I love the Mac mini M4 but I wouldn't buy it without these accessories — and they're both on sale for Prime Day
Right now, you can get the Mac mini M4 for just $499 at Amazon. That's $100 off its normal price after you clip an additional coupon before adding it to your cart. However, if you need even more power, the Mac mini M4 Pro is $140 off and comes with 24GB of memory (instead of 16GB) and even more storage.
The base model Mac mini M4 is a big step up from its predecessor and likely enough for most people without any expensive upgrades. It comes with Apple's powerful M4 chip, 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. You also get plenty of ports in a tiny package with three Thunderbolt 4 ports, two USB-C ports, HDMI and Ethernet.
This pro model of the smallest Mac yet takes things up a notch with even more power and extra storage. It comes with Apple's M4 Pro chip, 24GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. Likewise, instead of Thunderbolt 4, this upgraded model comes with faster Thunderbolt 5 ports.
The Mac mini M4 is without a doubt one of the best mini PCs you can buy today, especially if you prefer macOS to Windows. Likewise, it's a great starter Mac desktop for those looking to make the switch to macOS as well as for people that are just tired of having to charge one of the best MacBooks each night.
Compared to its predecessor, the Mac mini M4 is a big step up. Not only does it feature Apple's M4 chips but the case has been redesigned from the ground up to be smaller and more compact at just 5 x 5 x 2 inches.
At the same time, you now get two USB-C ports and a headphone jack on the front, which means you don't have to reach around back to plug in a pair of wired headphones or to connect accessories to your Mac mini M4.
Around back, you now get three Thunderbolt ports, an HDMI port and a gigabit Ethernet port. It's worth noting that while the standard Mac mini M4 has three Thunderbolt 4 ports, the pro version features even faster Thunderbolt 5 ports instead.
Unfortunately though, the Mac mini M4 isn't perfect. Apple still charges an arm and a leg for additional storage and you won't be able to power on or off the device without lifting it up on its desk. Thankfully, my favorite Mac mini M4 accessory fixes my biggest gripes with Apple's latest mini PC.
Compared to the Mac mini M2, the new Mac mini M4 is a much more capable mini PC thanks to its boosted RAM and faster M4 chip. However, by upgrading, you do miss out on USB-A ports as the latest Mac mini doesn't have any at all. That's where a hub like this one from Satechi can help.
Thanks to Prime Day savings, you can pick up a Satechi Mac Mini M4 Hub & Stand for just $79 at Amazon. This is $50 off its normal price and while still somewhat on the expensive side, I consider this hub an absolute must for the Mac mini M4.
Designed to perfectly match your Mac mini M4, this aluminum hub and stand adds three USB-A ports, an SD card reader and there's even a slot on the bottom for a M.2 NVMe drive to boost your Mac's storage. There's a braided USB-C cable on the back to plug it into your computer and a cutout on the back left that lets you easily reach your Mac mini M4's power button.
Besides all those extra ports up front and the built-in SD card reader, when you flip the Satechi mac Mini M4 Hub & Stand over, there's a small compartment where you can add an internal SSD. Apple still charges $200 each time you move up a tier from the Mac mini M4's 256GB SSD. Want to add a 1TB SSD to your Mac mini M4? That will cost you an extra $400 on top of what you're already paying.
With Satechi's hub though, you can add any M.2 NVMe SSD to expand your Mac mini M4's storage by up to 4TB. It's worth noting that multiple SSD sizes including 2230, 2242, 2260 and 2280 are supported, so you don't have to look for a particular size if you do decide to add more storage to your Mac mini M4.
Satechi seems to have thought of everything though as around back, there's a cutout on the left side of the hub. With your Mac mini M4 docked in it, you can reach the device's power button without having to lift it up off your desk.
Apple's Magic Keyboards are certainly popular but they pale in comparison to the experience you get when typing on one of the best mechanical keyboards. Instead of feeling a rubber membrane beneath your keyboard's keys, each key features its only mechanical switch for a more accurate and comfortable typing experience.
Once again, thanks to Prime Day, you can get the Satechi SM3 Slim Mechanical Keyboard for just $83 at Amazon right now. This full-sized keyboard features low-profile switches and comes in either a light gray/white or dark gray/gray color scheme to match the rest of your desk setup. It also has a sturdy aluminum case, so you don't feel any flexing or bending while typing.
This low-profile, full-size mechanical keyboard works with both Mac and Windows and comes in either a light gray/white or dark gray/gray variation. You can connect up to two devices over Bluetooth, use the included 2.4 GHz dongle or connect it to your computer over USB-C. The SM3 also features low-profile brown switches and a rechargeable 2,500 mAh battery.
As for connectivity, Satechi's SM3 mechanical keyboard can connect to your Mac mini M4 over Bluetooth, with the included 2.4 GHz USB dongle or with a USB cable plugged into the USB-C port around back. There you'll also find a handy on/off switch which is great if you want to save battery life. However, with its built-in 2,500 mAh battery, you can get about 20 days worth of usage or 15 days with its backlight on. Oh yeah, did I mention it has white LED backlighting and shine-through keycaps?
