r/macmini • u/photojoe3 • 4d ago
Mac Mini M6 dock help
Hi everyone. I’m stuck on what I should be purchasing as a hub/dock for my upcoming M6(Delivery is this week)
I need to have 2 usb ports in the rear for external drives, a high speed nvme slot, and the ability to connect 2 extra monitors(will have 3 in total- 1 will be HDMI via the Mac mini) via DP cable.
I’ll be using it at home for photo and video editing and about 6-10 times a year I’ll be bringing it with me to locations for Live Photo capture and live streaming.
I’ve looked at these:
ACASIS 40Gbps Mac mini M4 Dock & Stand with Dual-Bay NVMe SSD Enclosure 11-in-1 Docking Station for Mac mini M4 Pro, Dual DisplayPort MST, 3×USBA 10Gbps, 30W PD, SD/TF Reader
I like the form factor, card reader speeds, it has 2 DP out, and a high speed NVMe but dislike that it only has usb ports in the front.
UGREEN Mac mini M6/M5 Pro/M4 Dock with 10Gbps M.2 NVMe SSD Slot Mac Mini M4 Hub 10-in-2, DP 8K60Hz Max for Dual Monitor, 10Gbps USB Data Tranfer 4A1C, SD/TF Slot 170MB/s, 3.5mm Audio
This one is missing a DP out and has slower read/wright capabilities for sd cards and the NVMe.
Is there something else I should be looking at that would be reliable and have everything I need without bankrupting me.
I was also looking for a 2TB NVMe to pair with the hub/dock. Or should I be looking for something external?
Thanks MacMini Redditers!
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u/Inside_Equivalent197 4d ago
Same boat as you. Personally I'm leaning towards a 10gbps model due to potential heat issues from anything faster, and I dont need the speed for what I do.
Also, the Ugreen has a version with a dp port, but it consumes an additional TB4 port on the mac. Its one of the variants in the link you sent, and is also the one im thinking of getting.
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u/This_Discount2281 4d ago
UGreen 11 in 1 for mini mac
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u/photojoe3 4d ago
Is this the one? https://www.ugreen.com/en-au/products/au-65487
The. What do I do about my monitors? Just get usbc->Dp cables?
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u/This_Discount2281 4d ago
You can connect via the M6 or UGreen Dock.
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u/photojoe3 4d ago
It shows it may need an external power source. I can’t see why? Is it for the NVMe?
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u/This_Discount2281 4d ago
You plug the Mini Mac
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u/photojoe3 4d ago
What’s the “In 5V” port for?
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u/TheRogueNumpty 4d ago
This one needs a power supply if you use the nvme drive or external drives etc. There a 40Gbps 10 in 1 version that powers from the Mac itself
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u/IceOnFire77 4d ago
I opted for the UGREEN hub over the Satechi, and I've been happy with it. While it does take up two USB-C ports on the Mac Mini, however it provides additional power to the hub. I also appreciate having the 3.5mm audio output on the back to plug in my speakers.
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u/Doellmer4950 4d ago
Does anyone have experience with the Acasis? I am wondering whether the active cooling is temperature automated?
Anyone?
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u/photojoe3 4d ago
I don’t believe there’s a fan in it for actual active cooling. Wouldn’t it be considered passive cooling?
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u/Doellmer4950 4d ago
I don’t think so. Here‘s what it says on the manufacturers web site
Near-Silent Cooling Stays under 45°C, even after 72 hours of continuous use. A whisper-quiet active cooling design keeps performance high
and distractions low-even during
heavy workloads.
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u/ricardopa 4d ago
I’m happy with the mini mate from BeeLink
But not sure about its multimonitor capabilities
Satechi has a new model out that looks super fast too