REVIEW – It’s fascinating how Apple’s decisions can make accessories obsolete or even boost the market for others. For instance, when Apple started charging exorbitant prices for memory/storage upgrades on their Macs and smart devices, companies like Satechi came up with solutions that let customers use more affordable memory chips for storage. I recently bought a Mac Studio with 36GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. I can’t upgrade the RAM after buying the Mac, but I can upgrade the storage—or at least add to it with an external case, like the new Satechi USB4 Slim NVMe SSD Enclosure. Can it compete with Apple’s more expensive internal memory Apple offers?
⬇︎ Jump to summary (pros/cons)
Price: $119.99
Where to buy: Amazon, Satechi
What is it?
The Satechi USB4 Slim NVMe SSD Enclosure is a Mac-like enclosure that houses a single SSD chip to be used as external storage in addition to the internal storage in the Mac itself. The Slim NVMe matches the width and curvature of the current Mac mini, so it can sit either atop or under the small Mac. A short USB4 cable connects the SlimNVMe to one of the mini’s 3 Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports.
An SSD is basically a hard drive on a chip with no moving parts. It is super-fast and noiseless.
Although the Slim NVMe is sized for the Mac mini, I am using it on my Mac Studio, which resembles a larger Mac mini, but with better specs.
The Slim NVMe can accept many sizes of SSDs up to 8TB, but not SATA SSDs or SSDs with heatsinks.
What’s included?
- USB4 Slim NVMe SSD Enclosure
- Thermal Pad
- USB-C Cable
- Screw/Screw Driver
- User Manual
Tech specs
- Length: 5 in.
- Width: 5 in.
- Height: 0.63 in.
- Weight: 7.3 oz.
- Cable Length: 5.9 in
- USB4 port: up to 40Gbps
- Maximum supported capacity: Up to 8TB
- Supported M.2 NVMe sizes: 2280, 2260, 2242, 2230
Design and features
The Satechi USB4 Slim NVMe SSD Enclosure solves an ongoing issue for Apple Mac fans like myself. As much as I admire Apple’s ease-of-use and quality, my work depends on my Mac to perform at top speed with little to no issues. However, when I purchased the latest M4 Mac Studio, I was gob-smacked by how much Apple charges for storage upgrades. I opted for the 1TB upgrade (up from 512GB) which increased the price by $200—expensive for an additional 512GB. However, if I wanted more, 2TB added $400 and 4TB added $1,000! It’s outrageous, but what else can a customer do? Plenty, it turns out.
I decided to go with 1TB internal storage because the MacOS plus apps use up too much space for only 512GB storage. I wanted 3 to 4 TB total storage, but I wasn’t going to pay Apple’s ridiculous prices. So, I did a little math: I purchased a highly-rated 2TB Samsung 990 Pro SSD for $160. After adding $120 for the Satechi Slim NVMe, for a total of $280 for 3TB storage—$120 less than 2TB from Apple alone!
If I opted for a 4TB Samsung Pro chip instead (5TB total), it would cost $300 (Plus $160 for the Slim NVMe). That’s $460 vs Apple’s $1000—$540 less than 4TB from Apple. In other words, the larger the chip, the (much) larger the savings. The Slim NVMe accepts up to an 8TB chip.
Note that SSD prices differ depending on manufacturer. Your savings could be more or less. The Slim NVMe holds only a single SSD chip. All SSDs must be without a heat-sink. The Slim NVMe provides the needed heat dissipation.
Inserting the SSD into the Slim NVMe is easy and straightforward. The bottom panel twists off revealing the SSD slot as well as the removable USB4 cable. Also included are screws and mini-screwdriver for securing the SSD. Note that to remove, the panel twists clock-wise, not counter clock-wise. Once the SSD is in place, simply twist the bottom panel back in place and connect it via the USB4 cable. Once connected, just format the SSD as you would any external drive.
The Slim NVMe needs no external power cord. It’s completely powered by the USB4 cable.
To achieve maximum speed from the SSD, a USB4 cable must be used. “Regular” USB-C cables max out at 5-10GB/sec. speed. USB4’s transfer speed is rated at 40GB/sec. The short length of the included USB4 cable is sized to fit a Mac mini. The cable is too short for my Mac Studio unless it’s placed next to the Mac. I opted for a slightly longer USB4 cable I already had. Now, the Slim NVMe sits flat on the top.
Satechi lists the speed of various SSD chips used in the Slim NVMe. I have no idea how accurate their measurements are. All I know is that storing files on the SSD and using it as I would the internal Apple SSD, I feel no speed difference. Opening, closing, saving and working on multi-gigabit files feels exactly the same. And that’s all that matters
The Slim NVMe is not a multi-port dock. It is simply a speedy holder for practically any SSD you want to use, extending much-needed storage.
Final thoughts
The Satechi USB4 Slim NVMe SSD Enclosure is a nice way to attach an external SSD to your Mac (or Windows PC). Is it the only enclosure available for the Mac? Nope, there are countless SSD enclosures. But the Slim NVMe’s Mini Mac mini-like appearance adds a stylish touch. That places it nearer the top of the list.
What I like about the Satechi USB4 Slim NVMe SSD Enclosure
- It’s as fast as an internal SSD drive
- Easy to install and use
What needs to be improved?
- Can get warm
- Does not accept SSDs with heatsinks.
- The cable is too short
Price: $119.99
Where to buy: Amazon, Satechi
Source: The sample of this product was provided for free by Satechi. Satechi did not have a final say on the review and did not preview the review before it was published.
Check out these other reviews!
- Orico TB3-S2 Thunderbolt 3 Docking Station
- Satechi Apple Mac Mini Type-C Stand & Hub with SSD Enclosure
Google Review Tap Cards (3-Pack) by TapFive - Tap for Instant Reviews - All Phones Compatible - Reusable Smart Tap NFC & QR - Boost Business Reviews - Powered by TapFive (3 Card Pack)
$34.90 (as of August 25, 2025 18:19 GMT -04:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