There are 14 LED backlit patterns to choose from and you can turn down the SM3's backlighting using the F5 and F6 keys right from the keyboard itself. This is also a very comfortable keyboard to use due to its flat keycaps and low-profile design which helps reduce fatigue while typing.
It's worth noting that unlike with other mechanical keyboards, you don't have a lot of options when it comes to which mechanical switches you want to use with the SM3.
The keyboard only comes with low-profile brown switches which I personally love. They aren't clicky like blue switches and they don't go straight down like red ones. Instead, brown switches have a nice tactile bump to let you know when a key is actuated. They're great for both a home or office environment too as they aren't loud unless you have a tendency to bottom out while typing.
If brown switches aren't for you though, you're going to want to look elsewhere as the SM3 isn't a hot-swappable keyboard where you can change out its switches whenever you want. This is because its mechanical switches are soldered to the keyboard's motherboard. You could still technically swap them out but that would require desoldering the brown ones, adding new switches and then soldering them.
I've been using Satechi's SM3 mechanical keyboard with my Mac mini M4 since it was released and I haven't had any issues yet. It's a very comfortable keyboard and I like how I have all of the macOS-specific keys right at my fingertips. However, it does work on Windows and even on Chromebooks too.
With the extra ports and storage from Satechi's hub and its SM3 keyboard connected, the Mac mini M4 instantly transforms from a great mini PC to a near perfect one. Even with the base model, I found it could handle my workload which involves having dozens of Chrome tabs open simultaneously while writing and editing.
If you're thinking about picking up a Mac mini M4, I highly recommend getting these accessories with it. You'll also need a mouse or, if you're like me, a trackball mouse and one of the best monitors to complete your desk setup.
While it makes sense to choose a monitor with built-in speakers so you don't have to buy a pair of the best computer speakers too, it's worth noting that the Mac mini M4 does have a single speaker inside which should work in a pinch for listening to music, watching content online or even taking video calls.
I've wanted to switch back to using a Mac for years now but it wasn't until the release of the Mac mini m4 that I finally did. The experience was almost perfect and I'm very impressed with Apple's smallest Mac yet. However, once I added Satechi's hub and keyboard to the mix, I was finally able to ditch my Windows PC for good.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
9 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Ford CEO Found Young People Didn't Want to Work There Because $17 Wages Left Them 'So Stressed' - Then He Made An Expensive Change 'The Country Needs'
Turns out, a $17-an-hour paycheck doesn't go as far as it used to—especially if you're young, exhausted, and juggling two jobs just to survive. Ford (NYSE:F) CEO Jim Farley heard this loud and clear from his own factory floors. And instead of shrugging it off or blaming "kids these days," he made a move that echoed the bold playbook of Henry Ford himself—one that he says America desperately needs more of. In a June interview at the Aspen Ideas Festival with Walter Isaacson—the renowned biographer best known for his books on Steve Jobs, Leonardo da Vinci, and Elon Musk—Farley peeled back the curtain on what younger workers were really telling him about life on a $17 wage. Don't Miss: 7,000+ investors have joined Timeplast's mission to eliminate microplastics—now it's your turn to $100k+ in investable assets? – no cost, no obligation. "The older workers who'd been at the company said, 'None of the young people want to work here. Jim, you pay $17 an hour, and they are so stressed,'" Farley recalled. "They've got to work at Amazon for eight hours, then they come over to Ford for seven hours, and then they sleep for three or four hours—and then they go back. And they're barely getting by." Rather than issue a tone-deaf memo or wait for another generation to settle for less, Farley made a decisive, expensive change: he converted every temporary worker into a full-time employee. "It wasn't easy to do," he admitted. "It was expensive. But I think that's the kind of changes we need to make in our country." Farley's move isn't just about better paychecks—it's about reviving an old-school idea that once turned Ford into a powerhouse: when you pay workers well, they can afford the products they help build. Trending: 'Scrolling To UBI' — Deloitte's #1 fastest-growing software company allows users to earn money on their phones. You can Quoting the legendary Henry Ford, Farley said, "'I'm doing this because I want my factory worker to buy my cars. If they make enough money, they'll buy my own product.'" Then he added, "It's a self-fulfilling prophecy, in a way." In 1914, Henry Ford famously raised factory wages to $5 a day—nearly double the going rate. It wasn't a random act of generosity. It was a smart bet that higher wages would lead to a more stable, productive workforce and—bonus—more people who could afford to drive off in a Model T. According to Farley, it worked then, and it can work now. He also pointed to deeper structural issues. For Farley, the wage issue is just one layer of a bigger challenge: the U.S. hasn't kept up in preparing young people for careers in skilled trades. "Our governments have to get really serious about investing in trade schools and skilled trades," Farley said. "You go to Germany—every one of our factory workers has an apprentice starting in junior high school. Every one of those jobs has a person behind it for eight years that is trained."Farley's big bet may not please Wall Street, but it's not aimed at them. "We decided as a company that a cooler problem than full autonomy in an urban setting was high-speed, eyes-off driving on highways—push a button, read a book," he told Isaacson, in reference to how Ford picks its battles. When it comes to labor, he's taking that same eyes-on-the-road approach—focusing on people, not just profits. And while turning temps into full-timers might not boost short-term stock prices, Farley's betting on a longer game: one where the people building America's cars can actually afford to drive them. Read Next: Warren Buffett once said, "If you don't find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die." Image: Shutterstock UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? FORD MOTOR (F): Free Stock Analysis Report This article Ford CEO Found Young People Didn't Want to Work There Because $17 Wages Left Them 'So Stressed' - Then He Made An Expensive Change 'The Country Needs' originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Sign in to access your portfolio
