The Apple Mac mini M4 is one of the biggest bargains in computing, offering a huge amount of power for not much cash. But you can’t use it on its own – which means you need to kit it out with peripherals and accessories.
That’s where I can help. I bought a Mac mini M4 earlier this year, and did a huge amount of research before adding a monitor, extra SSD storage and more.
My first two purchases were the Apple Magic keyboard and Apple Magic trackpad. These were easy choices; you can get cheaper third-party options, but the keyboard and trackpad are both excellent, and both were available via Amazon Renewed for a discount (as they still are below). If you prefer a mouse, Apple’s Magic Mouse is also an option.
For a bigger project, I also upgraded the Mac mini M4 with 4TB of extra storage – and without paying Apple’s premium prices. The OWC Express 1M2 SSD enclosure and fast Samsung NVME SSD gave me four times as much storage with no loss of speed.
I also bought a 27in 4K monitor from MSI. This works really well at 2560×1440, which doesn’t use the monitor’s full resolution but which gives me plenty of desktop space without a visible loss of detail. The exact model I bought isn’t available now, but the MD272UPSW below has similar specs for a similar price. You’ll need a cable to connect them, too, so I’ve included a USB-C-to-USB-C option below.
Finally, I added a Satechi Hub and Stand dock. This not only provides several helpful extra ports, but also gives you the option for yet more storage, and even makes the Mac mini’s awkwardly placed power button more accessible.
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I’ve been a Mac user for three decades, from Macintosh LC through iMac G3, iBook G4, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air (two models) and now Mac mini M4. I spent more hours than I would like to admit trawling reviews and buying advice to decide on accessories for my mini.
The essential Mac mini M4 accessories guide
