more inputs solution for mac mine m4 basic

[rb5505]

i’d like to have more inputs for my mac mini m4. for san disk ssd’s & seagate expansion 14tb hd’s initially & nvme ssd’s later on. i have two possible solutions linked below. i could go with just 10gbps usb-c (which would suit me currently) or looking more into the future i could go with the 40gbps option instead. opinions on both options?

Amazon Basics Thunderbolt4/USB4 Docking Station, 3X Downstream TBT4 (Dual Display), 1xUSB A 3.1, Black, ‎4.76 x 2.84 x 0.86 inches

An Amazon Brand

www.amazon.com

https://www.amazon.com/PULWTOP-Support-Charging-MacBook-Multiport/dp/B0C1FHPW96/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

[apostolosdt]

Before you decide on anything, check that Mini’s ports provide enough voltage for your choices.

 

[Greybeard2017]

I'd be worried about compatibility with the Thunderbolt docking station - it says "Compatible with Laptops running Windows 10 OS or later which have a Thunderbolt 4 port, and non-M1/M2 chip MacBooks running macOS 11 (Big Sur) or later. Backwards compatible for Thunderbolt 3 laptops work with limited functionality (e.g. not support dual display). Not compatible with Linux or Chrome OS laptops, and M1/M2 chip MacBooks running macOS 10.16 or earlier."

Thats not completely clear - but it doesn't specifically say it will support your computer.

 

[Ray2]

It’s tough enough finding established brands whose hubs work. Looking at the linked products is more an experiment than a solution.

 

[rb5505]

this one just now on sale for 5 more hours, appears to be a better choice. https://www.amazon.com/SABRENT-Thun...T44Q/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

[rb5505]

It’s tough enough finding established brands whose hubs work. Looking at the linked products is more an experiment than a solution.

yeah, i really value the 1/31 return option. i wouldn’t gamble w/o it.

 

[Ray2]

yeah, i really value the 1/31 return option. i wouldn’t gamble w/o it.

Then add an NVMe in an external known to work so you can test speeds for each port. Maybe using and not using HDMI as OWC had a blog (I believe it was in the blog) entry that when they used HDMI on a Mac Studio, Thunderbolt speeds went down. I’m just commenting that this stuff is not seamless. Introducing products that are clearly at the “value” end of the spectrum, for probably around a $2k setup, may be the wrong place to save some coin.

 

[Ray2]

this one just now on sale for 5 more hours, appears to be a better choice. https://www.amazon.com/SABRENT-Thun...T44Q/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8&th=1

I have what is probably the same dock with OWC branding. Had it for 4 years, runs great. Now retired. $90. https://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/TB4HUB5P/

 

[BrianBaughn]

Have you tried the Mini with the 14TB Seagates? I found that having mechanical drives mounted slowed the Finder down a lot…opening windows and using save/open.

 

[Ray2]

Have you tried the Mini with the 14TB Seagates? I found that having mechanical drives mounted slowed the Finder down a lot…opening windows and using save/open.

Formatted APFS? Make a change to a large hdd resident file can take a while if it’s saving/writing to multiple locations on the platters. Maybe Finder needs to find all the data before it will show the file. I use APFS for my 5tb 2.5” hdd's but it’s for media where files get written once then only read. If I were dealing with 14tb and “changing” large files maybe I’d have to reconsider, not my use case, don’t know.

Those 5tb media drives are my only remaining hdd's. My only regret with using 8tb ssd's in the other/data/backup enclosures is I waited too long. Apple wants us out of hdd's. They mean it.

 

[Alameda]

i’d like to have more inputs for my mac mini m4. for san disk ssd’s & seagate expansion 14tb hd’s initially & nvme ssd’s later on. i have two possible solutions linked below. i could go with just 10gbps usb-c (which would suit me currently) or looking more into the future i could go with the 40gbps option instead. opinions on both options?

