The M4 Mac mini stands out as one of the best value-for-money Macs in Apple’s lineup. But it’s not perfect, with the lack of an SD card slot and USB-A ports being two major annoyances. Satechi’s Mac Mini M4 Stand & Hub with SSD Enclosure aims to address these flaws while offering a way to expand storage on the cheap.
That’s a bold pitch. So, does the accessory deliver? Here’s what I found.
This post contains affiliate links. Cult of Mac may earn a commission when you use our links to buy items.
Satechi Mac Mini M4 Stand & Hub with SSD Enclosure review
Given the M4 Mac mini’s impressive price-to-performance ratio — it starts at $599, but typically can be found for less — one can easily overlook some of its deficiencies. Despite its ridiculously compact design, the machine packs a lot of power and connectivity options you can think of. Even so, the M4 Mac mini isn’t perfect. In addition to the missing USB-A ports and SD card slot, Apple’s budget desktop computer also suffers from an awkwardly placed power button.
None of them are critical flaws, though. You can easily solve at least two of them — the missing USB-A ports and SD card slot — by using a USB-C or Thunderbolt dock. However, while functional, a dock undermines one of the Mac mini’s biggest perks: its minimal size.
The Satechi Stand & Hub for the M4 Mac mini addresses all the computer’s flaws without negating its space-saving benefits. Plus, it offers a unique advantage no other dock can match: a budget-friendly way to expand the Mac’s storage with an external SSD that doesn’t take up any extra desk space.
Designed for the 2024 Mac mini with M4 chip, the Satechi Stand & Hub expands the machine's functionality with front USB ports, an SD card slot and an SSD enclosure.
- M.2 NVMe SSD enclosure offers speeds up to 10Gbps
- Two USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports (up to 10Gbps) and one USB-A 2.0 (up to 480Mbps)
- Limited to 10Gbps speeds
- Does not lock Mac mini in position
Table of contents: Satechi Stand & Hub for M4 Mac mini review
Pros
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/Cult Of Mac
The Satechi Mac Mini M4 Stand & Hub with SSD Enclosure takes up no extra space on my table. It sits neatly beneath my M4 Pro Mac mini, adding around 0.81 inches of vertical height, and connecting seamlessly via one of the rear Thunderbolt/USB-C ports.
In return, the Satechi hub provides access to three USB-A ports and an SD card slot at the front. And beneath the hub, an SSD enclosure provides a great way to extend your Mac’s usable storage on a budget. There’s a big catch with the front USB-A ports, though, and it definitely reduces their usefulness. (More on this in the cons section below.)
Satechi did a commendable job ensuring the design and finish of the hub match that of the M4 Mac mini. The hub blends in perfectly and does not look odd on my desk. Plus, the bottom features heat-dissipating vents for proper airflow. I did not notice my M4 Pro-powered Mac mini running hotter than usual after I started using the hub.
The hub also improves access to the M4 Mac mini’s power button. Since I usually turn off my Mac mini at the end of each workweek, the awkwardly placed button became a bit of a hassle. I needed to lift the Mac mini from its position to turn it on and off. Thankfully, Satechi’s Mac mini hub solves that problem, too.
Thankfully, unlike some other hubs on the market, I have not faced any Wi-Fi connectivity issues on my M4 Mac mini after installing the Satechi Stand. The Wi-Fi performs just as good as before.
A welcome spot for an SSD
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/Cult Of Mac
Beyond its sleek design and front USB ports, Satechi’s M4 Mac mini hub stands out for its built-in SSD slot. Located beneath the hub itself, you can pry open the cover using your finger. This gives you access to an NVMe SSD slot, with Satechi bundling the necessary screwdriver and a thermal pad to cool the storage drive effectively.
Keep in mind, the slot only supports M.2 PCIe SSDs. It’s not compatible with SATA-based drives, SSDs with heatsinks, or double-sided modules.
Installing a compatible SSD is straightforward. First, remove the SSD enclosure from the bottom of the stand. Next, apply the thermal pad, insert the drive at a 30-degree angle into the slot, and secure it with the included screw.
Which SSDs are compatible?
I used a 1TB Samsung 980 Pro, but you can use any M.2 SSD of the following sizes:
- 2230
- 2242
- 2260
- 2280
Satechi says any M.2 SSD within the same dimensions as the above drives will work, with a maximum capacity of 4TB.
