We take cryptocurrency — so the coins you hold can buy real hardware.Pay in crypto, spend it on real hardware. Free insured shipping worldwide over $399. Plain, unbranded boxes, sent from Germany.Free insured shipping over $399. Your rate is locked for 30 minutes once checkout opens.Rate locked 30 minutes. Every item sealed, serial-checked and covered by a 24-month warranty.Sealed, 24-month warranty.

Saved items Sign in
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

  • External connectors2 x Thunderbolt 3 USB-C (24-pin) Female 1 x DisplayPort (20
  • Internal ports1 x PCI Express x16 Female
  • Transfer speedUp to 40 Gbit/s (Thunderbolt 3)
  • Supported operating systemsWindows 10 (32-bit or 64-bit), 8 / 8.1 (32-bit or 64-bit), 7
  • Product typeThunderbolt 3 to PCIe x16 and DisplayPort
  • DetailsFan(s): 1 × 92 mm fan Air Flow Rate : 14.06 CFM Noise Level:
  • 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.

How it compares

Measured against everything we stock in PCIe Expansion Cards, at today’s prices. Recalculated every night.

Price $228.99
Pricier than about 90% of the 891 comparable items (median $30.99).

New to this? Buying PC parts with Monero — what to check, what it costs to pay, and what is never asked for.

Specifications

Product
Brand nameStarTech.com
Model nameTB31PCIEX16
Product typeThunderbolt 3 to PCIe x16 and DisplayPort
Performance
Transfer speedUp to 40 Gbit/s (Thunderbolt 3)
Ports & slots
Thunderbolt 3 supportYes
External connectors2 x Thunderbolt 3 USB-C (24-pin) Female
1 x DisplayPort (20 pin) Female
Internal ports1 x PCI Express x16 Female
Size & build
Product dimensions3.2 in × 2.2 in × 10.7 in (L × W × H)
Product weight3.3 lb (1.5 kg)
Shipping weight3.13 kg
Package size351 × 297 × 145 mm
Compatibility
Supported operating systemsWindows 10 (32-bit or 64-bit), 8 / 8.1 (32-bit or 64-bit), 7 (32-bit or 64-bit)
macOS 10.12 (Sierra)
In the box
In the box1 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

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.

More in PCIe Expansion Cards

Similar items