Expanding the capabilities of Apple's M4 iMac efficiently can be achieved through Satechi's USB-C Slim Dock.
Expanding the capabilities of Apple's M4 iMac efficiently can be achieved through Satechi's USB-C Slim Dock.
You've splurged on one of those sleek 24-inch iMacs, and it's boasting some serious speed due to the latest Apple M4 silicon. Yet, there's something that just feels amiss. The placement of the ports at the rear, hidden from plain sight, can be quite a headache. You end up trying to feel around in the dark for the right slot, only to find out there are no old-school USB-A ports for your thumb drives or dongles. What's an iMac owner to do in such a situation?
Don't lose hope! There's an easy and aesthetically pleasing solution to this minor predicament, and it comes in the form of Satechi’s USB-C Slim Dock for 24-inch iMac. This charming dock is specifically designed for the new 24-inch Apple iMacs, and it effortlessly slides over the Mac's pedestal stand, providing ample additional ports. Plus, it even offers a spot for installing extra high-speed storage for your Mac, allowing you to offload data and conserve precious space on your iMac's internal SSD.
Crafted from aviation-grade aluminum and modeled to harmonize with the new iMacs, the Satechi USB-C Slim Dock is available in silver or blue hues. The package also includes a high-speed USB Type C cable, which connects the dock to one of the high-speed USB-C ports at the rear of the iMac, consequently expanding your iMac's connectivity.
The Slim Dock boasts a main 10Gbps USB-C port, an additional 10Gbps USB-A port for plugging in peripherals like an external hard drive or SSD, and slots for reading SD and microSD cards. At the rear of the Satechi’s USB-C Slim Dock, there are two slower USB-A 2.0 ports for peripherals like mice or keyboards.
Perhaps the most engaging feature of this slim dock can be seen when it's flipped over. On the underside, there's a detachable door that reveals a slot for an M.2 format SSD. This slot accepts both SATA and NVMe SSDs, allowing you to have a constantly mounted second drive on your iMac's desktop. The slot runs at 10Gbps and has a maximum capacity of 2TB, a rather substantial lifter for an iMac’s standard 512GB SSD.
Unfortunately, the dock doesn't fit iMacs from 2020 and earlier, and the enclosure is compatible with M.2 2242/2260/2280 SSDs with both SATA and NVMe interfaces. The USB-A ports don't support charging or CD readers, such as Apple’s SuperDrive. Satechi advises attaching only one bus-powered device at a time.
Verdict: The Satechi USB-C Slim Dock for 24-inch iMac is the best and most attractive solution for expanding ports and storage on Apple’s latest iMac series. Besides full-speed 10Gbps USB-A and USB-C ports, there are card slots, two USB-A 480Mbps ports, and space to install an M.2 SSD up to 2TB with an NVMe or SATA interface.
Pricing & Availability: The Satechi USB-C Slim Dock for a 24-inch iMac is currently on sale and costs $149.99.
Tech Specs:
- Connector: USB-C 10Gbps.
- Dimensions: 27.9 x 11.4 x 1cm.
- Weight: 300g.
- Cable length: 42cm.
- Ports: 1 x Type-C Upstream (Host), 2 x USB 2.0 (480Mbps), 1 x Micro SD slot (UHS-I), 1 SD Card slot (UHS-I), 1 x USB-A (10Gbps) (Data only - no charging support), 1 x M.2 SSD Slot (supports NVME & SATA)(up to 10Gbps speeds max) (2TB Max Capacity), 1 x USB-C (10 Gbps) (Data only - no charging/video support).
The Satechi USB-C Slim Dock you've considered is specifically designed for your 24-inch iMac, offering extra ports like a USB-C and USB-A, helping to alleviate the lack of connections due to the iMac's rear placement. This dock also houses an M.2 SSD slot, ideal for installing high-speed storage devices like an NVMe SSD.