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Apple Silicon Mac mini Q&A
Update Published December 2, 2024
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What external storage options are available for the Apple Silicon Mac mini? Which is the best?
Different Apple Silicon Mac mini models have different ports that can be used for external storage:
Apple Silicon Mac mini |
Thunderbolt |
USB-A |
2 (TB 3, 40 Gb/s) |
2 (5 Gb/s) |
|
2 (TB 4, 40 Gb/s) |
2 (5 Gb/s) |
|
4 (TB 4, 40 Gb/s) |
2 (5 Gb/s) |
|
4 (TB 4, 40 Gb/s) |
2 (5 Gb/s) |
|
3 (TB 4, 40 Gb/s) |
None |
|
3 (TB 5, 120 Gb/s) |
None |
|
3 (TB 5, 120 Gb/s) |
None |
For all practical purposes, 2020 and 2023 Apple Silicon Mac mini models -- the Mac mini "M1", "M2", and "M2 Pro" -- work with Thunderbolt 3/4 (USB-C) and USB 3 (USB-A). Because Thunderbolt is faster, you generally should opt for Thunderbolt whenever feasible.
The current 2024 Apple Silicon Mac mini models have three rear mounted Thunderbolt (USB-C) ports -- the entry-level Mac mini "M4" has Thunderbolt 4 (40 Gb/s) ports whereas the higher-end Mac mini "M4 Pro" models have Thunderbolt 5 (120 Gb/s) ports. All of these models also have front-mounted USB-C ports with support for USB 3 (up to 10Gb/s), but because Thunderbolt 4 and Thunderbolt 5 are so much faster, you should Thunderbolt to maximize performance.
Site sponsor Other World Computing offers a variety of good external storage options for the Apple Silicon Mac mini and earlier Mac mini systems and one likely will be among the best for you.
Attractive Mac mini-Specific External Storage (2020/2023)
For most users, the size-specific OWC miniStack STX will be the perfect storage for the 2020 and 2023 Apple Silicon Mac mini.
Photo Credit: OWC miniStack STX - Front (Underneath Mac mini)
Available in matte silver and matte black color choices, the affordable OWC miniStack STX stacks nicely under these Mac mini models and supports two storage drives -- one universal SATA HDD/SSD and an NVMe M.2 PCIe SSD. It includes an integrated three port Thunderbolt 4 hub, too.
Photo Credit: OWC miniStack STX - Ports (Underneath Mac mini)
The OWC miniStack STX provides as much as 20 TB of internal storage and its external ports support "a mix of up to five Thunderbolt devices, three USB devices, and two displays".
There are assorted knockoff versions of this type of product bouncing around the Internet, but they commonly have a bad habit of overheating. Stick with a trusted brand, for sure.
Fast, Portable External Storage (2024)
For the current 2024 Mac mini models, which have a much smaller physical footprint than their predecessors, there is not yet a size-specific external storage option.
Although the miniStack STX will work, because it is too large to stack seamlessly with the 2024 Mac mini models (and it is relatively slow compared to newer options), you might instead prefer the faster OWC Express 1M2 (Thunderbolt 4) for the Mac mini M4 or blazing fast OWC Envoy Ultra (Thunderbolt 5) for the Mac mini M4 Pro.
Photo Credit: OWC Express 1M2
The OWC Express 1M2 contains an upgradable NVMe M.2 SSD and can be configured with up to 8 TB of storage.
The OWC Envoy Ultra cannot be internally upgraded after purchase, but it can be up to 2x faster than Thunderbolt 4. It can be configured with up to 4 TB of storage.
High-Capacity Desktop Storage Options
For those interested in higher capacity storage, you might also want to consider options that are physically larger but that are more upgradable and that cost less on a per gigabyte basis.
Photo Credit: OWC Express 4M2 (Left), Thunderbay 4 (Right)
Two good options include the OWC Express 4M2 and OWC Thunderbay 4.
The OWC Express 4M2 supports as many as four industry-standard M.2 NVMe SSDs, so it is affordable to start with a single SSD and add as many as three more fast SSDs as needed.
The Thunderbay 4 supports four 2.5" or 3.5" SSDs or hard drives and is not as fast, but it makes it inexpensive to add as much as 96 TB of storage.
Installation Videos
You might find these videos that explain how to install storage in the miniStack STX, Express 1M2, Express 4M2, and Thunderbay 4 helpful, as well:
miniStack STX Installation Instructions
Express 1M2 Installation Instructions
Express 4M2 Installation Instructions
Thunderbay 4 Installation Instructions
Whether you want a small and attractive solution or one that adds maximum storage capacity, these options have you covered.
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