No, this is not a new Trashcan Mac Pro: the Mac Mini-inspired hybrid desktop NAS sees the light of day
- The MiniTower from Orico turns your Mac Mini M4 into a hybrid NAS
- HDD, SSD, SD 3.0 and USB 3.2 slots and ports for data capacity
- Also includes RAID 0 and 1 support for data backup
The ORICO MiniTower is a new hybrid storage solution designed for Mac Mini M4 users, essentially turning it into a NAS device.
Clad in brushed aluminum with a silver finish, the MiniTower looks sleek and polished with a minimalist ORICO logo on the top lid.
It supports up to 48TB of HDD space, plus a single 8TB SSD, in addition to 10Gbps USB 3.2 and SD 3.0 ports to expand storage capacity.
Orico MiniTower for Mac Minis
The MiniTower, which retails for $139.99, is designed for both 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch drives, with accessible slots under the removable top cover.
This device has a fast SSD zone with dual-protocol M.2 SSDs for smooth editing and fast software loading.
This hybrid approach enables the separation of frequently used ‘hot’ data and ‘cold’ data over the long term, reducing wear and tear on hard drives while taking advantage of the fast read and write speeds of SSDs.
For backups, the device supports flexible RAID configurations, including RAID 0 and RAID 1, or a standard non-RAID configuration for those who prefer simple storage management.
The MiniTower gives the Mac Mini several new ports. On the front, the device includes an SD 3.0 slot, two USB-A ports for peripherals such as keyboards and mice, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
The back adds an RJ45 Ethernet port and a USB 3.2 10Gbps for fast data transfers, plus a dedicated power input.
Below that is a built-in silent fan, complemented by strategically placed vents, including a vertical rear vent and bottom vent, which ensure consistent heat dissipation.