to connect a secondary display (a USB-C video adapter may be required). With multiple extended displays, you can work more efficiently by multitasking faster, and avoid the hassle of continually repositioning several open windows or programs.
You can also use the second Thunderbolt 3 port to connect additional Thunderbolt, USB and DisplayPort devices to your system. You can daisy chain up to six Thunderbolt 3 devices and expand your workstation to suit your specific requirements.
Increase productivity with faster speeds
Thunderbolt 3 is the fastest connection available, which means you don’t have to deal with the performance bottlenecks of a slower connection, and can accomplish more in the same amount of time.
At up to 40Gbps this Thunderbolt 3 expansion chassis gives you the throughput to add displays to your laptop, access files quickly, and work without disruptions. It’s easy to access and edit large uncompressed files such as videos and images on the fly, making it ideal for dynamic on-site production.
The TB31PCIEX16 is backed by a StarTech.com 2-year warranty and free lifetime technical support.
Applications
Add many types of PCIe cards, such as a PCIe USB 3.1/3.0/2.0 and USB-C, SSD, network, eSATA, FireWire or video capture cards to your Thunderbolt 3 laptop
Add an external PCIe card to your Thunderbolt 3 equipped desktop computer
Technical Specifications
Product Numbers | ||
---|---|---|
Ingram Germany | V934202 | |
UPC Code | 065030868440 |
Warranty Information | ||
---|---|---|
Warranty | 2 Years | |
Hardware | ||
Air Flow Rate | 14.06 CFM | |
Bus Type | Thunderbolt 3 | |
Card Type | Standard Profile | |
Chipset ID | Intel - Alpine Ridge DSL6540 | |
Fan Bearing Type | Sleeve Bearing | |
Fan(s) | Yes | |
Fans | 1 - 60 mm | |
Industry Standards | Thunderbolt 3 | |
Interface | Thunderbolt | |
Noise Level | 24.55 dB | |
Ports | 3 | |
Performance | ||
Bandwidth | 3.94 GB/s (x4 PCIe 3.0 ) | |
Maximum Data Transfer Rate | 40 Gbps (Thunderbolt 3) | |
Type and Rate | Thunderbolt 3 - 40 Gbit/s | |
Connector(s) | ||
External Ports | 2 - Thunderbolt™ 3 USB-C (24-pin) Female | |
1 - DisplayPort (20 pin) Female | ||
Internal Ports | 1 - PCI Express x16 Female | |
Software | ||
OS Compatibility | Windows® 7, 8, 8.1, 10 macOS 10.12 - 10.13 |
|
Special Notes / Requirements | ||
Note | The expansion chassis does not support video cards. | |
This expansion chassis does not provide full power delivery but will provide 15W of power, resulting in a slow charge to some laptops, such as MacBook Pro. When the dock is connected to your host laptop, a charging icon may appear on your laptop's screen. This is only sufficient enough to charge your laptop in sleep state, and charging will require an extended time period. | ||
5K support can only be achieved using a Thunderbolt 3 5K monitor. DisplayPort 5K monitors will not work with this expansion chassis. | ||
A 4K-capable display is required to achieve 4K x 2K resolution (4K is also known as 4K x 2K). | ||
Certain monitors may be limited to 4K at 30Hz when connecting through DisplayPort. These monitors include the following models: Dell P2715Q, Viewsonic VX2475Smhl-4K, Philips 288P6LJEB, LG 31MU97C-B, Asus PB287Q (these models will need to be set to 4K at 30Hz). | ||
When connecting a display to one of the Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports, a USB-C video adapter might be required depending on the input of your display. | ||
Secondary Thunderbolt 3 port can also be used to connect USB 3.1 (10Gbps) USB-Type C devices, such as USB 3.1 Hubs. Backwards compatible with USB 3.0 (USB 3.1 Gen 1), and USB 2.0. | ||
System and Cable Requirements | Thunderbolt 3 equipped computer with a Thunderbolt 3 port. | |
Indicators | ||
LED Indicators | 1 - Power(Blue) | |
Power | ||
Center Tip Polarity | Positive | |
Input Current | 2A | |
Input Voltage | 100 ~ 240 AC | |
Output Current | 5.417A | |
Output Voltage | 12 DC | |
Plug Type | N | |
Power Consumption (In Watts) | 65 | |
Power Source | AC Adapter Included | |
