a day ago
Satechi's new SSD enclosure matches the Mac Mini
Satechi has announced a new SSD enclosure with an aluminum design that matches the black and silver finish and dimensions of Apple's Mac Mini M4, but thinner so it can perch atop the tiny desktop computer or be used as a matching stand. But since it connects using an included braided USB-C cable, the enclosure is compatible with any device that supports external storage drives.
The USB4 Slim NVMe SSD Enclosure looks familiar to Satechi's Mac Mini M4 Stand & Hub that launched last January for $99.99, but is $20 more expensive at $119.99, available now through its online store. Both can be used to expand the storage of the Mac Mini M4 using an SSD, but while the Stand & Hub accessory offers slightly more functionality with extra USB ports and an SD card reader, Satechi's new enclosure offers much faster transfer speeds.
The enclosure is compatible with all but the largest NVMe SSD sizes — 2230, 2242, 2260, and 2280 — and supports capacities ranging from 1TB to 8TB. Satechi's Stand & Hub offers transfer speeds of up to 10Gbps, but the USB4 Slim NVMe SSD Enclosure pushes that to 40Gbps, assuming the device you're connecting to also supports USB4. If it doesn't, the enclosure is backwards compatible, and you'll just see slower transfer speeds.
You can insert an SSD by removing the bottom of the enclosure after giving it a short twist, which also reveals a storage compartment for the short included USB-C cable. Its minimalist design also integrates a thermal pad and cooling vents to 'maintain peak performance without thermal throttling.'
