AJA Launches Io Xpand Thunderbolt 5 Chassis For KONA And Corvid PCIe I/O Cards

AJA Video Systems has unveiled Io Xpand, a high-performance PCIe expansion chassis enabled by Thunderbolt 5 for use with AJA's KONA and Corvid video and audio I/O cards. Announced on 17 June 2026, the unit is designed to help video professionals tap the full performance of AJA PCIe I/O when working on Thunderbolt 5 laptops and mini-PCs across Windows, macOS and Linux.

The compact, portable chassis targets space-constrained creative and live production environments such as on-set work, remote production and live switching. Paired with a KONA 1, KONA 4 or KONA 5 card and a Thunderbolt 5-equipped computer, Io Xpand forms a powerful, small-footprint workstation for advanced video capture and playback. For AJA Developer Partners, most Corvid I/O cards can be deployed in the enclosure to create smaller-format solutions.

Io Xpand ships with a 0.8-metre Thunderbolt 5 cable, a Thunderbolt cable lock, power cable and universal power adapter. It will be sold on its own or bundled with a single KONA 1, KONA 4 or KONA 5 card. The KONA 5 + Io Xpand bundle gives Thunderbolt 5 laptop and mini-PC users access to the card's high-performance 12G-SDI I/O, additional frame stores and full I/O stack – including AES/EBU audio and machine control – in a portable, plug-and-play package.

"Across media and entertainment and proAV, we're seeing a move toward more compact and highly configurable workstations. With this shift, creative and video professionals are asking for high quality I/O solutions like our KONA and Corvid cards, that can deliver breakthrough performance on the newest laptops and mini-PCs equipped with Thunderbolt 5," explained AJA President Nick Rashby. "Io Xpand delivers a convenient, cost-efficient solution for harnessing our Desktop I/O capabilities with a smaller form factor workstation that travels easily."

Key features include compatibility with Thunderbolt 5, 4 and 3, as well as USB4; support for Windows, macOS and Linux; accommodation for full-height, half-length, x4 Gen 4 PCIe cards, including double-width cards and those with daughter cards; up to 6000 MB/s of bi-directional PCIe bandwidth to the installed card; support for PCIe 4.0/3.0/2.0/1.1; near-silent operation via a temperature-controlled fan; a second Thunderbolt port for daisy-chaining; a lightweight, rugged aluminium internal enclosure; and a two-year warranty.

Pricing and availability: Io Xpand will be available soon via AJA's reseller network at US$499 MSRP. Bundles that pair Io Xpand with a KONA 1, KONA 4 or KONA 5 card are also coming soon, priced from US$1,249 to US$4,455 MSRP depending on the KONA model. Further details and bundle pricing can be found at https://www.aja.com/products/io-xpand.

Io Xpand will be demonstrated at InfoComm in Las Vegas from 17–19 June at AJA's booth #N7744.

www.aja.com