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Satechi Launches Type-C Aluminum Stand and Hub for Mac Mini

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macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Satechi today released the new Type-C Aluminum Stand and Hub for Mac mini, which sits under the Mac mini and provides a collection of front-facing ports for convenience, similar to Satechi's iMac stand.

satechi-mac-mini.jpg

The six ports include a USB-C data port, three USB 3.0 ports, micro/SD card readers, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The accessory also has built-in air vents that regulate temperature of the Mac mini.

satechi-mac-mini-2.jpg

Satechi is selling the Type-C Aluminum Stand and Hub for Mac mini at $79.99 on its website and on Amazon.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Article Link: Satechi Launches Type-C Aluminum Stand and Hub for Mac Mini
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2019/11/19/satechi-stand-mac-mini/
Rudy69

Rudy69

macrumors 6502a
Mar 30, 2009
790
2,415
Neat product but I kinda wish Apple would offer something like this.

Imagine hiding a USB-C port under the mac mini instead so they're connected the second you stack them kinda like the Satellaview for the Super Famicom or SegaCD? They could even offer different configurations etc. A lot of people would probably pay $100 for certain configs directly from Apple. But they would never do that :(
 
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ikaka

ikaka

macrumors regular
Mar 5, 2009
141
47
this thing will make the mini overheat even more, I have to keep mine sideways to be semi-ok. Should have came with a build in active cooler on the bottom, that would be nice.
 
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R

reden

macrumors 6502a
Aug 30, 2006
716
824
Great design but definitely not enough testing. I mean, I'm going to use up one of my Thunderbolt ports and I don't get another one I can daisy chain to in to the back? Only a USB-C on the front, hmm. I guess the price reflects that design choice.
 
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nutmac

nutmac

macrumors 603
Mar 30, 2004
6,057
7,320
Mac mini has a competent selection of ports:
  • 4 Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports
  • 2 USB 3 (USB-A) ports
  • 1 HDMI 2.0
  • 1 Ethernet
  • 1 3.5 mm headphone
While this product is well designed, bus powered, and makes ports more accessible, most Mac mini users I know aren't craving for more ports.

Now, if it had 2.5" disk bay, it would be an awesome product.
 
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M

Marx55

macrumors 68000
Jan 1, 2005
1,915
753
Really shocking: USB 3 generation 1 (5 Gbps) and hijacking one Thunderbolt 3 port. NO, thank you! Not even for free! Why companies do such obnoxious products is beyond understanding.
 
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T

theluggage

macrumors 604
Jul 29, 2011
7,501
7,385
reden said:
Great design but definitely not enough testing. I mean, I'm going to use up one of my Thunderbolt ports and I don't get another one I can daisy chain to in to the back? Only a USB-C on the front, hmm. I guess the price reflects that design choice.
Click to expand...

Well - yes, since its USB based rather than Thunderbolt 3 (going rate for TB3 would be 2-3 times the price).

Without TB3 then all USB-C provides is one USB 3.1g1 stream shared between downstream USB, Audio and SD (its still rare for hub/docks to support 3.1g2). Supporting 4k video knocks that down to USB 2 speed. Daisy-chaining only makes sense for TB3.

One thing you can't criticise about the Mac Mini is its provision of ports on the back - the main purpose of this product is to bring some of them around to the front for convenience & add SD (which you want at the front). There's a ton of hubs designed for MacBooks which include things like ethernet and HDMI/DP outputs which you're less likely to need on a desktop that already has them and won't benefit so much from single-cable docking.

Still - would be nice to see a TB3 dock in this format, designed for desktops that focussed on adding front USB, SD etc. plus as many rear USBs as you could eat - rather than restoring ports missing from laptops and charging, which is what most current TB3 docks focus on. The Mac Mini format would sit nicely under an iMac, too.
 
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P

playaproved

macrumors 6502
Sep 29, 2005
440
351
This is exactly what I was looking for two weeks ago when purchasing my new mini. Wish this was available before I spent $35 on a card reader.
 
ruka.snow

ruka.snow

macrumors 68000
Jun 6, 2017
1,886
5,182
Scotland
They could have at least put a decent card reader on it, might have been somewhat useful for pro photographers.
 
CanadianGuy

CanadianGuy

macrumors regular
Jul 3, 2007
117
422
Ontario, Canada
The fact there aren't multiple USB-C ports on this thing (or on any hub type thing) is the main problem with USB-C. Why can't anyone make a USB-C hub that gives you more USB-C ports, just like all the USB-A hubs. A USB-A hub and a USB-C hub are completely different things. A real USB-C hub would finally make USB-C awesome and usable.
 
L

LuciusWrong

macrumors regular
Jun 24, 2019
244
186
ikaka said:
this thing will make the mini overheat even more, I have to keep mine sideways to be semi-ok. Should have came with a build in active cooler on the bottom, that would be nice.
Click to expand...

Maybe you are exceeding the machines design capacity?
That being said, if you want to be creative, you could buy an alum heat sink to work out a diy cooling solution. There are lots of choices available for you look in the right places. And you would probably need to do some cutting and grinding... But if the mini is dissipating a significant amount of heat through the case, it could work. The aesthetics might be compromised, but it would be kind of cool. Call it the porcupine mini?
 
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B

bernoulli

macrumors regular
Sep 13, 2018
162
335
England
You can just rotate the mac mini 180 degrees and you no longer need to buy the hub as all the ports are now easily accessible.
 
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L

LuciusWrong

macrumors regular
Jun 24, 2019
244
186
CanadianGuy said:
The fact there aren't multiple USB-C ports on this thing (or on any hub type thing) is the main problem with USB-C. Why can't anyone make a USB-C hub that gives you more USB-C ports, just like all the USB-A hubs. A USB-A hub and a USB-C hub are completely different things. A real USB-C hub would finally make USB-C awesome and usable.
Click to expand...

I cant an answer, but i can acknowledge how silly the situation is.

It seems there are competing ideas of what USB C is for. Apple thinks that every device worth using has a USB C....so we need more USB C. Horray! And they deny the existence of USB A.

Other companies still believe that USB A exists...and they expect that is the primary connector people will use. So treat USB C as a special connector....specially designed for connecting a hub (or monitor, which functions like a hub)...so you only need the one.
 
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justperry

justperry

macrumors G5
Aug 10, 2007
12,558
9,750
I'm a rolling stone.
LuciusWrong said:
Maybe you are exceeding the machines design capacity?
That being said, if you want to be creative, you could buy an alum heat sink to work out a diy cooling solution. There are lots of choices available for you look in the right places. And you would probably need to do some cutting and grinding... But if the mini is dissipating a significant amount of heat through the case, it could work. The aesthetics might be compromised, but it would be kind of cool. Call it the porcupine mini?
Click to expand...

Or use this...

71Poy6WtVvL._SX679_.jpg
 
Last edited:
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