The M1 Mac mini is a mighty computer that comes in at a pretty reasonable price, but in typical Apple fashion, it’s not exactly user-upgradeable. Thanks to a new accessory from Satechi, users can now expand their Mac mini’s storage in a sleek, discrete, and affordable way.

There are a lot of things that the Mac mini does incredibly well. Its M1 processor can handle just about any task, the compact design is easy to place on even the smallest of desks, and its $699 starting price makes it one of the more affordable M1 computers on the market. The only problem, however, is the storage situation. The $699 Mac mini is limited to 256GB of internal storage. If someone wants to upgrade to the 512GB variant, they need to pay $899. Since the Mac mini’s internal storage isn’t natively expandable, that means a lot of shoppers need to spend another $200 just to get enough space for their apps, files, photos, etc.

SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY

It’s safe to say this isn’t an ideal spot to be in, but thankfully, accessory-maker Satechi thinks it’s come up with a pretty great solution. The company just announced its Stand & Hub For Mac mini, which is essentially a USB-C docking station that sits underneath the computer. Not only does it looks like an extension of the Mac mini’s design, but it’s also housing an M.2 SATA drive on its underside — allowing users to install a third-party SSD and expand their Mac mini’s storage in the blink of an eye. While users have long been able to plug in an external SSD via one of the Mac mini’s USB-C ports, this is a much more seamless solution and allows for faster/larger storage than what’s typically found with external options. For some context, a 500GB SSD from Western Digital can be purchased on Amazon for $70. Combined with the $99 asking price for this Satechi accessory, that’s about $170 for 500GB of extra space on top of a 256GB Mac mini — compared to a $200 price increase for an additional 256GB when buying the higher-end model from Apple.

The Satechi Mac Mini Hub Also Includes Tons Of Ports

What’s even better is that Satechi’s Stand & Hub offers a lot more than just an SSD slot. The front of the gadget includes a heap of additional ports for users to take advantage of, including one USB-C port, three USB-A ports, one microSD card reader, one full-sized SD card reader, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. All of this is powered with a single USB-C port that plugs into the back of the Mac mini. The rest of the Mac mini’s backside is left untouched, allowing users to still take advantage of its ethernet jack, HDMI 2.0 port, two USB-A ports, and the other USB-C/Thunderbolt port not being used by the Satechi accessory.

Some Mac mini users might see this as overkill, but for anyone that relies on the Mac mini as their go-to workstation, there’s a lot to like here. For any readers interested in picking one up for themselves, the Stand & Hub for Mac mini is available for purchase right now via Satechi’s website and Amazon for $99.99. Now through July 17, entering the promo code ‘MACMINISSD’ will take 15 percent off the purchase.

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Source: Satechi

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About The Author


Joe Maring
(1530 Articles Published)

Joe has been actively writing and talking about consumer tech since 2012. His biggest passion lies with smartphones, but he’s happy to talk your ear off about just about anything with a CPU. He lives in Kalamazoo, MI with his wife, two cats, and pit bull/boxer mix.

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