Satechi’s Stand and Hub is definitely one in every of my favourite Mac mini equipment ever, and now it’s getting an improve. Earlier this 12 months at CES, the corporate refreshed the aluminum-clad stand to characteristic improved NVMe SSD help. I’ve been placing it to the check with my Mac Studio since, and am pleased to report it’s much more of a must have than earlier than.
For the previous a number of years, there actually has been solely a single prime contender for the perfect Mac mini accent. No less than for me. Satechi’s Stand and Hub has grow to be one thing of a whole product class in its personal proper over since its debut. Its iconic design has impressed fairly a couple of knock offs prior to now, however none have been capable of get that signature Apple-adjacent design fairly proper. I liked the unique launch again once I reviewed it nearer to the beginning of the 2020s, and now a brand new model is again.
So I needed to get my palms on one and see if my ideas concerning the Mac accent have modified.
The brand new Satechi Stand and Hub arrives with the identical, beloved design as earlier than. The aluminum exterior has the very same footprint as any of Apple’s headless desktop Macs, supporting both the Mac mini or Mac Studio. It tackles the identical method of bringing some I/O out from the again of your machine into a much more accessible front-facing design, all whereas including some further storage because of a hidden SSD slot.
However new for the just-refreshed model is help for NVMe SSDs. It’s a characteristic that was missing all the best way again in 2021 once I reviewed the previous-generation mannequin, and one thing that’s much more of a must have in 2024. Having the ability to reap the benefits of newer drives unlocks loads of potential, and elevates the entire expertise past simply being a handy USB hub.
Satechi was form sufficient to ship over one of many new Stand and Hub for me to take a look at. This time round, I’m doing one thing a bit in a different way although. My final assessment regarded on the accent by way of the lens of an add-on for Mac mini, and this time I’m busting out my Mac Studio to see the way it festivals as an improve for Apple’s higher-end desktop macOS expertise.
The SSD improve actually is the important thing characteristic right here, and it’s what I wish to dive into first. Having the ability to take full benefit of an NMVe drive over the M.2 SATA drive compatibility from earlier than actually modifications the sport for why I can suggest the Satechi Stand and Hub. Earlier than, it was all concerning the comfort issue – one thing that I’m going to circle again to so much right here. However now, there’s much more utility. It used to only be that you possibly can add a slower drive that’s good for issues like Time Machine backups or having an archive information all the time linked to your Mac.
Now, you’ll be able to really edit footage proper from the SSD. In follow, meaning I used to be very constant switch speeds within the ballpark of 900MB/s. You possibly can see the velocity check outcomes above for a full breakdown of what that appears like, however it was very strong efficiency time and time once more.
In fact, there may be nonetheless the entire comfort of the form-factor itself. In spite of everything of those years, I nonetheless love simply how good the Stand and Hub appears to be like docked beneath a desktop Mac. I’m a sucker for a clear and minimalist setup – even when my workstations all the time find yourself decked out with tons of toys and trinkets – and Satechi makes it straightforward to maintain up that type of easy aesthetic. In true Satechi trend, the construct is simply as premium as with lots of its different merchandise, providing a steel end to the plastic inside. There’s loads of little rubber pads on the highest and backside to maintain your Mac safely positioned on prime, in addition to the entire bundle securely seated in your desk.
The I/O on the entrance additionally stays simply as helpful as earlier than. Provided that this can be a USB-C hub and never one with the newer Thunderbolt spec, I don’t see a problem with this model of the Stand and Hub together with the identical ports as earlier than. I do want there was a second USB-C slot on the entrance to go alongside the three USB-C ports, however the micro and SD card readers, plus the three.5mm headphone jack, stay a really versatile mixture of ports. All of this connects over only a single USB-C cable on the again of your Mac mini or Mac Studio, which is no less than good as a result of it retains all your machine’s different I/O free.
In my precise use, I actually didn’t discover myself needing to plug in additional than a single USB-C gadget at a time that wouldn’t in any other case already be a extra everlasting fixture of my workstation. Possibly the subsequent model will give us a completely refreshed roster of ports. However for now, Satechi will get a cross with sustaining the established order from the earlier iteration.
Satechi’s new Stand and Hub clocks in with the identical $99.99 price ticket as earlier than. You should buy it now on Amazon, in addition to instantly from Satechi.
9to5Toys’ Take
After spending the previous few weeks with the Mac Studio on my desk and the Stand and Hub proper beneath, it’s secure to say that Satechi has accomplished it once more. The upgrades this time round could also be small on paper, however they provide severe advantages for anybody trying so as to add a speedy SSD into the combo with out sacrificing on the clear designs of their Mac mini or Mac Studio. I imply, that’s one of many complete advantages of Apple’s newest M2 Macs, and Satechi preserves that with a few of its signature stylings.
At $100it’s nonetheless going to be an important accent for any new desktop Mac proprietor. It’s simply too good now with the NVMe help to not suggest, and with the identical price ticket as earlier than, you don’t must pay a premium for the added tech.
The one method I can actually see this being higher can be if Satechi determined to launch a Thunderbolt 4 model of the Stand and Hub sooner or later. That’s one thing I’d completely like to see, however even that may include a price bump that may change how straightforward the accent is to suggest.
Satechi strikes an excellent steadiness proper now on options and worth that maintain the Stand and Hub inexpensive sufficient to suggest with one thing as little as a $500 M2 Mac mini, whereas offering sufficient worth for higher-end M2 Mac Studio machines.
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