Thanks to the M2 Pro Mac mini, I’m finally back in the Mac mini game!
Today, I’m going to show you six of the accessories that have already made their way into my brand-new Mac mini setup. Some are old favourites, while others are more recent additions.
This M2 Pro Mac mini setup will change considerably over the next few months as it slowly turns into my mini music production studio. However, I have a feeling that most of these accessories will retain their place.
If you’re looking to build out your own Mac mini setup, I think there’ll be some inspiration for you below.
Satechi Mac mini hub and dock
As great as the port selection on the M2 Pro Mac mini is, it isn’t perfect. There’s no SD card slot, for instance, and even though there are four Thunderbolt 4 ports, they’re all located on the back of the device, which can be a pain to access.
The Satechi Mac mini hub and dock solves this issue and remains one of the most popular Mac mini accessories I’ve featured on this channel.
You simply place your Mac mini on top of it (there are air vents built-in to aid cooling – not that you need that with Apple silicon, mind). The design and colour of the Satechi hub match the M2 Mac mini perfectly – in fact, I’d argue that it makes it look like a far more serious computer.
On the front of the Satechi you’ll find three USB-A ports and one USB-C port. It’s important to note that the latter only extends one of the ports from the back of the Mac mini (the hub connects via one of those rear Thunderbolt ports) and you’ll only get 5Gbps transfer speeds. But for connecting occasional accessories that don’t require lots of fast transfer speed, it’s a godsend.
Oh, and if you’re a photographer or videographer, you’ll be delighted to hear that the Satechi also gives you access to an SD card and micro SD card reader on the front!
There’s also a version of the Satechi hub with a built-in SSD drive enclosure, which is an awesome way to extend your Mac’s internal storage without having external drives take up space on your desk.
MSI ultra-wide monitor
I’d forgotten how much I missed my 34” MSI ultra-wide monitor until I started using it again.
I’ve been an Apple Studio Display user for the last few months, and as much as that is a superb monitor, nothing quite beats the screen estate you gain from an ultra-wide when you’re working in video and audio production.
Sure, the MSI isn’t anywhere near as sharp as the Studio Display, but I have no desire to move the Studio Display to the M2 Pro Mac mini’s station right now, which I think is telling.
If you’re using your Mac mini for any form of production, I’d seriously recommend grabbing an ultra-wide. They’re super affordable, after all.
iPad mini 6
This might seem like an odd addition to an M2 Mac mini accessory list, but it’s here for a good reason.
I got so used to the iPad mini being a constant companion on my 16-inch MacBook Pro production desk that I had to steal it for the M2 Pro Mac mini setup.
I’m not using Apple’s tiny tablet as an extension of the ultra-wide monitor (I have more than enough screen estate, after all). Instead, it sits on a lovely little Benks magnetic iPad stand and provides a very convenient way to check incoming notifications.
Paired with the second-generation Apple Pencil and the amazing Paperlike screen protector, it’s also the perfect note-taker when I need to jot something down during a Zoom call.
Insta360 Link
At £320, the Insta360 Link isn’t the cheapest webcam on the market, but it is one of the most impressive.
It uses AI, too. Just like everything these days.
If you’re using your Mac mini for a lot of video calls and want the best footage, features, and most convenience from the camera, the Link is a seriously decent investment.
Offering a great 4K image and a smart little gimbal that follows you around the room, the Insta360 Link seriously raises your webcam game. It’s proving hugely useful for my Medium webinars and Academy, and although I don’t use some of the features such as the whiteboard integration, I can see why they’re so useful for others.
You can even mount this thing on a tripod and use the top-down mode to demonstrate whatever it is you’re doing on your desk. My full video review of the Insta360 Link is definitely worth a watch if you want to find out more about what this brilliant little webcam is capable of.
Apple Magic Keyboard and MX Master 3
Buy the Logitech MX Master 3 here
If you know me by now, you’ll know that I’d normally have a mechanical keyboard sitting on the same desk as my Mac, but when I was configuring the M2 Pro Mac mini, I was doing so in a hurry.
As a result, I grabbed the nearest keyboard I had to hand, which was the Magic Keyboard. And, you know what? I’m going to leave it there for now, because it’s actually perfectly suited to the job.
There are plenty of more affordable options out there, but Apple’s Magic Keyboards remain satisfying to type on and are pleasingly quiet – a helpful bonus on a desk that’s being used considerably for Zoom calls.
As for the mouse, as you might guess, I opted for the Logitech MX Master 3, which I genuinely can’t do my job properly without. In fact, I love it so much, I’m considering buying a second to prevent the instances where I forget to bring it to the studio (via a very handy little carry case).
The MX Master 3 is a joy to use. Ergonomically perfect and brilliantly customisable, it really should be on your desk (if it isn’t already).
Mackie Big Knob
This is a bit niche, granted. But as previously noted, this desk will eventually turn into a music production studio, and the Mackie Big Knob is the first piece of kit that hints at the M2 Pro Mac mini’s eventual purpose.
This impressively chunky audio interface has a childishly funny name, but it’s also perfect for getting great-quality audio in and out of my M2 Pro Mac mini.
Paired with the lovely Mackie MC-450 open-back studio monitor headphones, it’s the biggest and baddest knob in my studio.
Currently, I only have a Shure SM7B microphone attached for podcasting and voice-over work, but I’ll be feeding in other stuff via those audio inputs in the not-too-distant future, don’t you worry!
Wrapping up
I hope you found something of interest above, but if you’ve got a particular Mac mini accessory you think I’m missing out on, let me know in the comments, please!
Stay tuned for further updates to this setup – it’s going to be a fascinating journey.
Before you go
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