<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-10-29</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0000087050</issuerCik><issuerName>SBE INC</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>sbei</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001237357</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>HEYE WILLIAM B JR</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>2305 CAMINO RAMON, SUITE 200</rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>SAN RAMON</rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>94583</rptOwnerZipCode><rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>President &amp; CEO</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>SBE Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-10-29</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>5000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>5.0464</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>26114</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes></footnotes><remarks></remarks><ownerSignature><signatureName>David W. Brunton</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-10-29</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

