When Apple’s M4 Mac Mini made its debut, it was like watching a masterclass in minimalism meet maximum performance. But for all its streamlined brilliance, the base model’s 256 GB SSD feels a bit like a tiny closet in a stylish apartment—it’s there, it works, but you’ll outgrow it before you know it. And if you’ve peeked at Apple’s upgrade pricing, you know adding more space feels like almost buying an entire new device rather than paying for an upgrade.
Enter the ORICO MiniMate, a nifty external SSD that doesn’t just sit alongside your Mac Mini—it practically becomes part of it. However, rather than merely being an enclosure you hide behind your monitor or CPU, the MiniMate sits on your M4 Mac Mini like a crown jewel. The MiniMate is a perfect 127 x 127 mm square, with a svelte 25 mm thickness, so it stacks absolutely perfectly on the Mac Mini. That brushed aluminum finish in matching silver? It almost looks like Apple designed it.
Designer: ORICO
Beyond aesthetics, the MiniMate caters to those with serious storage appetites. Whether you’re a creative professional juggling terabytes of video files or someone who just can’t part with your decades-old MP3 collection, the MiniMate covers all bases. With options starting at 512 GB and going all the way up to a whopping 8 TB, it’s like opening the floodgates to storage heaven. And for those who’ve ever scrambled to free up space mid-project, having that extra headroom feels less like a luxury and more like a necessity.
To match the Mac Mini’s M4 performance, the MiniMate boasts pretty top-notch performance. The USB-C interface supports blistering 40 Gbps transfer speeds. Translation? If you’re a video editor moving massive 4K files or a gamer itching to load textures at warp speed, this drive will keep up with your pace. Even mundane tasks like backups or transferring family vacation photos become a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it operation. It’s hard to go back to sluggish transfer rates once you’ve tasted speed like this. Performance like that tends to crank up the temperature, but the MiniMate’s aluminum body doubles as a heatsink, while a 5-layer cooling structure with multiple air ducts keeps your SSD breezy.
But here’s where the MiniMate shines beyond just technical specs: its seamless user experience. Installation is delightfully straightforward—no complex setup processes or additional software to fiddle with. You stack it, plug it in, and you’re good to go. It’s almost as if Apple themselves had designed it, which makes sense given how neatly it integrates with the Mac Mini’s form and function. And for those of us who value tidy workspaces, that single-stack design eliminates the usual cable clutter dance.
While the ORICO MiniMate is tailored with the Mac Mini in mind, it’s not exclusive. It’ll happily work with other devices too, making it a versatile addition to any tech setup. But let’s be real: if you’ve got a Mac Mini, this pairing feels like peanut butter meeting jelly—it just makes sense.
What’s the catch, you ask? Well, ORICO has priced the MiniMate competitively, offering a premium product without Apple’s premium markup. Depending on the capacity you choose, prices vary, ranging from $139.99 for the 512GB variant going up all the way to a mind-bending 8TB for $999. You can also expand the internal storage as needed, rather than being locked into a one-time decision at purchase.
For Mac Mini users craving more space without sacrificing style, the ORICO MiniMate isn’t just an accessory; it’s a game-changer. Whether you’re editing a short film, booting up your favorite games, or just need room for every photo you’ve ever taken, this drive delivers both performance and polish. And honestly, isn’t it nice to have a tech upgrade that’s practical, beautiful, and doesn’t require an Apple Store appointment?
