Glad to see those USB-A ports. One of the advantages of buying a hub is to get port types the Mac doesn't have that are practically useful for many people. There is a large installed base of USB-A peripherals out there working fine, and many dropping a hundred bucks on a hub would prefer to not have to also buy adapters or special cables to convert connectors.
While different users have different equipment, needs and approaches, USB-A connection devices will remain in common usage for many years to some.
That said, I'm surprised that is doesn't also offer USB-C ports. From the look of it, you sacrifice one of your Mac Mini's 5 USB-C ports (3 Thunderbolt-based) to gain 3 USB-A and a media card reader plus a USB-C speed type internal SSD housing. Nice, but a dongle intended for notebooks can offer much the same connectors minus the SSD housing, and external SSDs of that type aren't much more expensive than buying an internal one to stick in it.
So, you can get this for around $100, or an on sale dongle/hub aimed for notebook computers with similar ports for under $30 plus an external SSD (I picked up a Samsung T7 Shield and a Crucial X9)...or spring for the more expensive Thunderbolt 3 or 4-based docks and get more ports (including extra USB-C ports).
Those of you interested in buying a hub or dock, is this what you want, or do you plan to go the cheap dongle route (which I'm doing now because I already had one) or a more expensive $180 - $400 'upgunned' option with a lot of ports and/or Thunderbolt (though many lack an internal SSD option)?
While different users have different equipment, needs and approaches, USB-A connection devices will remain in common usage for many years to some.
That said, I'm surprised that is doesn't also offer USB-C ports. From the look of it, you sacrifice one of your Mac Mini's 5 USB-C ports (3 Thunderbolt-based) to gain 3 USB-A and a media card reader plus a USB-C speed type internal SSD housing. Nice, but a dongle intended for notebooks can offer much the same connectors minus the SSD housing, and external SSDs of that type aren't much more expensive than buying an internal one to stick in it.
So, you can get this for around $100, or an on sale dongle/hub aimed for notebook computers with similar ports for under $30 plus an external SSD (I picked up a Samsung T7 Shield and a Crucial X9)...or spring for the more expensive Thunderbolt 3 or 4-based docks and get more ports (including extra USB-C ports).
Those of you interested in buying a hub or dock, is this what you want, or do you plan to go the cheap dongle route (which I'm doing now because I already had one) or a more expensive $180 - $400 'upgunned' option with a lot of ports and/or Thunderbolt (though many lack an internal SSD option)?