Environmental | ||
Humidity | 20-80%RH | |
Operating Temperature | 5°C to 35°C (41°F to 95°F) | |
Storage Temperature | -20°C to 50°C (-4°F to 122°F) | |
Physical Characteristics | ||
Cable Length | 500 mm [19.7 in] | |
Color | Black | |
Enclosure Type | Aluminum and Steel | |
Product Height | 82 mm [3.2 in] | |
Product Length | 280 mm [11 in] | |
Product Weight | 1.6 kg [3.6 lb] | |
Product Width | 142 mm [5.6 in] | |
Packaging Information | ||
Shipping (Package) Weight | 3.1 kg [6.9 lb] | |
What's in the Box | ||
Included in Package | 1 - Thunderbolt 3 PCIe expansion box | |
1 - Thunderbolt 3 cable | ||
4 - rubber feet | ||
1 - universal power adapter (NA/JP, UK, EU, ANZ) | ||
1 - quick-start guide |
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Product Support
Drivers & Downloads
Frequently Asked Questions
Before You Buy
Components
Thunderbolt™ 3 is the latest version of the Thunderbolt standard for connecting computers and electronic devices. It is capable of the following:
- Total bandwidth up to 40Gbps. Data transfer speeds are dependent on the other features that you are using in your setup.
- USB 3.1 Gen 2 support.
- 4K 60Hz video on one or two separate displays.
- 5K 60Hz video on a single display.
- A 10 GbE network connection between two Thunderbolt 3 compatible computers.
- Up to six devices daisy-chained from a single Thunderbolt 3 port.
- Alternate modes, such as DisplayPort Alternate Mode (DP Alt Mode).
- Bi-directional power delivery up to 100W (not all Thunderbolt 3 devices support power delivery).
USB-C and Thunderbolt 3
Thunderbolt 3 uses the USB-C connector, but not all host connections, cables, and devices with a USB-C connector support Thunderbolt 3. This means that a USB-C device is compatible with a Thunderbolt 3 host connection, but a Thunderbolt 3 device is not compatible with a USB-C host connection. Therefore, it is important to know whether you have a USB-C or a Thunderbolt 3 host, cable, or device.
To determine if your component is a Thunderbolt 3 device, look for the Thunderbolt 3 symbol (shown below). USB-C devices do not include this symbol. For more information about USB-C, see the following FAQ: https://www.startech.com/faq/usb-c-port-capabilites.
Thunderbolt symbol: https://sgcdn.startech.com/005329/media/products/gallery_large/TBLT3MMXM.B.jpg.
Backwards compatibility
If you use an adapter, Thunderbolt 3 host connections are compatible with Thunderbolt 1 and Thunderbolt 2 devices. You can use the StarTech.com TBT3TBTADAP to make a Thunderbolt 3 host connections backwards compatible.
Thunderbolt 3 devices are not backwards compatible with Thunderbolt 1 and Thunderbolt 2 host connections.
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Thunderbolt 3 uses the USB-C connector, but not all host connections, cables, and devices with a USB-C connector support Thunderbolt 3. This means that a USB-C device is compatible with a Thunderbolt 3 host connection, but a Thunderbolt 3 device is not compatible with a USB-C host connection. Therefore, it is important to know whether you have a USB-C or a Thunderbolt 3 host, cable, or device.
To determine if your component is a Thunderbolt 3 device, look for the Thunderbolt 3 symbol (shown below). USB-C devices do not include this symbol. For more information about USB-C, see the following FAQ: http://www.startech.com/faq/usb-c-port-capabilites.
Thunderbolt symbol: https://sgcdn.startech.com/005329/media/products/gallery_large/TBLT3MMXM.B.jpg.
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How to
To check which version of the Thunderbolt™ software, NVM firmware, and drivers you are running, do the following:
- Click Start.
- Type Thunderbolt and click on the search result.
- In the system tray, right-click the Thunderbolt icon.
- Click Settings > Details.
Review the versions of the software package, NVM firmware, PD firmware, and drivers. If you are not running the latest versions, navigate to the manufacturer’s website and download the latest versions.
