Get Access to USB-A Ports: UGREEN USB-C to USB-A Adapter 10Gbps

The Mac Mini features a total of five USB ports, three of which are blazing-fast Thunderbolt 4 connectors. But the catch is that they’re all USB-C ports.

That's certainly an issue since virtually every wireless mouse and keyboard dongle, along with a good portion of external SSDs and card readers, sports a good old USB-A connector. This includes the wireless dongles of the Logitech MX Master 3S and Pulsar Xlite V3 mice I use interchangeably with my M4 Mac Mini.

The solution was getting a USB-C to USB-A adapter, but opting for one that only supports USB 2.0 speeds felt wrong, considering the two front-mounted USB-C ports support 10Gbps speeds. The UGREEN USB-C to USB-A Adapter addresses said issue since it offers 10Gbps bandwidth on top of sporting a very attractive price.

A pack of two costs only $9, making it by far the best bang for your buck accessory you can get for your M4 Mac Mini. The adapter is slim enough to convert both front-facing USB-C ports on your Mac Mini to USB Type A without interference.

Thanks to its blazing-fast speed, you aren’t limited to mouse and keyboard dongles. You can hook an external SSD, a high-speed USB flash drive, or any other device that benefits from 10Gbps bandwidth to your Mac Mini and enjoy lofty transfer speeds.

Add an SD Card Reader to Your M4 Mac Mini: Anker PowerExpand+ Card Reader

Now, I can understand the lack of USB-A ports, but I find the absence of an SD card reader on the M4 Mac Mini inexcusable. I mean, I understand it from a business point of view, since Apple probably wants to upsell the Mac Studio, which packs one at the front, to professionals who have the cash for the upgrade.

However, the M4 Mac Mini isn’t exactly a budget machine, and I can bet Apple has sold a ton of these to content creators who require an SD card reader on a daily basis. If you, like me, bought a Mac Mini and are in need of a card reader, check out the Anker PowerExpand+.

It’s got both microSD and SD card slots, supports UHS-II memory cards, supports transfer speeds of up to 312MBps, packs a USB-C port, and has a cable so it won’t interfere with the Mac Mini’s second front-facing USB-C port.

I’ve got a slower version of the reader that only supports UHS-I cards. It does a commendable job for my needs, which include transferring about 100 12MP photos from my camera to my Mac Mini in one go a few times a month.

Now, if you’d like something more compact that won’t adversely affect your Mac Mini’s minimalist presence, take a look at the Anker USB-C 2-in-1 Card Reader. It’s more affordable, comes with both microSD and SD card slots, and can be directly attached to one of the Mac Mini's front-facing USB-C ports. On the flip side, it only supports UHS-I cards and is thick enough to potentially interfere with the second front-facing USB-C port.

Expand Your Mac Mini's Storage Without Going Broke: Crucial X9 Pro for Mac

The base version of the M4 Mac Mini comes with only 256GB of storage, which is insufficient, regardless of how you look at it. This wouldn’t be such an issue if Apple weren’t charging $200 for 256GB of extra storage, which is ridiculously high.

My recommendation is to get yourself an external SSD instead. I’ve been using a DIY external SSD with my Mac Mini since I had a spare Samsung 850 Evo SSD lying around, but if you don’t have a spare SSD to turn into an external drive, the Crucial X9 Pro for Mac is hands down the best bang-for-buck external drive for Apple computers.

The Crucial X9 Pro for Mac costs only $95 for a 1TB version and supports read and write speeds of up to 1050MB/s, which is more than sufficient for most photo and video editing workflows. The drive can fit the palm of your hand, features IP55 water and dust resistance, is drop-resistant up to 7.5ft, and the Mac version is optimized for Apple’s file system (APFS).

You also receive a five-year warranty and a USB-C cable, allowing you to connect it directly to your Mac Mini without needing a USB-A to USB-C adapter. The good news is that even the 2TB version of the drive costs less than what Apple would charge you for 256GB of storage, further proving that shelling out cash for extra internal storage simply isn’t worth it. If you want to splurge on a new M4 Mac Mini, opt for extra memory or the M4 Pro chip instead.

An All-In-One Accessory Solution for Your M4 Mac Mini: UGREEN Mac Mini M4 Dock and Stand

If you’d like an all-in-one accessory solution for your M4 Mac Mini, a stylish Mac Mini dock is the way to go. The UGREEN Mac Mini M4 Dock and Stand is the best of the bunch, thanks to its competitive price and the range of ports it comes with.

On the front, you’ve got two 10Gbps USB-A ports along with an SD and a microSD card reader. On the back, you’re met with two more USB-A 10Gbps ports along with a single USB-C 10Gbps port, a 3.5mm audio jack that boasts higher audio quality than the one on the Mac Mini, and a DisplayPort that supports up to 4K resolution at 144Hz.

At the bottom, you’ll find an M.2 SSD slot that supports up to 8TB SSDs and speeds of up to 10Gbps. My recommendation is to get a TEAMGROUP MP44L SSD in 1TB flavor, which can often be found for less than $60.

The dock perfectly complements the Mac Mini's design, it’s got slightly slanted topside to not interfere with the Mini’s cooling system, and a groove on the back for an easily accessible power button. The only downside is that it uses up two of the three rear-mounted Thunderbolt 4 ports.

The more affordable version of the UGREEN Mac Mini Dock & Stand costs $10 less, takes up only one Thunderbolt 4 port, and comes with a microSD and SD card reader, an M.2 SSD slot, five USB-A, two USB-C, and a single USB-C port that only supports charging, but omits the 3.5mm audio jack and DisplayPort connector.

If you’d like something more stylish, the Satechi Mac mini M4 Hub & Stand is where it’s at. While it certainly looks nicer than the UGREEN dock, the Satechi Mac Mini hub only includes an SD card reader, two USB-A 10Gbps ports, a single USB-A 2.0 port, and a 10Gbps M.2 SSD slot.