I love my M4 Mac Mini, but the machine has some annoying snags. Zero USB-A ports and the lack of an SD card reader are two major drawbacks, and the less we talk about Apple’s ludicrously high storage tax, the better. Luckily, I remedied said issues with these handy accessories.
UGREEN Mac mini M4 Dock and Stand
Get Access to USB-A Ports:UGREEN USB-C to USB-A Adapter 10Gbps
The Mac Mini features a total of five USB ports, three of which are blazing-fastThunderbolt4 connectors. But the catch is that they’re all USB-C ports.
That’s certainly an issue since virtually every wireless mouse and keyboard dongle, along with a good portion of external SSDs and card readers, sports a good old USB-A connector. This includes the wireless dongles of theLogitech MX Master 3SandPulsar Xlite V3miceI use interchangeablywith my M4 Mac Mini.
The solution was getting a USB-C to USB-A adapter, but opting for one that only supports USB 2.0 speeds felt wrong, considering the two front-mounted USB-C ports support 10Gbps speeds. TheUGREEN USB-C to USB-A Adapteraddresses said issue since it offers 10Gbps bandwidth on top of sporting a very attractive price.
A pack of two costs only $9, making it by far the best bang for your buck accessory you can get for your M4 Mac Mini. The adapter is slim enough to convert both front-facing USB-C ports on your Mac Mini to USB Type A without interference.
Thanks to its blazing-fast speed, you aren’t limited to mouse and keyboard dongles. you may hook an external SSD, a high-speed USB flash drive, or any other device that benefits from 10Gbps bandwidth to your Mac Mini and enjoy lofty transfer speeds.
UGREEN USB-C to USB-A Adapter
The UGREEN USB-C to USB-A Adapter is a perfect way to make your M4 Mac Mini USB-A compatible. It’s affordable and supports speeds up to 10Gbps, perfect for anything from a mouse dongle to an external SSD.
Add an SD Card Reader to Your M4 Mac Mini:Anker PowerExpand+ Card Reader
Now, I can understand the lack of USB-A ports, but I find the absence of an SD card reader on the M4 Mac Mini inexcusable. I mean, I understand it from a business point of view, since Apple probably wants to upsell theMac Studio, which packs one at the front, to professionals who have the cash for the upgrade.
However, the M4 Mac Mini isn’t exactly a budget machine, and I can bet Apple has sold a ton of these to content creators who require an SD card reader on a daily basis. If you, like me, bought a Mac Mini and are in need of a card reader, check out theAnker PowerExpand+.
It’s got both microSD and SD card slots, supports UHS-II memory cards, supports transfer speeds of up to 312MBps, packs a USB-C port, and has a cable so it won’t interfere with the Mac Mini’s second front-facing USB-C port.
I’ve got a slower version of the reader that only supports UHS-I cards. It does a commendable job for my needs, which include transferring about 100 12MP photos from my camera to my Mac Mini in one go a few times a month.
Now, if you’d like something more compact that won’t adversely affect your Mac Mini’s minimalist presence, take a look at theAnker USB-C 2-in-1 Card Reader. It’s more affordable, comes with both microSD and SD card slots, and can be directly attached to one of the Mac Mini’s front-facing USB-C ports. On the flip side, it only supports UHS-I cards and is thick enough to potentially interfere with the second front-facing USB-C port.
Anker PowerExpand+ 2-in-1 Card reader
The Anker PowerExpand+ 2-in-1 Card reader is compact, fast, affordable, has slots for microSD and SD cards, and will nicely complement your M4 Mac Mini.
Expand Your Mac Mini’s Storage Without Going Broke:Crucial X9 Pro for Mac
The base version of the M4 Mac Mini comes with only 256GB of storage, which is insufficient, regardless of how you look at it. This wouldn’t be such an issue if Apple weren’t charging $200 for 256GB of extra storage, which is ridiculously high.
My recommendation is to get yourself anexternal SSDinstead. I’ve been using a DIY external SSD with my Mac Mini since I had a spare Samsung 850 Evo SSD lying around, but if you don’t have a spare SSD to turn into an external drive, theCrucial X9 Pro for Macis hands down the best bang-for-buck external drive for Apple computers.
The Crucial X9 Pro for Mac costs only $95 for a 1TB version and supports read and write speeds of up to 1050MB/s, which is more than sufficient for most photo and video editing workflows. The drive can fit the palm of your hand, features IP55water and dust resistance, is drop-resistant up to 7.5ft, and the Mac version is optimized forApple’s file system (APFS).
You also receive a five-year warranty and aUSB-C cable, allowing you to connect it directly to your Mac Mini without needing a USB-A to USB-C adapter. The good news is that even the 2TB version of the drive costs less than what Apple would charge you for 256GB of storage, further proving that shelling out cash for extra internal storage simply isn’t worth it. If you want to splurge on a new M4 Mac Mini, opt for extra memory or theM4 Prochip instead.
Crucial X9 Pro for Mac
Pre-formatted for seamless Mac usage, the Crucial X9 Pro for Mac SSD delivers fast data transfer rates. It’s also reasonably durable and comes with a lanyard loop.
An All-In-One Accessory Solution for Your M4 Mac Mini:UGREEN Mac Mini M4 Dock and Stand
If you’d like an all-in-one accessory solution for your M4 Mac Mini, a stylish Mac Mini dock is the way to go. TheUGREEN Mac Mini M4 Dock and Standis the best of the bunch, thanks to its competitive price and the range of ports it comes with.
On the front, you’ve got two 10Gbps USB-A ports along with an SD and a microSD card reader. On the back, you’re met with two more USB-A 10Gbps ports along with a single USB-C 10Gbps port, a 3.5mm audio jack that boasts higher audio quality than the one on the Mac Mini, and a DisplayPort that supports up to 4K resolution at 144Hz.
At the bottom, you’ll find an M.2 SSD slot that supports up to 8TB SSDs and speeds of up to 10Gbps. My recommendation is to get aTEAMGROUP MP44L SSDin 1TB flavor, which can often be found for less than $60.
The dock perfectly complements the Mac Mini’s design, it’s got slightly slanted topside to not interfere with the Mini’s cooling system, and a groove on the back for an easily accessible power button. The only downside is that it uses up two of the three rear-mounted Thunderbolt 4 ports.
The more affordable version of theUGREEN Mac Mini Dock & Standcosts $10 less, takes up only one Thunderbolt 4 port, and comes with a microSD and SD card reader, an M.2 SSD slot, five USB-A, two USB-C, and a single USB-C port that only supports charging, but omits the 3.5mm audio jack and DisplayPort connector.
If you’d like something more stylish, theSatechi Mac mini M4 Hub & Standis where it’s at. While it certainly looks nicer than the UGREEN dock, the Satechi Mac Mini hub only includes an SD card reader, two USB-A 10Gbps ports, a single USB-A 2.0 port, and a 10Gbps M.2 SSD slot.
If you don’t want to purchase individual accessories, get the UGREEN Mac mini M4 Dock and Stand, equip it with an SSD, and you’re set! This M4 Mac Mini dock packs everything you might need, including a card reader, a bunch of fast USB ports, and a 3.5mm audio jack.