Amazon Basics Thunderbolt4/USB4 Docking Station, 3X Downstream TBT4 (Dual Display), 1xUSB A 3.1, Black, ‎4.76 x 2.84 x 0.86 inches

An Amazon Brand

www.amazon.com

https://www.amazon.com/PULWTOP-Support-Charging-MacBook-Multiport/dp/B0C1FHPW96/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8&th=1

You are pretty vague about what you need. The computer has three 40 Gb/s ports. Each port is a separate 40 Gb/s. Plus, you have two 10 Gb/s USB ports on front.

Also: USB-C is only a connector; it doesn’t tell you what a port will do. USB-C can be power only, or video only, USB only, or a combination. If you want high speed, you need to use cables which support the speed you want.

First, what are your display requirements? How many screens and what resolution? If you have one 4K display, that’s half of a Thunderbolt port. You can either plug the monitor into the back of the Mac, or you can get a Thunderbolt hub and attach the display to the hub. Or use the HDMI 2.1 connection, and keep the three Thunderbolt ports available for other things.

For the fastest Thunderbolt storage performance, you’ll want a direct connection. So if you have one main Thunderbolt drive that will hold your apps and main documents, attach that one directly. Your other drives are probably for backup and storage of a lot of videos, and you won’t need peak speed for that. So you could use Port 1 for video, Port 2 for one directly attached Thunderbolt SSD drive, and Port 3 for a Thunderbolt hub, which will give you lots of USB connections, maybe another video connection, USB-A connections, and so forth. This is likely going to be the best approach, because all of your secondary storage can be shared amongst one 40 Gb/s connection, without using up half of it for your display.

As for which choice, my favorite brand is OWC. They deliver excellent quality. I’m never going to recommend a no-name brand from Amazon; it’s not worth the cost savings. Whether the device you buy has Thunderbolt 3 or 4 doesn’t matter much, because both support 40 Gb/s. Instead, choose the device with the connections you think you’ll need.

 

[Polinsky]

As for which choice, my favorite brand is OWC. They deliver excellent quality. I’m never going to recommend a no-name brand from Amazon; it’s not worth the cost savings. Whether the device you buy has Thunderbolt 3 or 4 doesn’t matter much, because both support 40 Gb/s. Instead, choose the device with the connections you think you’ll need.

I completely agree. Never had a problem with an OWC product. I attached this hub:

https://www.amazon.com/Thunderbolt-Hub-OWCTB4HUB5P-W125947845-Aluminium/dp/B09CTHJ8T3/ref=sr_1_5?crid=1845DHYOBX13L&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.X4YwNILVszHI6Eu6MNcRyP8i28kpY7tnCKVL90FXJZPQkcIm2NqEMrxRjFdhCiLQUpXU7fQ0TOK4sg1ECrRrjUTAU_ldCPyUrWXreUGSr2jhG31DF2_Qefu3VU2xDygIL1V9bpEjh-gLjqXjy_EPErUWW8KlOBgpHOxtRao0taGGWIXK5CjoSML_zs-jWmqoWRirB7sgu_Tx3bdKexmpJpf-mlYp4LZJqQXYgbO6lWE.G9A3WOVhre71E31cXJMAOfKPpQya6v_v6R61XQVjx0s&dib_tag=se&keywords=owc&qid=1734386763&sprefix=owc%2Caps%2C143&sr=8-5&th=1

Adds two more T4 inputs and a USB A input for my Mini.

 

[rb5505]

Have you tried the Mini with the 14TB Seagates? I found that having mechanical drives mounted slowed the Finder down a lot…opening windows and using save/open.

yes, as mentioned in my original post, i do have 14tb seagate expansion drives. i lucked out a few months ago and got 5 of them on a costco blowout for $99. definitely not equal to ssd’s, but like the storage.

 

[Alameda]

yes, as mentioned in my original post, i do have 14tb seagate expansion drives. i lucked out a few months ago and got 5 of them on a costco blowout for $99. definitely not equal to ssd’s, but like the storage.

Nobody can help you if you don’t bother to mention that you’re trying to attach five drives to the computer… if that’s what you’re trying to do. And you don’t mention the interface and how you want to format them, like as a striped set or JBOD or mirrored… which makes a difference.