Thunderbolt 3 PCIe Expansion Chassis StarTech 2TBT3-PCIE-ENCLOSURE Dual PCI Express Slots 8K Output

The StarTech Thunderbolt 3 PCIe Expansion Chassis (2TBT3-PCIE-ENCLOSURE) adds dual external PCIe (PCI Express 3.0) x16 slots, Thunderbolt 3 ports and a DisplayPort connection to systems with Thunderbolt 3 or 4. It enables laptops, desktops and all‑in‑one computers that lack internal PCIe slots to use a wide range of PCIe expansion cards and supports high-resolution external displays up to single 8K or dual 4K via the DisplayPort 1.4 or Thunderbolt 3 outputs.

Advantages

This toolless aluminum enclosure provides two PCIe 3.0 x16 capable slots with dynamic shared bandwidth (up to 32 Gbps aggregated, each slot up to ~21.6 Gbps / 2700 MBps), onboard active cooling, and internal SATA power connectors to supply additional power to installed cards. The driverless design ensures cross‑platform compatibility with macOS, Windows and Linux, while the included 1 m Thunderbolt‑certified cable simplifies setup. The chassis can be positioned horizontally or vertically to fit different workspaces.

Suitable for

• Adding video capture or GPU cards to Thunderbolt 3/4 laptops and desktops
• Installing high-speed network or fiber NICs for improved connectivity
• Using NVMe or other PCIe storage and expansion cards externally
• Connecting high-resolution monitors (8K/5K/4K) via DP 1.4 or Thunderbolt 3

Key specifications

• Model: StarTech 2TBT3-PCIE-ENCLOSURE
• Interface: Thunderbolt 3 host connection (included 1 m cable)
• PCIe slots: Dual PCIe 3.0 x16 capable (bandwidth shared dynamically)
• Max card length: 8 in (20.3 cm), single-slot card support
• Power: Up to 25 W per slot (TAA‑Compliant); two internal 12 V SATA power ports (up to 40 W per card)
• Video output: DisplayPort 1.4 and Thunderbolt 3 ports — supports up to single 8K or dual 4K 60 Hz (depending on host and card)
• Cooling: Built-in fan (active cooling)
• Compatibility: macOS, Windows, Linux (driverless enclosure; some cards may require drivers)

How to use

Connect the chassis to a Thunderbolt 3 or 4 capable computer using the supplied 1 m Thunderbolt‑certified cable. Install PCIe cards (single‑slot, up to 8 in / 20.3 cm) into the two x16 slots following the toolless installation procedure, and attach SATA power connectors if the card requires additional power. Position the enclosure horizontally or vertically as needed, then connect external displays to the DisplayPort 1.4 or Thunderbolt 3 ports. Verify any required drivers for installed cards on the host system.

Usage recommendations

For best performance, use Thunderbolt 3 or 4 hosts with up‑to‑date firmware and drivers. Ensure installed cards are within the supported length and power limits; if a card requires drivers, install them on the host operating system. Provide adequate ventilation around the enclosure to maintain optimal cooling during heavy workloads.