Expert’s Rating
Pros
Cons
Our Verdict
It ’s backbreaking to imagine a more graceful solution for getting more port on the Mac miniskirt M4 . The price is fair at the price of a via media in terms of connectivity velocity , using 10Gbps USB - C rather than Thunderbolt 4 .
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Typical use case for USB peripherals. But here you can see that ports on the front have their place.
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Best Prices Today: Satechi Stand & Hub Mac Mini M4
It is probably the most inconspicuous feature of the Satechi Stand & Hub for the Mac miniskirt M4 , but perhaps the most useful : the square stand , which precisely match thenew Mac miniskirt M4 , has a modest recession at the back left field , which provides much - needed easy access to the Mac mini M4 ’s on / off switch .
Apple ’s redesign of its small screen background seems to be based on the assumption that it will bunk permanently and will hardly be switched on manually after the initial frame-up . Since I started using it at the routine of the year , I ’ve on occasion had to switch it off — and each time I ’ve been get to by have to lift the computer up to throw it on .
But now the M4 Mac mini ’s power clit is much easier to access . If that were the only improvement , 100 one dollar bill would just be justify — but the Satechi Stand & Hub can do much more and , with an additional investment , unfolds even greater potential .
Typical use case for USB peripherals. But here you can see that ports on the front have their place.
Like its predecessor , which Satechi offeredfor the Mac mini M1 , M2 and M2 Pro , the Stand & Hub bring extra connection to the desktop without a lot of cable jumble . The hub is but placed under the M4 Mac miniskirt and connected to one of the rear Thunderbolt socket using the short USB - C cable ( USB 3.2 Gen2 with 10Gbps ) .
One less socket—but four more
The Thunderbolt socket used in this way can not be returned in the hub , not even as a downgrade to USB 3.2 Gen2 , but there are two more port for USB - C plug on the front of the Mac miniskirt — which is usually sufficient . These also offer data transfer rates of up to 10Gbps , while the Thunderbolt 4 on the miniskirt ’s backside is four time as tight and Thunderbolt 5 on the Pro model even offer up up to 120Gbps .
With the Stand & Hub , Satechi principally wants to enable Mac mini emptor to connect old peripherals with USB - A. Three sockets are uncommitted for this — as well as an South Dakota card slot . Two of the USB - A sockets are also designed for 10Gbps speeds , while the third incur by with USB 2 ’s slow 480Mbps data connecter .
Satechi thus solves a problem that Mac mini users in peculiar have when switching from early serial , as these still had USB - A port . Many Mac drug user have not upgrade every peripheral to USB - one C since Apple jumped on the USB - C bandwagon with the MacBook 12 - in in spring 2015 . The pep pill offered by USB - C and Thunderbolt are not necessary for every type of peripheral .
Typical use case for USB peripherals. But here you can see that ports on the front have their place.
distinctive use case for USB peripheral equipment . But here you could see that ports on the front have their place .
Macwelt
I , for example , have an audio interface from M - Audio , for which a USB - A connection is altogether sufficient to bring instruments and representative to the Mac . If you want to excite your keyboard , trackpad and mouse on the calculator ( or even utilise cable television service form ) , you do n’t need a fast cable either . And if you do n’t just take exposure with your iPhone , you ’ll receive the SD identity card slot , which is missing on the Mac mini M4 , especially as it is located at the front like the one on the Mac Studio .
With tool and spare screwdriver installation is fine.
What I ’m not miss : Another audio socket on the back or one or two with USB - A. That ’s because I took my alive speakers over from the Mac mini ( later 2018 ) , which I still plug into the back of the computer — now with the USB - blow to audio arranger from Apple .
First creation problems , I should think about a different stage setting . However , I choose to connect the M - Audio interface to one of the rear socket again ; there areadapter plugsfor USB - C to USB - A that are not bulky .
The Satechi Stand & Hub offers another clever extra that will bring through you money from buying high - capacity internal storehouse when buying the Mac miniskirt : a time slot for an NVMe SSD . This is discreetly concealed under a flap in the base . indoors , in gain to the PCIe connection , there is also a suited thermal pad and a minor screwdriver with two screws — everything you take for installation .
I got myself a1 TB SSD from Kingston , which according to the manufacturer read up to 6,000 megabytes per second and writes 4,000MBps . In the Satechi lawsuit , the speed are lower : I measure 966MBps read and 847MBps write with Black Magic Speed Test , the outcome from Aja System Test Lite are consistent at 933MBps and 845MBps .
The reason : The boniface cable system can only handle USB - C 3.2 Gen 2 , i.e. 10Gbps , which is 1,250MBps . The data transference from and to the SSD tailor-make in the living accommodations is therefore close to the theoretical limitation , but below it .
According to our exam , the internal SSD of the Mac mini is more than three times as fast . So if you chose an expensive storage upgrade when you buy it , you do n’t have to care . But for those who want or need to save money , the Satechi Stand & Hub offer an refined option . For the price that Apple charges for the rise from 512 GB to 1 TB alone , you not only get the hub , but also a disjoined 2 TB SSD — which , however , has to be purchased singly . Satechi only supplies the housing , not the warehousing medium .
The slot fitted with an SSD is therefore suited for storing rarely used data , such as project for the archive . This resolution is also idealistic for the music subroutine library or films .
Using the solution for the Time Machine backup man would sure have the advantage of having even fewer cables on the desk . However , as backups should be redundant and it is never wrong to practice two extraneous drives in invariant rotation , this only aid to a certain extent .
There is mayhap one more affair to criticise about the Stand & Hub : If one of the rear sockets is already engage and you want to operate three outside presentation on the Mac miniskirt M4 , the interface will be tight . However , bombshell displays themselves have additional ports , so there is no veridical disadvantage here . The Satechi Stand & Hub is primarily destine for USB - A peripherals and is ideally beseem for this use .
Price
The cost of $ 100 is more than reasonable , if only for the intragroup SSD natural enclosure .
Should you buy the Satechi Stand & Hub with SSD Enclosure?
The Mac mini M4 is a marvellous machine . However , if you still utilise old peripherals or swear on memory cards for photography , you wo n’t get by without adapters . These tend to clutter up up the desk , whereas the Satechi Hub & Stand portmanteau in as harmoniously as Apple substance abuser favor .
It cleverly solves the trouble of Apple ’s crazily positioned ability button and even offers the option of storage expansion . Although this is not as fast as the intimate SSD , it is fine for most purposes .
This clause primitively appeared on our sister publicationMacweltand was translated and localized from German .
