These new Apple Mac mini docks add more ports and NVMe SSD expansion for as little as $69.99
A month or so has now passed since Orico introduced the MiniMate external SSD for the latest Mac mini (curr. $598.49 on Amazon). In summary, the MiniMate offers 40 Gbps transfer speeds, unlike the RayCue and Satechi docks that preceded it. Since then though, RayCue has brought out another version of its Mac mini dock with a 40 Gbps capable M.2 slot, albeit with fewer ports than its 10 Gbps sibling.
In response, Orico has now announced not one but four new Mac mini accessories. Arguably, the MiniLink is the most similar of the lot, which can be placed above or below the Mac mini. Incidentally, Orico has also decided to match RayCue by releasing 10 Gbps and 40 Gbps variants. As the image below shows, the pair contain different ports, too. It is worth noting that the 40 Gbps version delivers 3,000 MB/s and 1,300 MB/s transfer speeds to its primary and secondary SSDs, respectively.
Meanwhile, the MiniDock is a vertical dock and stand that can be configured with or without an SSD. With that being said, the MiniDock is limited to 10 Gbps transfer speeds, regardless of whether one chooses a pre-configured or barebones unit. Nonetheless, MiniDock features a more versatile port selection than its 10 Gbps MiniLink counterpart.
Finally, Orico has also announced the MiniTower, which looks a bit like an AirPort Extreme. According to Orico, the MiniTower supports up to 56 TB of storage via two SATA 3.0 drives and an NVMe M.2 slot. Added to that, the MiniTower features a RAID button, plus four USB Type-A ports and a pair of SD card slots.
In short, the MiniDock is the cheapest of the lot at $69.99. Please note that this does not include a pre-configured SSD. By contrast, the MiniLink starts at $84.99 but rises to $169.99 for its 40 Gbps version. Meanwhile, the MiniTower retails for $139.99 and is available in a single configuration and should start shipping later this month.
Source(s)
Orico (1) (2) (3) via TechPowerUp