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When you connect a Thunderbolt™ device to any Windows operating system that can support Thunderbolt 3, a pop-up message appears. To use your device, complete the following:
- In the New Thunderbolt devices have been attached pop-up message, click OK.
- In the User Account Control pop-up message, click Yes.
- In the Approve Thunderbolt Devices pop-up message, do one of the following:
- If you want to authorize your Thunderbolt devices every time that you connect them, select Connect Only Once in the drop-down list.
- If you want to authorize your Thunderbolt devices only once, select Always Connect in the drop-down list.
- Click OK.
If you accidentally set your Thunderbolt device to Do Not Connect in step three above, refer to the following FAQ: https://www.startech.com/faq/thunderbolt-3-denied-authentication.
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If you accidentally set a Thunderbolt™3 device to not connect to your computer when prompted by the system, you can force the software to prompt you again for authentication. To do so, complete the following:
- Right-click the Thunderbolt icon.
- Click Approve Attached Devices.
- Select the Thunderbolt 3 port that you want to authenticate.
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You can use the Thunderbolt™ software to manage your Thunderbolt 3 devices on a computer running a version of Windows. To manage your Thunderbolt 3 devices, complete the following:
- Click Start.
- Type Thunderbolt and click on the search result.
- Right-click the Thunderbolt icon.
- Click Manage Approved Devices.
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Troubleshooting
If your computer is not detecting your Thunderbolt™ 3 device, try the following:
- Update the Thunderbolt software on your Thunderbolt 3 host device.
- Update the Thunderbolt controller NVM firmware on your Thunderbolt 3 host device.
- Update the Thunderbolt controller drivers.
- Update your motherboard BIOS or UEFI.
For more information about how to update the software, firmware, drivers, and BIOS or UEFI, refer to the website of the manufacturer of the Thunderbolt 3 host device. The following website includes links to some of the manufacturers of Thunderbolt 3 host devices: https://thunderbolttechnology.net/updates. If the manufacturer of your host device is not listed, you should contact the manufacturer or refer to their website for more information.
For more information about how to check which version of the Thunderbolt software and firmware you are currently using, see the following FAQ: https://www.startech.com/faq/thunderbolt-3-check-software-firmware.
For more information about Thunderbolt 3 host system and motherboard compatibility, refer to the Thunderbolt 3 Compatibility and Troubleshooting guide.
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When you connect a Thunderbolt™ device to any Windows operating system that can support Thunderbolt 3, a pop-up message appears. To use your Thunderbolt 3 device do one of the following:
- Select Connect Only Once.
- Select Always Connect.
Caution! If you select Do Not Connect, only video will pass through on your Thunderbolt 3 device.
If you accidentally set a Thunderbolt™3 device to not connect to your computer when prompted by the system, you can force the software to prompt you again for authentication. To do so, complete the following:
- Right-click the Thunderbolt icon.
- Click Approve Attached Devices.
- Select the Thunderbolt 3 port that you want to authenticate.
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If you receive an error message that your Thunderbolt device is not certified for PC use, try the following to resolve the issue:
- Click Start.
- Type Thunderbolt and click the search result.
- In the system tray, right-click the Thunderbolt icon.
- Click Settings.
- Clear the Only allow Thunderbolt Devices that have been certified for PC check box.
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To use a Thunderbolt 3 adapter to output to a display at 60Hz, your monitor must support the refresh rate and you need to set the monitor to work at 60Hz. By default, most monitors are set to DP1.1, which will not work with this Thunderbolt 3 device when you use a display at 60Hz. In most cases, you need to set your monitor's DisplayPort settings to DP1.2.
To resolve this issue, use the buttons on your monitor to change the DisplayPort settings to DP1.2. For more information about changing your monitor settings, refer to the website of the manufacturer of your monitor.
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To output 4K to a DisplayPort display at 30Hz, your monitor must support the resolution and refresh rate. If your monitor also supports 4K at 60Hz (DP 1.2 or higher), you may also need to set the monitor to work at 30Hz.
To resolve this issue, use the buttons on your monitor to change the DisplayPort settings to DP1.1. For more information about how to change your monitor settings, refer to the website of the manufacturer of your monitor.
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* Product appearance and specifications are subject to change without notice.
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