EXHIBIT 23.1 CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this registration statement of SBE, Inc. on Form S-8 of our report dated November 23, 1999, relating to the financial statements and financial statement schedule, which appears in SBE, Inc.'s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended October 31, 1999. /s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP San Francisco, California March 17, 2000 7