Gizmodo
11 minutes ago
- Gizmodo
Soundcore Boom 3i Is Already a Steal Just Weeks After Launch, A Top Rugged Outdoor Speaker by Anker
Summer is still hear for another couple months so go outside and make the best of it. Any gathering outside be it at the beach, the pool, beside the lake, or atop a mountain is enhanced with the right playlist. And you won't be listening to the right playlist without the right speaker. Luckily the Soundcore Boom 3i is the right speaker and for a limited time, it's been marked down to the right price. Normally, going for $140, Amazon has it reduced by up to 36% bringing it as low as just $90. The Soundcore Boom 3i is a Bluetooth outdoor speaker designed with rugged, outdoorsy types in mind. It's available four colors. The blue, brown, and green (that one's my favorite) have been brought down to just $100 from their starting price of $140. The black has the most significant discount, chopping off an additional $10—bringing it to its lowest price ever of $90. It your price sensitive and don't care all too much about the color choices, that's the one for you. See at Amazon Lots of Bluetooth speakers are okay to take outdoors, being splashproof. The Soundcore Boom 3i takes that to a whole other lever. Not only is it IP68 dustproof and waterproof, this thing is even saltwater resistant—five times more so than most other speakers on the market. It's made for the extremes. It's been drop-tested to survive from falls of about one meter and it can fully float on water, maintaining it's loud, rich sound and powerful bass. It actually recenters itself when in water to keep upright and the sound facing forward above the water. Great for kayaking or paddle boarding. The bass can be pushed even further with BassUp 2.0 which brings forward 50W of powerful sound and a bass as deep as 56Hz. The speaker is able to keep up with you through most of the day. It provides up to 16 hours of listening time on a single charge. You can full control the Soundcore Boom 3i via a smart app on your phone. Use it to adjust settings with Voice Amplifier, Emergency Alarm, Buzz Clean, and more. The detachable strap makes the Soundcore Boom 3i easy to take around with you wherever you go. For a limited time, you can pick up the Soundcore Boom 3i outdoor speaker and bring rich sound anywhere your headed for as low as $90. That's a $50 discount, bringing the speaker to its lowest price ever. See at Amazon
Gizmodo
11 minutes ago
- Gizmodo
Peloton Wants You to Sell That Dusty Bike
Has your Peloton bike been collecting dust or doubling as a clothes rack? You're not alone, and now the fitness tech company is making it easier to get those unused bikes into the homes of people who will actually ride them. Peloton just expanded its resale marketplace for bikes, treadmills, and rowing machines nationwide. Peloton first launched the platform in June in only a few markets—Boston, New York, and the D.C. metro area. Since then, users have created over 400 listings and completed roughly three dozen sales. The expansion is part of the struggling company's broader turnaround strategy. 'This initiative provides a valuable service to our community, offering an accessible entry point for new members, a convenient way for existing members to upgrade or sell their equipment, and an opportunity for our equipment to be given a second life,' Chief Product Officer Nick Caldwell said in a press release. Starting today, Peloton owners across the country will be able to list their used equipment and accessories on the platform. And buyers nationwide will be able to make purchases beginning in August. Peloton says it will suggest prices based on market trends and the condition of the user's gear, but sellers still get to set the final price. Those who offload their old equipment on the marketplace will earn some cash from the sale and will receive a discount on their next Peloton purchase. Bikes on the marketplace are listed for as low as $289, hundreds of dollars cheaper than their original $1,445 retail price. Peloton launched in 2012 and quickly gained a reputation as a premium fitness brand, selling pricey equipment with built-in screens that stream live and on-demand workout classes that are available through an additional subscription. The company hit its stride during the covid-19 pandemic, when gyms were closed and people were scrambling for ways to stay active at home. But that momentum didn't last. As life slowly returned to normal after the pandemic, so did people's workout routine outside the home. The company's stock has dropped 95% from its early 2021 peak of nearly $170 a share to around $6 today. And sales of Peloton's fitness equipment are still dropping. In May, the company reported a 27% year-over-year decline in equipment sales during its fiscal third quarter. Earlier this year, Peloton brought in Peter Stern—formerly head of Ford's integrated services division—to take over as CEO. Before his time at Ford, Stern spent years at Apple, where he led the company's services division, overseeing products like Apple TV+ and Apple Fitness+. At the Bloomberg Tech conference in June, Stern said the new marketplace is a key part of Peloton's turnaround strategy. He said the secondhand market was one of the most effective ways for the company to bring in new members. 'There are lots of Peloton bikes in particular that are out there in the world that are being underutilized—and that does no one any good,' Stern said.
