How to upgrade your Mac mini without paying Apple’s high prices

• Compatible with: Any Thunderbolt Mac
• Size: 4.9 x 4.9 x 2 inches (125 x 125 x 52mm)

Ports:

• 1x USB-C (10Gbps, 30W)
• 1x USB-C (10Gbps, 7.5W)
• 2x USB-A (10Gbps)
• 1x M.2 SSD enclosure (up to 8TB)
• SD card reader (UHS-II, 312MBps)
• MicroSD card reader (UHS-II, 312MBps)
• 2.5Gb Ethernet
• 3.5mm audio jack
• 180W power supply

Of all the docks that fit the Mac mini M4’s compact footprint, only the Satechi CubeDock can be used with any Mac—it will charge a connected 16-inch MacBook Pro at a full 140W. The likelihood, however, is that you’ll want to pair this dock with the Mac mini, as they go together so well.

As a Thunderbolt 5 docking station it works best with the 80Gbps Mac mini M4 Pro but will work well with the 40Gbps mini M4. Of all the Mac mini docks we review here, it alone offers a decent charging port: a 30W USB-C that is powerful enough to fast-charge an iPhone or iPad and even keep a MacBook charged. There are a couple of USB-A ports for legacy devices such as memory sticks and flash drives. If your mini M4 is equipped with just 1Gb Ethernet, the CubeDock offers 2.5GbE for faster networks.

Simon Jary

Underneath the dock there’s a hatch that when removed reveals a slot for an SSD drive of up to 8TB. It supports 2280 and shorter 2230/2242/2260 M.2 NVMe SSD sizes (PCIe 4×4), and delivers up to 6000MBps in data transfer speed. Satechi even includes a visual SSD installation guide in the CubeDock’s packaging.

• Compatible with: Apple Mac mini M4
• Size: 4.9 x 4.9 x 1 inch (125 x 125 x 26mm)

Ports:

• 2x USB-C (10Gbps)
• 3x USB-A (10Gbps)
• 2x USB-A (5Gbps)
• 1x M.2 SSD enclosure (up to 8TB)
• SD card reader (UHS-I, 104MBps)
• MicroSD card reader (UHS-I, 104MBps)

There’s not as many ports here as on the CubeDock reviewed above but there’s still plenty to add to the Mac mini’s own, including two USB-C rather than just focusing on USB-A like some Mac mini hubs do. The Satechi CubeDock”s two USB-A ports should be plenty enough for most people but Ugreen includes five, which seems like overkill.

There’s an SSD slot that takes M.2 NVMe SSDs of types 2230/2242/2260/2280, with a maximum capacity of 8TB. You’re advised to connect to a wall charger to keep the SSD working to its peak performance.

The two card readers at the front of the dock support ultra-portable SD and MicroSD cards. You could just use these for backup storage, but at 104MBps UHS-I they are probably too slow to work directly from while the dock’s internal SSD supports up to 10Gbps.

Simon Jary

If you find the Mac mini’s power button tricky to reach, the dock’s clever cutout means you can turn it on without lifting it. Anti-slip silicone pads on the bottom add stability on the desk.

• Compatible with: Apple Mac mini M4
• Size: 4.9 x 4.9 x 1 inch (125 x 125 x 25mm)

Ports:

• 3x USB-A (10Gbps)
• 2x M.2 SSD enclosure (up ro 16TB)
• SD card reader (UHS-II, 312MBps)
• MicroSD card reader (UHS-II, 312MBps)

The Orico MiniLink gives you the requisite USB-A ports and fast card readers missing from the Mac mini. Where it differs from the other docks and hubs reviewed here is its dual SSD slots, meaning you can add up to 16TB of fast storage in the two bays.

One slot is rated at around 3000MB/s and the other around 1300MB/s because the faster slot has more USB4 bandwidth available. Start with an affordable drive today and add another later without replacing it, or dedicate one SSD to active projects and the other to backups, media libraries or archived files. 16TB of storage could set you back as much as $3,000, so you might pick this dock for the flexibility of two slots rather than the massive potential capacity.

Simon Jary

There are two basic models of MiniLink: the dual-SSD 40Gbps M47P and a 10Gbps one-slot M49P that has a couple of extra audio ports but slower card readers. Mae sure you chose the correct model because the company’s online store can be confusing as are its Amazon listings.

In testing, we did find the active cooling fan quite noisy. In a busy environment it can be ignored but if you need silence at least the MiniLink has a front-mounted power button.

• Compatible with: Apple Mac mini M4
• Size: 4.9 x 4.9 x 0.7 inch (125 x 125 x 17mm)

Ports:

• 2x USB-A (10Gbps)
• 1x USB-A (480Mbps)
• 1x M.2 SSD enclosure (up to 8TB)
• SD card reader (UHS-II, 312MBps)

While the other docks also mimic the length and width of the mini, this is the slimmest Mac mini M4 hub at just 0.7 inches deep. There’s space for the SSD slot in the base, and this like most others can handle up to 8TB. It’s the simplest latch of the lot with no screws required until you install the SSD card itself.

