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Silver aluminum Thunderbolt 3 expansion chassis with PCIe x16 slot and DisplayPort

STARTECH

STARTECH TB31PCIEX16 Thunderbolt 3 PCIe x16 expansion card

SKU CH-P3EH-DS28W MPN TB31PCIEX16

Adds an external PCI Express 3.0 x16 slot and DisplayPort to a Thunderbolt 3 laptop at up to 40 Gbps

  • TypeThunderbolt 3 to PCIe x16 and DisplayPort
  • Thunderbolt 3Yes
  • External Ports2 x Thunderbolt 3 USB-C (24-pin) Female 1 x DisplayPort (20
  • Internal Ports1 x PCI Express x16 Female
  • Data Transfer RateUp to 40 Gbps (Thunderbolt 3)
  • Operating Systems SupportedWindows 10 (32-bit or 64-bit), 8 / 8.1 (32-bit or 64-bit), 7
  • Add an external PCIe 3.0 x16 slot to your Thunderbolt 3 laptop
  • Connect a 4K DisplayPort monitor via the Thunderbolt 3 link
  • Up to 40 Gbps bandwidth for high-speed PCIe cards
  • Quiet 92 mm fan rated at 24.55 dB and 14.06 CFM airflow
  • Universal power adapter with NA/JP, UK, EU, ANZ plugs included

Thunderbolt 3 PCIe x16 enclosure

The StarTech TB31PCIEX16 is a Thunderbolt 3 expansion chassis that provides an external PCI Express 3.0 x16 slot and a DisplayPort connection. It connects to a host computer through two Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports and supports up to 40 Gbps of bandwidth. The aluminium enclosure includes a 92 mm sleeve-bearing fan rated at 14.06 CFM and 24.55 dB, plus a universal power adapter and a Thunderbolt 3 cable in the box.

Suits laptops and compact PCs needing one

This enclosure serves users who want to add a single PCIe x16 card such as a capture, networking or storage controller to a Thunderbolt 3 laptop or small-form-factor system. It also adds a 4K DisplayPort output for an external monitor. Builders who need multiple PCIe slots, a larger card form factor, or an interface other than Thunderbolt 3 should consider a different chassis or an internal motherboard solution.

Deciding spec: Thunderbolt 3 40 Gbps link

The Thunderbolt 3 interface caps sustained PCIe throughput at 40 Gbps, which determines whether a given x16 card can run at its intended performance. Cards that require more bandwidth than the link provides will be limited by this connection.

Highlights

  • Add an external PCIe 3.0 x16 slot to your Thunderbolt 3 laptop
  • Connect a 4K DisplayPort monitor via the Thunderbolt 3 link
  • Up to 40 Gbps bandwidth for high-speed PCIe cards
  • Quiet 92 mm fan rated at 24.55 dB and 14.06 CFM airflow
  • Universal power adapter with NA/JP, UK, EU, ANZ plugs included

Specifications

BrandStarTech.com
ModelTB31PCIEX16
TypeThunderbolt 3 to PCIe x16 and DisplayPort
Thunderbolt 3Yes
External Ports2 x Thunderbolt 3 USB-C (24-pin) Female
1 x DisplayPort (20 pin) Female
Internal Ports1 x PCI Express x16 Female
Data Transfer RateUp to 40 Gbps (Thunderbolt 3)
Operating Systems SupportedWindows 10 (32-bit or 64-bit), 8 / 8.1 (32-bit or 64-bit), 7 (32-bit or 64-bit)
macOS 10.12 (Sierra)
SpecificationsFan(s): 1 x 92 mm fan
Air Flow Rate : 14.06 CFM
Noise Level: 24.55 dB
Fan Bearing Type: Sleeve Bearing
Chipset ID: Intel - Alpine Ridge DSL6540
LED Indicators: 1 x Power(Blue)
Center Tip Polarity: Positive
Input Current : 2A
Input Voltage : 100 ~ 240 AC
Output Current: 5.417A
Output Voltage: 12 DC
Power Consumption (In Watts): 65W
Power Source: AC Adapter Included
Note:
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 ic
FeaturesIncreased 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 cm coolin
Dimensions3.20" x 2.20" x 10.70" (L x W x H)
Weight3.30 lbs.
Package Contents1 x Thunderbolt 3 PCIe expansion box
1 x Thunderbolt 3 cable
4 x rubber feet
1 x universal power adapter (NA/JP, UK, EU, ANZ)
1 x quick-start guide
Shipping weight3.13 kg
Package size351 × 297 × 145 mm

Questions about this item

How do I decide whether the single x16 slot or the two Thunderbolt 3 ports suit my workflow?

The enclosure provides one PCI Express 3.0 x16 slot for a full-length card and two Thunderbolt 3 ports — one connects to the host, the other can daisy-chain another Thunderbolt device.

What does the 40 Gbps Thunderbolt 3 bandwidth deliver when a GPU or capture card is installed?

The Alpine Ridge DSL6540 controller links the x16 slot to the host at up to 40 Gbps, so high-throughput cards such as GPUs or 10 GbE adapters run near their PCIe 3.0 x4 potential.

How does the Thunderbolt 3 interface limit the PCIe lane width and display output?

Thunderbolt 3 caps the link to four PCIe 3.0 lanes and carries one 4K DisplayPort stream, so the x16 slot operates electrically as x4 while still accepting x16 cards.

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