Satechi Mac mini Hub & Stand with SSD Enclosure for NVME/SATA M.2, Mac mini Dock with USB C 10Gbps, 3 USB A 5/10Gbps, 2.0 Audio Jack, for Mac Studio, Mac mini M2/M1 (Not Compatible with M4) - Silver

I was surprised how well this works. The SSD slot was very accessible and easy to install with the included set screw and screwdriver to secure it. Perfect addition to my Mac Studio that quickly ran out of space. SSD transfer speeds have been very fast, and the added USB ports were needed for some older music equipment I have.

As I was looking to upgrade from my iMac to one of the relatively new Mac Mini M2 Pro desktops, a few of the reviews and site reports mentioned the SATECHI Type-C Stand & Hub as a great addition to an already good machine. This certainly has proven a extremely positive purchase for my needs as the front ports provide super easy access for SD card downloads (from my photography) as well as upload/download of USB drives. Additionally, the on-board ability of additional SSD storage (I purchased one of the Western Digital 1TB WD Blue SA510 SATA Internal Solid State Drive SSD - SATA III) serves to expand my storage options without cluttering up my desk with additional drives. Finally, as a result of an error on my part, I needed to contact Satechi customer support for help via e-mail. They were incredibly quick to respond and were able to correct my mistake and get the unit working with minimal delay. So, through the combination of an affordable addition with some very positive features, minimal additional footprint on my already messy desk and great customer service...this purchase is one of my favs and I would certainly recommend this accessory for folks looking to expand the functionality of their Mac Mini.

I use this docking station with a Mac Mini M2 and installed Western Digital 4TB WD Blue SN5000 NVMe Internal Solid State Drive I have had zero issues and %100 use when I need the various ports, card readers and external drive.

Couple things to point out right off:>> set up your Mini first, then connect the dock. I put in the NvME and the 2 USB cables for the Magic mouse and keyboard and connected it to the mini before turning the Mini on the first time. Big mistake. Didn't immediately recognise the mouse and keyboard, had to plug in non-Apple ones to get through set-up. After that the Magic devices paired auccessfully but the NvME was recognized, had to use Finder (after much googling) to find it. I ended up doing a clean re-install the next day and, then, everything "just worked", perfectly.>> about that NvME, while they include a cheap and nasty little screwdriver THEY DID NOT INCLUDE A RETENTION SCREW!!!! I had to hunt through motherboard boxes (I built 4 PCs last year) to find a screw but it turned the standard M.2 screw didn't fit, it was way too small. So I had to dig through PC case cartons to find more screws, turns out it the same size screw used to mount a m/b to the stand-offs in the case. I took off 1 star just for that. I was sorely tempted to take 2 off but the dock is otherwise very nice.As far as form and function go, it seems to work fine and looks good doing it. I matches the Mini perfectly and provides easy front access to the ports. One slightly off thing is the power LED is green, while the Mini's is yellow, also it's a couple mm off set from the Mini's - would;ve been nicer if they were aligned but that's just my OCD. I haven't tried any spped tests on the NvME but I know from various youtube reviews that it's not going to be anywhere the rated spped but that just down to it being an external drive connected over USB rather than on-board, so not really on Satechi.Except for the screw issue, I'm very pleased with the dock. Unit seems quite well-made and the price is very reasonable. Can heartily recommend.

M.2 NVME drive up to size 2230 in capacity up to 4 TB is supported. I have a 1 TB drive installed, a great alternative to the Apple tax for their internal storage. :-DIt is a USB-C connection, not Thunderbolt, so maximum transfer speed is theoretically 10 GB/sec. However, that bandwidth is shared with everything you plug into the hub. You can plug in two SD cards at once, but access speeds to those cards gets cut in half over when you just have one inserted. :-(Four USB ports up front: one 5 GB/sec USB-A, two 10 GB/sec USB-A, and one 10 GB/sec USB-C port.So, theoretically, you can have two SD cards, and four USB devices plugged in, for a total of six, but they ALL share the same 10 GB/sec bandwidth. 10 divided by 6 = 1.67 GB/sec ( 1670 MB/sec) theoretical maximum. However, the most I've ever reached is around 480 MB/sec. Seeing as how USB thumb drives and SD cards max out around 100-300 MB/sec, I don't see this as a problem.Attached is a screen shot of the NVME drive and USB device speed tests.