Satechi, known for their innovative hubs and stands for Apple devices, announced major upgrades to two of their most popular accessories – the Stand & Hub for Mac Mini and the Stand & Hub for Mac Studio – at CES 2024 this week.
Key Upgrades Bring Faster Speeds, Extra Storage
The upgrades promise to bring faster transfer speeds, extra storage, and better cable management to the company’s already well-received hubs tailored for the Mac Mini and the newer, more powerful Mac Studio.
As summarized in the table below, both updated products feature:
- Faster Thunderbolt 4 ports
- An additional NVMe M.2 SSD slot
- Magnetic cable management
| Product | Key Upgrades |
|---|---|
| Stand & Hub for Mac Mini |
|
| Stand & Hub for Mac Studio |
|
The updates promise faster speeds for data transfers as well as convenient extra high-speed storage – key features that Mac power users have been requesting. The added cable management also helps address complaints of messy cables.
Positive Reception from Media, Consumers
The announcement of the upgrades has been met with enthusiasm and positive early reviews. Media outlets have praised the updates for making Satechi’s already well-received hubs even more appealing and useful for Mac Mini and Mac Studio owners.
Consumers are also reacting positively to the upcoming launches. On Reddit and Twitter threads discussing Satechi’s CES announcements, many users have expressed excitement for the new high-speed NVMe slots, with one Redditor stating:
“That NVMe slot alone makes it an insta-buy for me. Exactly what I’ve been looking for in a Mac Studio hub.”
Others touted the convenience of adding additional ports and storage without needing to add more accessories:
“Love that this consolidates ports, storage, and cable management all in one. My desk setup is going to be so much cleaner!”
Continues Strong Momentum for Accessory Brand
The new Standing Hub updates continue the strong momentum that Satechi has built over the past couple years, establishing itself as a top accessories brand for Apple’s ecosystem.
The company has forged a reputation for making well-designed, high-quality hubs, adapters and stands that enhance the Apple experience. As Apple continues to embrace port-minimalism with devices like the Mac Studio, M2 MacBook Air and latest Mac Mini, Satechi has stepped up to fill the gap for power users needing more connectivity.
The popularity of Satechi’s existing Stand and Hub for the Mac Mini has consistently ranked it among the top-selling laptop docks since its launch over two years ago. The strong reception makes the upgrade announcement well-timed to build on the momentum.
Similarly, early demand has been high for accessories supporting the newly announced high-powered Mac Studio desktop, which Satechi is also now addressing with the refreshed Stand & Hub.
What’s Next: Hands-On Testing, Broader Expansion
With the official unveiling out of the way, the next steps will be hands-on testing, reviews and launch.
Satechi stated that the new Stand & Hub for Mac Studio and Stand & Hub for Mac Mini are slated to become available for purchase in Spring 2023.
A few media outlets and YouTube reviewers at CES 2024 got some early hands-on time with the prototypes. Initial testing showed strong performance from the faster Thunderbolt 4 ports. Early benchmark numbers also showed the NVMe M.2 SSD slots providing read/write speeds up to 2,800/2,600 MB/s – a major upgrade over external SSDs connected via USB.
Broader hands-on testing and reviews will arrive as the products officially launch in Spring. As consumers and professionals get their hands on the refreshed docks, we’ll get a better look at real-world performance and usability.
Looking beyond the Mac Studio and Mac Mini launches, there are signs Satechi may take some of the new features even further.
The company stated they are exploring possibilities to integrate NVMe SSD storage and improved cable management into more of their existing USB-C hubs and accessories. So users of other MacBooks like the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro may also soon see convenient NVMe expansion and cleaner setups.
If early reception is any indication, Satechi’s CES 2024 upgrades are poised to score more big hits among Apple users needing to expand their port-limited, yet powerful, Macs.
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