How to make the most out of M1 Mac mini with 3 essential accessories
So, you just got yourself an M1 Mac mini. That’s nice. It’s a small powerhouse that offers incredible raw performance for its price tag. It is the perfect PC for almost everyone. Be it web browsing, coding, or editing photos or videos.
But, there is still a lot of stuff you can add to make the most out of the portable powerhouse. Here are the top 3 best accessories you need for your M1 Mac mini.
Displays/Monitors
Let’s start with the display. It is what you’re going to look at 100% of the time when you use your Mac mini so it better be good.
Upgrading your monitor or buying an all-new display requires some research. You need to consider different models and their features. Then you factor in the pricing and display quality. It is a total mess unless you’ve shopped for displays before. I have and let me save that time for you with these points quickly. Here are some quick factors you need to know before picking out the best monitor for your Mac mini:
What’s your use?
Buying a new monitor for your Mac ultimately comes down to what kind of user you are. But, here are some features you need to know about and decide whether they fit in perfectly in your bill as well as your needs.
Size and resolution
25–27” monitors with 2K or QuadHD screen resolution are good enough for most casual users. This includes web browsing, content writing, coding (to an extent) entertainment, etc. If you want an ultrawide monitor for your M1 Mac mini, then make sure it has the right screen resolution (4K or above) and compatibility. Also, make sure to avoid high refresh rate monitors like 120Hz or above. They are meant for gaming and Mac Mini does not natively support high refresh rate display output as of writing this.
USB-C Support
USB-C monitors are usually slightly more expensive than their non-USB-C counterparts. These monitors basically use the USB-C port instead of the HDMI port on your Mac mini. The great thing about these monitors is that they offer in-built USB-A or USB-C ports and audio connectivity. So, it’s basically like a mini USB hub built into the monitor. These USB ports in monitors are good enough to connect peripherals like keyboards or if you want to charge your phone.
If you want a more detailed look at the factors you need to consider before buying your next monitor for the M1 Mac mini, read the full buying guide here.
Here are some of the best displays you can buy for your M1 Mac mini right now (based on use):
For web browsing, emails, or entertainment:
- LG 27QN600-B 27” QHD Monitor (Best Bang for the buck)
The LG 27QN600 monitor covers all the checks required to be the perfect monitor for casual users without breaking the bank.
LG also offers a 4K and USB-C variant of this monitor which is amazing for watching movies and doing creative work.
Here’s the link to the 4K USB-C variant of this monitor.
2. Dell S2721QS 27 Inch Curved 4K UHD Monitor
Dell has been known to deliver exceptionally good monitors but they usually come with a hefty price tag. Contrary to popular belief, the Dell S2721QS is a curved 4K monitor which delivers a 4K resolution and offers exceptionally good color gamut coverage without breaking the bank. This makes it suitable for photo and video editing. Thanks to its vertical mount support, it is a recommended choice for coders and writers.
Dell also offers a QHD variant of this model which is more budget friendly. Check its price on Amazon.
If you’re looking for a monitor for your M1 Mac mini for photo or video editing or content creation, then make sure of the following things:
- The monitor should be bright enough to be used indoors and in well-lit environments. Usually, 400 nits or above is good enough for indoor use. But if you work in very bright environments, make sure it is at least 500nits+.
- Color accuracy and color gamut coverage. It should at least be able to cover 99% of sRGB is good enough for basic graphic design. Although, 90% of Adobe RGB or above is recommended for professional photo and video editing.
Top monitors for M1 Mac mini for graphic design, photo, and video editing:
- LG 27UP850-W 27” UHD Monitor (Recommended)
It is the latest model of the LG Ultrafine series we mentioned above. It ticks all the boxes required to be the best photo and video editing monitor for the M1 Mac mini. It’s got USB-C support with power delivery up to 96W. It offers DCI-P3 95% coverage, making it extremely color accurate.
2. BenQ SW PhotoVue 24–32 inch Monitor series
It is a USB-C monitor that offers 99% Adobe RGB coverage and offers 10-bit HDR support. It comes factory calibrated and is both Pantone and Calman verified for color accuracy. The display comes with a detachable shading hood that reduces screen glare along with a puck that offers different hotkeys for accessing presets. All this comes at a fairly decent price tag.
Also read: Best Monitors for MacBook Pro and MacBook Air
USB Hub/ Docking Station
You’re all set and now want to backup your iPhone, use an external hard drive while keeping all your Mac mini accessories connected. Considering the current connectivity limitations on the Mac mini, it will be cumbersome. You’ll need a good old USB hub. Thanks to Thunderbolt 3 ports, there’s plenty of reliable USB-C hubs available for the M1 Mac mini. But, the challenge is to find the right one for your requirements.
Please note, that investing in a good and reliable USB-C hub is a smart choice. Since USB-C is the future. you can always use these hubs with other USB-C devices which include (but not limited to) MacBooks, Ultrabooks, or smartphones, tablets like the Thunderbolt 3 M1 iPad Pro.
