Satechi Stand/Hub for Mac Mini

When Satechi is at its best, it manages to relatively seamlessly extend the functionality of your existing Apple devices in a stylish way, and without breaking your wallet too. It's not always successful, but when it is, it's hard not to recommend it to anyone.

Today is one of those days, because if you own a Mac Mini, there's little reason not to buy an Aluminium Stand from Satechi right away. As with Satechi's most simple concepts, this is a natural extension of your Mac Mini. It fits snugly around a Mac Mini's base, essentially making it look like a Mac Studio.

Admittedly, the connection itself is a bit "flimsy" for lack of a better word. I'm no expert, but perhaps I've become a little too used to the strong connection MagSafe-based accessories provide on the iPhone front, so for the Mac Mini to just "sit" in Satechi's Aluminium Stand instead of becoming some kind of new base is a little disappointing. Perhaps some disposable stickers would have been ideal?

However, it should be said that there are outlets so that it can continue to pass heat through, and via a simple USB-C on the back, the Aluminium Stand comes to life. Yes, it's perhaps worth saying that while it does technically offer a Thunderbolt port on the back (depending on which Mac Mini you have), you only get a simple 5Gbps data port in return on the front. But that's not all you get by sacrificing one of the rear ports.

It's primarily the "front I/O" you get with this accessory. By sacrificing the rear connectivity port, you get the aforementioned 5Gbps USB-C data port, three 5Gbps USB-A ports, a headphone jack and two SD card readers for full-size and micro at 104Mbps. None of this is cutting edge, and I would have liked four USB-C ports instead of the now obsolete A ports, but that said, the card readers alone are incredibly clever.

The best part is that it only costs around $80. You can even get one with a built-in NVMe enclosure for a higher price, though unfortunately this newer model is not equipped with more USB-C ports.

That said, this is a solidly priced little gadget that expands the functionality of your Mac Mini. I bought a second-hand M1 Mac Mini as a work computer a few years ago and have never looked back, and I'll be using this little gadget on a regular basis.