Make the Mac Mini a Close to-Good Desktop Pc

The Mac Mini and Mac Studio are nice computer systems however lack satisfactory entrance ports. The Satechi Stand & Hub for Mac Mini / Studio provides a microSD slot, a full-size SD slot, a headphone jack, three USB-A ports, and a USB-C port—all to the entrance of the machine—and all pulling from a single USB-C port that plugs into the again of the pc. As well as, an NVMe slot (what’s NVMe?) on the underside of the stand can be utilized so as to add further quick storage.

That is Satechi’s second iteration of the Stand and Hub accent, and it’s practically excellent. The one factor missing is a Thunderbolt port and passthrough energy.

Satechi Stand & Hub for Mac Mini / Studio

The Satechi Stand & Hub for Mac Mini / Studio with NVMe SSD Enclosure is an enormous improve for anybody utilizing a Mac Mini or a Mac Studio. This accent provides each ports and a storage possibility, all whereas mixing in seamlessly with the Mac Desktop, wanting extra just like the lacking piece fairly than a third-party add-on. Sadly, this add-on lacks Thunderbolt. Nonetheless, the Mac Mini powers it, so it doesn’t want an exterior energy brick. This Stand and Hub from Satechi makes the beloved Mac Mini or Mac Studio an much more spectacular machine with out upgrading the pc’s inner elements.

Ports

3x USB-A, 1x USB-C, 1x 3.5m, 1x MicroSD, 1x SD

USB Energy Supply

No

Guarantee

1 12 months

Worth

$99

Dimensions

7.8 x 7.8 x 0.9 in (20 x 20 x 2.29cm)—the identical footprint because the Mac Mini and Studio

Supported HDD sizes

NVMe, M.2 SATA

Professionals

• Seven further ports
• Built-in NVMe / M.2 SATA enclosure
• Easy setup

Cons

• No Thunderbolt ports
• Ports are information solely; no energy supply

Design: An Extension of the Beautiful Mac Mini/Studio

Most third-party equipment appear like third-party equipment. This stand from Satechi, with its colour matching and related supplies, appears like an official Apple extension of the Mac Mini / Studio. The perimeters line up completely, and the bottom of the pc nestles into the highest of this stand with stunning precision.

For Mac Studios, the added ports increase the capabilities much more, granting further SD Card ports and extra legacy USB-A ports for these older model cameras, MIDI controllers, audio interfaces, or no matter else you’re utilizing the Mac Studio’s energy for. These additions make the Mac Studio really feel like a Mac Studio Plus, if we had been to proceed Apple’s considerably ridiculous nomenclature.

For the Mac Mini, the Satechi Stand and Hub make the finances pc really feel just like the considerably dearer Mac Studio with out the worth hike. You will get the ports you in any other case wouldn’t have, all whereas maintaining the Mac Mini’s minimal and delightful footprint.

The Lacking Piece of the Mac Mini

The Satechi Stand & Hub for Mac Mini / Studio with NVMe storage fills a significant position within the Mac Mini’s design, elegantly addressing the necessity for added connectivity and user-upgradeable storage. Because of the Mac Mini’s unimaginable worth and energy, an increasing number of persons are utilizing the finances desktop for more and more advanced duties and workflows. Including these ports to the entrance helps maintain muddle to a minimal for individuals who need the ports with out including extra to their workspace.

I’ve used this stand and hub on my Mac Mini and a Mac Studio, and I can inform you that the $99 accent has added excess of $99 of worth to my machine in each instances. I’ve by no means been eager on twisting the pc round to discover a USB-A port to plug in a dongle, keyboard, USB Drive, or cable to cost my keyboard—and this solves it.

I additionally discovered the MicroSD card and SD card slots helpful for transferring footage and information from my digicam, or to my 3D printer (wish to study extra about 3D Printing?). The USB-C port got here in helpful as properly, once more, so I would not need to twist the pc round or really feel for the Thunderbolt port so I might switch information to my moveable SSD.

On my Mac Studio setup, the place a few of my workforce edit photographs and movies, we discovered the extra SD card slots remarkably useful. Nonetheless, we did be aware that the USB-C port was considerably slower than the Thunderbolt ports proper subsequent it (on the entrance of the Mac Studio). I will not complain an excessive amount of, although, as this Satechi Stand and Hub just isn’t externally powered and is, subsequently, pulling all of its energy by a single USB-C/Thunderbolt.

Lastly, as functions and information develop, even a few-year-old base mannequin Mac Mini can run out of house rapidly. I normally plug in an SSD, and I’m effective. Nonetheless, with this hub’s addition, I picked up an NVMe drive to attempt on this dock. Liberating up one other port and never having a drive sit on my desk, including muddle, was an important expertise. The NVMe is loopy quick, so quick that we might edit movies off of it on the Mac Studio, or run functions from it on the Mac Mini.

Satechi has additionally designed the NVMe slot to just accept M.2 SATA drives, opening up much more prospects in expanded storage. Time Machine (the best way to use Time Machine to again up your Mac) may also be used for fast and painless pc backups with this NVMe/M.2 SATA drive, simply as rapidly as it may be used as a further storage drive.

An Apparent Alternative for the Mac Mini and Studio

Total, the Satechi Stand & Hub for Mac Mini / Studio is a implausible accent that, after getting it, you’ll be able to’t think about not having it. Sadly, it’s lacking a Thunderbolt port, however that is comprehensible, given it is not externally powered.

If I might design the proper Mac Mini/Studio accent, I might mix the Satechi Stand & Hub with OWC’s miniStack STX to create one important tremendous accent—with entrance port, rear ports, Thunderbolt port, and extra storage growth choices. Till then, I’ll proceed to stack all three of those merchandise to make my very personal Tremendous Mac Mini Extremely Plus Plus.

Satechi Stand & Hub for Mac Mini / Studio

The Satechi Stand & Hub for Mac Mini / Studio with NVMe SSD Enclosure is an enormous improve for anybody utilizing a Mac Mini or a Mac Studio. This accent provides each ports and a storage possibility, all whereas mixing in seamlessly with the Mac Desktop, wanting extra just like the lacking piece fairly than a third-party add-on. Sadly, this add-on lacks Thunderbolt. Nonetheless, the Mac Mini powers it, so it doesn’t want an exterior energy brick. This Stand and Hub from Satechi makes the beloved Mac Mini or Mac Studio an much more spectacular machine with out upgrading the pc’s inner elements.