The Mac Mini and Mac Studio are great computers but lack adequate front ports. The Satechi Stand & Hub for Mac Mini / Studio adds a microSD slot, a full-size SD slot, a headphone jack, three USB-A ports, and a USB-C port—all to the front of the device—and all pulling from a single USB-C port that plugs into the back of the computer. In addition, an NVMe slot (what is NVMe?) on the underside of the stand can be used to add additional fast storage.
This is Satechi’s second iteration of the Stand and Hub accessory, and it is nearly perfect. The only thing lacking is a Thunderbolt port and passthrough power.
Satechi Stand and Hub for Mac Mini / Studio
The Satechi Stand & Hub for Mac Mini / Studio with NVMe SSD Enclosure is a massive upgrade for anyone using a Mac Mini or a Mac Studio. This accessory adds both ports and a storage option, all while blending in seamlessly with the Mac Desktop, looking more like the missing piece rather than a third-party add-on. Sadly, this add-on lacks Thunderbolt. However, the Mac Mini powers it, so it does not need an external power brick. This Stand and Hub from Satechi makes the beloved Mac Mini or Mac Studio an even more impressive device without upgrading the computer’s internal components.
Design: An Extension of the Gorgeous Mac Mini/Studio
Most third-party accessories look like third-party accessories. This stand from Satechi, with its color matching and similar materials, looks like an official Apple extension of the Mac Mini / Studio. The edges line up perfectly, and the base of the computer nestles into the top of this stand with beautiful precision.
For Mac Studios, the added ports expand the capabilities even more, granting additional SD Card ports and more legacy USB-A ports for those older style cameras, MIDI controllers, audio interfaces, or whatever else you are using the Mac Studio’s power for. These additions make the Mac Studio feel like a Mac Studio Plus, if we were to continue Apple’s somewhat ridiculous nomenclature.
For the Mac Mini, the Satechi Stand and Hub make the budget computer feel like the significantly more expensive Mac Studio without the price hike. You can get the ports you otherwise would not have, all while keeping the Mac Mini’s minimal and beautiful footprint.
The Missing Piece of the Mac Mini
The Satechi Stand & Hub for Mac Mini / Studio with NVMe storage fills a vital role in the Mac Mini’s design, elegantly addressing the need for additional connectivity and user-upgradeable storage. Thanks to the Mac Mini’s incredible value and power, more and more people are using the budget desktop for increasingly complex tasks and workflows. Adding these ports to the front helps keep clutter to a minimum for those who want the ports without adding more to their workspace.
I’ve used this stand and hub on my Mac Mini and a Mac Studio, and I can tell you that the $99 accessory has added far more than $99 of value to my machine in both cases. I’ve never been keen on twisting the computer around to find a USB-A port to plug in a dongle, keyboard, USB Drive, or cable to charge my keyboard—and this solves it.
I also found the MicroSD card and SD card slots handy for transferring footage and data from my camera, or to my 3D printer (want to learn more about 3D Printing?). The USB-C port came in handy as well, again, so I wouldn’t have to twist the computer around or feel for the Thunderbolt port so I could transfer data to my portable SSD.
On my Mac Studio setup, where some of my team edit photos and videos, we found the additional SD card slots remarkably helpful. However, we did note that the USB-C port was significantly slower than the Thunderbolt ports right next it (on the front of the Mac Studio). I won’t complain too much, though, as this Satechi Stand and Hub is not externally powered and is, therefore, pulling all of its power through a single USB-C/Thunderbolt.
Lastly, as applications and files grow, even a few-year-old base model Mac Mini can run out of space quickly. I usually plug in an SSD, and I am fine. However, with this hub’s addition, I picked up an NVMe drive to try in this dock. Freeing up another port and not having a drive sit on my desk, adding clutter, was a great experience. The NVMe is crazy fast, so fast that we could edit videos off of it on the Mac Studio, or run applications from it on the Mac Mini.
Satechi has also designed the NVMe slot to accept M.2 SATA drives, opening up even more possibilities in expanded storage. Time Machine (how to use Time Machine to back up your Mac) can also be used for quick and painless computer backups with this NVMe/M.2 SATA drive, just as quickly as it can be used as an additional storage drive.
An Obvious Choice for the Mac Mini and Studio
Overall, the Satechi Stand & Hub for Mac Mini / Studio is a fantastic accessory that, once you have it, you may’t imagine not having it. Sadly, it is missing a Thunderbolt port, but that’s understandable, given it’s not externally powered.
If I could design the perfect Mac Mini/Studio accessory, I would combine the Satechi Stand & Hub withOWC’s miniStack STXto create one essential super accessory—with front port, rear ports, Thunderbolt port, and more storage expansion options. Until then, I will continue to stack all three of these products to make my very own Super Mac Mini Ultra Plus Plus.