Simon Jary

Of the four ports, three are legacy USB-A where we’d have preferred a USB-C in the mix—although the Mac mini provides enough for most use cases. The single card reader is SD size, but you can add an adapter for MicroSD cards, and it’s fast at 312MBps compared to the 10MBps slots on some hubs.

There’s a neat notch that allows easier access to the Mac mini M4’s power button.

• Compatible with: Any USB-C/Thunderbolt computer
• Size: 4.5 x 2.75 x 1 inch (114 x 70 x 25mm)

Ports:

• 4x Thunderbolt 5 ports (80Gbps, 15W)
• 2x USB-C (10Gbps, 7.5W)
• 3x USB-A (10Gbps, 7.5W)

This Thunderbolt 5 hub is even more compact than the Mac mini M4. It’s not designed to sit under or atop the Mac mini so will reside outside of its footprint on your desk

It gives you eight fast ports—plus the upstream Thunderbolt 5 port that connects to your Mac mini—that will also ably charge connected devices. Even if your M4 mini has Thunderbolt 4, we recommend the TB5 version as it is backwards compatible with the TB4 and we prefer the two extra USB-C ports to the CalDigit Element 4 Hub’s four USB-A.

If your Mac mini or Mac Studio has enough storage for your needs but not enough ports, this excellent hub blesses you with multiple top-rated ports.

• Compatible with: Mac Mini M2 & M2 Pro 2023; M1 2020; Mac mini 2018; Mac Studio 2022
• Size: 7.8 x 7.8 x 1.5 inches (198 x 198 x 38mm)

Ports:

• 4x Thunderbolt 4 ports (40Gbps, 15W)
• Internal SSD enclosure
• Internal HDD bay

This double-drive bay Mac mini accessory is a decent Thunderbolt 4 hub in its own right—hence its higher price tag compared to the USB-C Satechi hub reviewed below.

Its four Thunderbolt 4 ports allow you to create three independent daisy chains with up to five total Thunderbolt devices with a USB device on the end of each chain (eight devices total).

Foundry

But the real benefit of the miniStack STX is its bays that can be pre-configured or self-installed with one 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch hard disk drive (HDD) and one speedy NVMe SSD.

Buy an inexpensive (but trustworthy) HHD for a Time Machine backup or secondary storage, and a faster SSD for operational file storage. The miniStack STX offers the best of both worlds in terms of storage flexibility.

• Compatible with: Mac Mini M2 & M2 Pro 2023; Mac mini M1 2020; Mac Studio 2022
• Size: 7.8 x 7.8 x 0.9 inches (198 x 198 x 23mm)

Ports:

• 1x USB-C (10Gbps)
• 1x USB-A (10Gbps)
• 2x USB-A (5Gbps)
• SD card reader (UHS-I, 104MBps)
• microSD card reader (UHS-I, 104MBps)
• 3.5mm audio jack
• Internal SSD enclosure

This inexpensive USB-C hub adds much-needed ports to the front of your Mac mini setup. These ports include SD and microSD card readers, which are lacking from the mini itself.

You can buy a slightly cheaper version without the SSD enclosure but we advise spending the extra $20 even if, right now, you don’t think you need any extra storage. If your Mac mini has a 512GB internal SSD, then a 1TB or greater SSD within the hub offers excellent and speedy Time Machine backup or just extra space for your files. Remember you can’t go back and increase the capacity of the Mac mini’s integrated SSD.

Foundry

The latest version lets you choose between an SATA SSD or more modern NVMe SSD. Either way, it’s much faster than a mechanical hard disk drive.

The lack of Thunderbolt is not a problem if the two (M2) or four (M2 Pro) Thunderbolt 4 ports on the back of the mini are all you require. Note that one of the mini’s Thunderbolt ports will be used to connect the hub.

• Compatible with: Any USB-C/Thunderbolt computer
• Size: 4.5 x 2.8 x 0.7 inches (114 x 71 x 18mm)

Ports:

• 4x Thunderbolt 4 ports (40Gbps, 15W)
• 4x USB-A (10Gbps, 7.5W)

This super-compact Thunderbolt 4 hub differs from the OWC and Satechi hubs by being a different size and form to the Mac mini, and so it will sit outside of its footprint on your desk It offers you seven fast ports—plus the upstream Thunderbolt 4 port that connects to your Mac mini—that will also ably charge connected devices.

If your Mac mini or Mac Studio has enough storage for your needs but not enough ports (step forward the more limited non-Pro M2 Mac mini), this excellent hub blesses you with multiple top-rated ports.