But finding them is the real challenge. With so many options in the market, it is very easy to get confused and end up with a bad investment.
Here’s a quick list of the best USB-C Hubs or Thunderbolt Docking stations for the M1 Mac mini.
Satechi Mac mini Hub with SSD enclosure (Best Overall)
The Satechi USB hub has the best design and offers an in-built SSD enclosure to add a secondary storage drive without compromising on the looks of your workstation. Thanks to the built-in microSD and SD card reader slots it is the best USB hub for content creators.
It offers:
- 1 x USB-C data port (5Gbps)
- 3 x USB-A 3.0 ports (5Gbps)
- SD and microSD card readers (104Mbps)
- 3.5mm headphone jack
- M.2 SATA SSD enclosure (SSD not included, not compatible with NVME SSDs)
Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Dock Series (Best Portable USB-C Hub)
This is the perfect Thunderbolt dock for users with multiple setups like a MacBook for travel and a Mac mini as their home workstation setup. It’s a lightweight Thunderbolt 3 USB hub. Belkin is already a trusted name among Apple product users so there’s no doubt you’ll run into compatibility or reliability issues.
Moreover, Belkin offers a series of these docks which focus on different uses.
- Belkin Thunderbolt Core
- Belkin Thunderbolt Mini
- Belkin Thunderbolt Plus
- Belkin Thunderbolt Pro
If you’re on a budget then Belkin’s USB-C hub will offer reliability and get the job done without burning a hole in your pocket.
Check Price on Belkin USB-C Hub on Amazon (Not Thunderbolt 3)
Caldigit TS3 Plus (Best Docking Station)
It might look like a smaller PC but it is one of the best Thunderbolt docking stations for Mac mini. Just like the M1 chip, you can go all out on this dock and still won’t notice any significant drop in performance.
It is externally powered so there’s no need to worry about connecting “too many devices”. It offers 15 ports with no compromise in any form. It is one of the most expensive docks you’ll find out there but you can use it with any Thunderbolt compatible laptop. This dock can also charge your MacBook or any other connected devices at the same time.
It offers:
- 2 x Thunderbolt™ 3
- 1 x DisplayPort 1.2
- 5 x USB-A 3.1 Gen 1 (5Gb/s, 1.5A, 7.5W)
- 2 x USB-C
- 1 x USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 (10Gb/s, 1.5A, 7.5W) Rear
- 1 x USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 ( 5Gb/s, 1.5A, 7.5W) Front
- 1 x SD Card Reader (SD 4.0 UHS-II)
- 1 x Digital Optical Audio (S/PDIF)
- 1 x Gigabit Ethernet
- 1 x Analog Audio In (Stereo)
- 1 x Analog Audio Out (Stereo)
Other reliable options include:
OWC 14-port Thunderbolt 3 Dock (OWCTB3DK14PSG)
External Storage
There’s nothing more annoying than trying to backup your iPhone and getting the storage is full error. What makes it even more annoying is the Mac mini’s maximum storage capacity. You can easily configure it up to 2TB of maximum internal storage but that comes at a hefty price tag of over $600 USD.
Again thanks to the Thunderbolt 3 support, you can easily get a fast external SSD for half the upgrade price.
Please note you don’t always need an SSD whenever you’re in need of extra storage. I personally prefer to backup data which I need frequently in my external SSD. I use an external hard drive to back up the data I use less frequently like my old backups and files.
SSDs offer faster transfer speeds but they are expensive than good old hard drives. Externa hard drives on the other hand are comparatively cheaper and offer good value for money.
If you’re a photo/video editor or graphic designer then going with an external SSD as your external active drive and an external hard drive as your backup or archive drive is the ideal solution.
Here are some of the best external SSDs for the M1 Mac mini:
- SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD (Recommended)
SanDisk’s Extreme Portable SSD offers up to 1000MB/s read and write speeds. It comes in multiple storage options ranging from 250GB to 4TB. IP55 water and dust resistance mean it is an adventure proof so you can take it with you anywhere.
SanDisk also offers the old generation of this series which offers read and write speeds of 500MB/s. It is also cheaper compared to the latest USB 3.2 gen SSDs.
2. SAMSUNG T7 Portable SSD
It comes in different storage options ranging from 500GB all the way up to 2TB. It offers transfer speeds up to 1000MB/s. The T7 series is also shock-resistant and comes with a fingerprint sensor for better security.
Check Price on Amazon:
You can also use a fast NVME PCIe SSD with a compatible Thunderbolt enclosure.
As for your primary backup drive, here are some of the best external hard drives you can buy for your M1 Mac mini:
WD My Passport Ultra
Comes in storage capacities from 1TB to 5TB.
Seagate One Touch Harddrive
Comes in storage capacities from 1TB to 5TB.
Please note that accessories are also compatible with the latest M1 MacBook Pro and MacBook Air.
Hope this will help you make the most of your powerhouse. All these product recommendations are based on either personal experience or hundreds or thousands of user reviews on Amazon.