Don’t get the fastest M.2 SSD for your Mac mini, though. There’s a big limitation you need to be aware of. Since the Satechi Mac mini stand connects over USB-C, the maximum theoretical transfer speed maxes out at 10Gbps. That might sound a lot — and it is, as long as you only connect regular accessories and disks to your Mac. Read about the difference between USB-C and Thunderbolt to understand why the latter is better.
I use the sole front USB 2.0 port to connect a Logitech Bolt receiver, which wireless connects to my Logitech MX Master 3S mouse and MX Keys S keyboard. (Both those made my list of Mac accessories I can’t live without). I dedicate one of the hub’s two USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports to my 4TB Western Digital external hard disk.
Beware: Slow transfer speeds ahead
With an SSD installed, saturating the 10Gbps bandwidth of Satechi’s Mac mini hub takes little effort. This also means that you will theoretically not get a transfer speed of more than 1,000MB/s from the SSD. I put a Samsung 980 Pro drive into the hub’s enclosure and used it for Time Machine backups and storing frequently accessed media files.
In my testing for this review, the Samsung 980 Pro delivered read/write speeds of around 850 to 900MB/s when installed in the Satechi Mac Mini M4 Stand & Hub with SSD Enclosure. This falls short of the drive’s much higher potential. Plugging in another high-bandwidth drive to the front USB 3.0 port further reduced the transfer speeds.
Even so, these transfer speeds should prove more than sufficient for most everyday tasks. You can easily use the connected SSD to store your movie or photo library and work directly off it. You can use an SSD with the Satechi M4 Mac mini hub to supplement the machine’s storage, too. Just keep your expectations in check.
Ideally, it would have been great if the Satechi Stand and Hub communicated with the Mac mini over Thunderbolt 4. But this would have likely required an external power supply, increasing the hub’s size and negating one of its biggest benefits.
The front SD card slot comes as a welcome addition, addressing a key limitation of the Mac mini. It brings one of the most convenient features of the Mac Studio to a more affordable machine. And as a bonus, it supports transfer speeds of up to 312MB/s.
Cons
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/Cult Of Mac
My main gripe with the Satechi Mac Mini M4 Stand & Hub with SSD Enclosure stems from the lack of a method to keep the Mac mini firmly in place. A slight indentation and rubber feet attempt to hold it. However, they offer little grip and barely help with alignment or stability.
As a result, my Mac mini tends to shift slightly whenever I connect or disconnect an accessory from the front USB ports, be it on the machine itself or the hub. This does not affect the hub’s functionality in any way. If you have a picky nature like me, though, this will bother you.
Charging limitations
Another notable limitation: the inability to use the front ports of the Satechi Stand & Hub for charging devices. The company even warns against connecting more than one high-powered device to USB ports. This means you cannot use the front USB ports on Satech’s M4 Mac mini hub to connect more than one external hard disk.
This did not affect me much, since I also have a Thunderbolt 4 dock connected to my Mac mini. However, if you’re considering the Satechi Mac Mini M4 Stand & Hub with SSD Enclosure primarily for its front USB ports, be aware of this limitation.
Given that the hub passively draws power from the Mac mini, the limitation makes sense. The same restriction applies to other USB-C hubs that don’t actively draw power from a power outlet.
Finally, I would have loved to see Satechi offer a 3.5mm audio jack at the back of its Stand and Hub for the Mac mini. That would have helped give the front of the machine a cleaner look, especially for users who connect external speakers.
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/Cult Of Mac
Satechi Stand & Hub for M4 Mac mini review: Pricing and conclusion
If you own an M4 Mac mini and want to expand its storage without splurging on a pricey Thunderbolt dock, the Satechi Mac Mini M4 Stand & Hub with SSD Enclosure offers a smart and affordable alternative for $100.
I’d recommend buying it over a regular USB-C dock or hub because it seamlessly integrates with the M4 Mac mini, extending its functionality by adding front USB ports and an SD card slot. The hidden SSD slot is another bonus, expanding the Mac mini’s storage without adding more clutter to your desk.
★★★★☆
Buy from: Amazon
Designed for the 2024 Mac mini with M4 chip, the Satechi Stand & Hub expands the machine's functionality with front USB ports, an SD card slot and an SSD enclosure.
- M.2 NVMe SSD enclosure offers speeds up to 10Gbps
- Two USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports (up to 10Gbps) and one USB-A 2.0 (up to 480Mbps)
- Limited to 10Gbps speeds
- Does not lock Mac mini in position
Satechi provided Cult of Mac with a review unit for this article. See our reviews policy, and check out other in-depth reviews of Apple-related items.
