Satechi updates its Mac mini USB-C hub with an SSD enclosure ^↺

Satechi has been making Apple-focused accessories for a number of years now. One of its most interesting accessories is its multi-purpose Mac mini USB-C hub that also does double-duty as a stand. The accessory has been on the market for a couple years now but it has just been refreshed following the launch of the M1-powered Mac mini.

With the Mac mini shipping only in Apple’s classic silver, Satechi has given it a fresh coat of paint to match while adding a very handy SSD enclosure. While it only supports M.2 SATA SSDs, and not the faster M.2 NVMe SSDs, it is still much faster and more convenient than using a spinning external hard drive. 

The Satechi hub also puts its ports on the front of the device with its USB-C  plug connecting at the rear of the Mac mini -- this of course makes it much easier to access the ports. These include a USB-C data port and three USB-A data ports -- all of these run at a speed up to 5 Gbps but do not support charging, unfortunately. Also included is a microSD and SD card reader and a 3.5 mm audio jack.

While it is certainly not the ideal Mac mini USB-C hub, it still leaves one Thunderbolt 3 port free on the rear of the Mac mini along with two additional USB-A (3.1 Gen 2) ports. A better solution would have been to make Thunderbolt compatible, but that would significantly increase its price, which is a reasonably affordable US$100. Naturally, that doesn’t include a M.2 SATA SSD.

Buy the Satechi Mac mini USB-C hub for the M1 Mac Mini from Amazon.