Sonnet xMac mini Server with one full-length and one half-length slot Thunderbolt 3 Edition
Sonnet xMAC mini Server Thunderbolt 3
Sonnet xMAC mini Server Thunderbolt 3 allows you to transform your Mac mini® with Thunderbolt 3 ports from a basic small computer into a powerful workstation!
In many cases, a Mac mini with Thunderbolt 3 ports has enough processing power to replace a full-size desktop or workstation.
Unfortunately, however, for professional audio and video users, the mini's compact size may limit its potential - there are no PCIe expansion card slots needed to provide additional connectivity and functionality.
In many cases, the computer must be mounted securely in a rack.
The award-winning Sonnet xMac™ mini server solves these problems and greatly maximizes the capabilities of your Mac mini.
In your custom 1U xMac mini Server Thunderbolt 3 Edition enclosure, you can safely mount your Mac mini and connect two PCIe cards to your computer via one of the Thunderbolt 3 ports.
The USB-A port and power button mounted on the front panel allow you to connect a keyboard, mouse, flash drive or other USB peripheral and operate the system without having to access the back of the computer.
Additional panel mount cables (HDMI, 10 Gigabit Ethernet and USB-A) are included to connect your computer's ports to the ports on the back of the xMac mini Server. Due to active electronics at both ends of Thunderbolt cables, loop-through Thunderbolt ports are not possible, but a hole in the rear panel allows you to easily route cables to your computer or internal connections on an installed card.
Key features
- Adds additional connectivity options to your Mac mini - Allows you to connect two high-performance PCIe 1.1, 2.0 or 3.0 expansion cards to your Mac mini - Supports a variety of PCIe cards - supports professional video capture and playback cards, professional audio cards, 10 Gigabit Ethernet, Fiber controllers Channel, SAS/SATA RAID and other PCIe cards
- Server room ready - 1U rack-mount chassis with user-replaceable fans, easy-removable cover, built-in cable management
- Makes your Mac mini travel-ready - keeps your computer and PCIe cards securely in place during transport, increasing your Mac's portability
- Thunderbolt 3 Interface – Offers approximately 1,750 MB/s of PCIe bandwidth for installed cards
- Two Thunderbolt 3 ports - one port used to connect to a computer; The second port supports daisy-chaining up to five additional Thunderbolt peripherals to your computer, connecting one USB peripheral (2), or connecting a 4K display.
- Back panel connectivity, front panel operation - Ethernet, HDMI and USB-A ports mounted on the back of the case for easy connectivity; the front panel power button activates the Mac mini's power switch; The illuminated USB-A port allows you to connect a keyboard, mouse, pendrive, etc.
- Power for high-performance PCIe cards – Integrated 150W power supply provides plenty of power for installed cards; additional PCIe power connector enables the use of power-hungry non-GPU cards such as Avid® Pro Tools | HDX or RED® ROCKET-X™
Two PCIe 2.0 slots; Supports PCIe 1.1, 2.0 and 3.0 cards
xMac mini Server Thunderbolt 3 Edition supports one full-height, full-length, and one-width card, and one full-height and half-length card. Additionally, if you install a PCIe card that includes a daughter card (or interface connector bracket), such as the cards included with the RME HDSPe MADI FX Card, Blackmagic Design's DeckLink 4K Extreme 12G, and Lynx AES16e-50, the included mounting bracket allows you to securely mount the daughter card inside the case next to the main card, leaving the xMac's other PCIe slot open for another card.
Intelligent design inside and out
The xMac mini server has many thoughtful design solutions. The fans are user replaceable. An optional set of ultra-quiet fans is available. The xMac mini power switch lets you turn your computer on and off without having to reach back, and the PCIe slots turn on/off with your Mac mini to save power.
The rear panel of the case includes mounting holes for two BNC connectors used for HD/SDI output from cards such as the RED ROCKET-X or for MADI and Word Clock IO from cards such as the RME HDSPe MADI FX.
A central hub for computer power and PCIe slot power has been built in, so you can power everything with one power cable. The front panel USB-A port provides a handy visual cue that lights up when the computer is turned on.
Thunderbolt 3 (40Gbps) and ThunderLok™ 3 cable included
To connect your computer to the xMac mini Server, a 0.5-meter Thunderbolt 3 (40 Gbps) cable is included. To prevent accidental disconnection of the cable, which could result in data loss, we include a Sonnet ThunderLok 3 Thunderbolt connector retention clip to securely attach the cable to your xMac. ThunderLok 3 is easy to install and use - simply slide it onto one end of the cable, then plug in the connector and secure it to the case by tightening the screw. Due to its unique design, ThunderLok stays on the cable so it won't get lost when not in use.