Read the full Caldigit Thunderbolt 4 Element Hub review

Ports:

• 1x USB-C (upstream)
• 2x USB-C (5Gbps, 1x 30W, 1x 15W)
• 2x USB-A ports (5Gbps)
• 2x DisplayPort 1.4
• Gigabit Ethernet
• 3.5mm audio jack

The Alogic Aspekt 4K Touch is a 32-inch touchscreen monitor with docking features and an optional but very special Mac mini M4 cradle. Mac mini M4 owners will be particularly interested in the neat cradle in its optional Omni Stand that carries the mini without hampering the stand’s folding flexibility and gives you some tidy desk space back.

Simon Jary

Both front and rear Mac mini ports are easily accessible in the cradle that stays fixed even when the stand above it folds up and down.

Sadly for Mac mini owners with other monitors, the Alogic Omni Stand works with only the 32-inch Aspekt Monitor as it features a custom quick-release mechanism that means it won’t fit into other monitors, even those that support 100x100mm VESA mounts.

Ports:

• 1x USB-C (upstream)
• 1x USB-B (upstream)
• 2x USB-A ports (5Gbps)
• DisplayPort 1.4
• 2x HDMI 2.0
• 3.5mm audio jack

From the same company we chose its entry-level 27-inch display that boasts a superb adjustable stand, even if it lacks the Aspekt’s cute Mac mini cradle. It even has its own integrated hub offering a range of ports to complement the Mac mini’s own, including two USB-A ports that can be used to attach peripherals such as a keyboard, mouse or webcam to the computer. For the computer to see any attached devices, it must be connected to the computer by either the USB-C or USB-B upstream port.

There are now more advanced versions of the Clarity, with a Clarity Pro that adds a retractable webcam and touchscreen versions—available in either 27- or widescreen 32- and 34-inch sizes.

As you will notice when you pick up your Mac mini from the Apple Store, it comes with neither keyboard nor mouse. You can add an Apple keyboard at the point of purchase but we prefer products from Logitech’s Mac-friendly MX series of products.

The MX Keys S for Mac has a slimline, low-profile design that is smart and attractive, and available in either Space Gray or Pale Gray. It’s the most solidly built Mac keyboard we have tested, and is capable of surviving some heavy-handed typing when it needs to.

It is significantly cheaper than Apple’s Magic Keyboard (from $179 / £179), but also a lot more versatile, as it includes a dedicated set of buttons that allow you to pair it with three separate devices, including Macs, iPads, and even Windows PCs. It does, like all non-Apple keyboards, lack the Magic Keyboard’s Touch ID key. Look for the “For Mac” model as it offers a Mac dedicated layout. The Command Key is the giveaway when you want to ensure you have the regular Mac keyboard layout.

If you are committed to the mini philosophy of small peripherals, the compact Logitech MX Keys Mini for Mac ($99.99 / £84.99) drops the numeric keypad. See more of the best Mac keyboards in our roundup.

Logitech’s MX Master 4 mouse, which has eight buttons and new haptic feedback technology (just for Adobe users right now), an Action Ring, and longer battery life. Its smoothly curved surface fits the palm of the (right) hand very well, along with a thumb-rest for extra comfort. It has the usual left/right buttons and a scroll wheel at the top. The scroll-wheel works in two different modes, with a feature called SmartShift that automatically switches the scroll wheel from line-by-line scrolling to super-fast scrolling when it senses you want to scroll much faster.

There’s also a second scroll wheel on the side, which allows you to scroll horizontally—which is great for photo-editing and graphics work plus very long spreadsheets—and three more buttons that can be programmed using the excellent Options+ app. If you want a simpler or smaller mouse, we’ve rounded up and tested the best Mac mice.

Rounding out the Logitech MX series in our recommendations, the MX Brio has a sensitive camera that provides a very sharper image, as well as a sturdy aluminum body and adjustable stand that lets you attach it to your computer screen or sit it flat on a desk. There’s a manual privacy shutter, along with two noise-reducing microphones.

It also includes AI features, including auto-light-correction designed to improve detail in low-light conditions and to focus the image directly on your face for improved visibility. It can display 4K video at 30 frames per second, and that image quality will work well for video calls with clients or colleagues.

As always, Logitech provides better Mac support than most webcam manufacturers. You can plug the MX Brio into your Mac using its USB-C cable (the Mac mini M4 has no USB-A port beloved of many webcam makers. Check out our reviews of the best Mac webcams for more solutions.

The Mac mini’s built-in speaker is a feeble affair, which is fine for system alerts but woeful if you want to fire up Apple Music or stream video. What better option for the Mac mini than Apple’s other mini, the HomePod mini that’s available in a fun range of colors and at 3.3 x 3.9 inches is smaller than even the mini M4.

If your budget can stretch that far, we compare it to its $349 bigger sibling in our Apple HomePod vs HomePod mini face-off.