Best Accessories for Mac Mini M1 (2021) — Part 2
Since one of our previous articles about the Mac Mini M1 accessories was a surprise hit, we thought about writing it a sequel. In the first article, we mostly focused on the best affordable items to use with the Apple Mac Mini M1, but in this, we thought adding some of the best replacements to the original Apple devices that can be used with a Mac Mini M1.
So if you still don’t know about what Mac Mini M1 and its accessories are I suggest you refer to this article here.
Let’s find out what we got here…
Monitor
LG 27″ UltraFine 5K (5120 x 2880) IPS Display with macOS Compatibility
This monitor literally costs about two Mac Mini M1s. Is it good? Well, it depends on considering what we are comparing to. The best monitor anyone can buy for the Mac Mini M1 is Apple Pro Display XDR (32-inch Retina 6K) and its standard version currently costs $4999 (that is only the display, you’ll have to buy the stand separately). So when considering the jaw-dropping price of the Pro Display XDR, I would say the LG monitor is somewhat good.
LG UltraFine 5K monitor is actually not comparable with the Pro Display XDR’s features since 6K 32inch vs 5K 27inch (5120 x 2880) is a huge difference, but if you are looking for a monitor with higher quality and for a lower price this may be the right choice for you. This monitor works perfectly with the Mac OS and has x3 USB Type-C ports and a Thunderbolt 3 port in it. A microphone, speaker and a webcam are already there in the monitor. Although I cannot appreciate the speakers in this the webcam supports 1080p Full HD video. One disadvantage with this is you don’t have an HDMI port in this monitor. So if you are going to use this with another PC or something like that you’ll have to figure a way out. When talking about the IPS display quality, it is absolutely brilliant. If you have used an LG monitor before you know how colourful their monitors are. So the quality is not something you should worry about. You can tilt and adjust the height with the provided stand.
LG UltraFine 24″ IPS LED 4K UHD Monitor
If the 5K monitor is something bit too much for you, don’t worry there is a 4K one for the half of the price of 5K monitor. This looks a lot similar to the 5K monitor and even has the same ports and built-in camera, mic and speaker. The difference is this has a 24″ UHD (3840 x 2160) Nano IPS Display and consumes low power than the 5K one (because this is considerably smaller than it). Almost every other thing is the same as this.
BenQ 28″ 4K Monitor
Here is another one for you. This may be the cheapest option available in the Amazon market. It has a resolution of (3840×2160) and is a 28-inch monitor (bigger than previous ones). For those who looking for a decent gaming monitor, this could be useful because it supports AMD Free Sync and has a 60hz refresh rate. Another difference in this monitor is there is no built-in webcam or a microphone but there are two speakers and a headphone jack (3.5mm) on this. Additionally, this comes with an HDMI and a Display Port so you will need a converter to use this with Mac Mini M1. Totally worth the price.
Keyboard
Logitech MX Keys
This keyboard is made to use with the Mac OS. It is well optimized for Mac devices and has the Mac keyboard layout. Every keycap is carved to perfectly fit with your fingertips, and because of that when you are typing with this you’ll feel a really nice and satisfying. You can even customize the function keys as you want. A single full charge will power this keyboard for more than a week (with backlit on) and even for months (4 or 5 months if the backlit is off). You can connect this to your Mac Mini M1 via Bluetooth or USB and you have to use a Type-C cable to charge this keyboard. It’s Logitech and it is good!
Mouse
Razer Basilisk X HyperSpeed Wireless Mouse
Razer is a really famous name when it comes to gaming accessories. This mouse from Razer is a really cool looking wireless mouse to use. Even it is specially made for gaming you can use it with any kind of work that you do with your Mac Mini. The ergonomic design is really comfortable and there are 6 customizable buttons in this mouse. The DPI count is as high as 16000 (you can adjust it between 800 and 16000). The HyperSpeed technology allows you to play games with extremely low latency but it drains the battery a little bit more. After a single full charge, you can use this mouse with the Bluetooth connectivity for about 18 days (nearly 450hrs) and with the HyperSpeed you can use this for about 11 days (280hrs).
Docking Station
Anker Docking Station
The Mac Mini M1 comes with a good range of ports. In case it isn’t enough for you this Anker docking station may be a good choice to try. This docking station has x2 Thunderbolt 3 ports, x2 USB Type-C ports, x4 USB ports, x1 HDMI port, an Ethernet port, SD/micro SD card slots, and a 3.5 mm AUX port. Since there are thunderbolt 3 ports you can enjoy 5K videos at 60hz refresh rate and if you are using the HDMI port it will be 4K at 60hz. This docking station can also be used to charge several devices like a laptop and a smartphone. Thunderbolt 3 port gives an output of 85W while a USB Type-C provides an 18W Overall this is a really good 13 in 1 docking station for use with any Apple devices.
Manufacturer note: “For Macbook Air/Pro 2020 with an M1 chip, this dock can not connect to two monitors at the same time, but you can daisy chain multiple monitors via the Thunderbolt 3 downstream port.”
Sound
Creative Pebble Plus 2.1 USB-Powered Desktop Speakers
Overwhelming sound quality when looking at the price tag. The two speakers are elevated at 45° and one has a manual volume controller. Provides clear sounds with a well-balanced level of bass. Undoubtedly one of the best set of speakers in this price range.
Sony Mini Bluetooth Portable Wireless Speaker
You already know it is good since the moment you saw the SONY name. I put this Bluetooth speaker on this list because you need something portable to use with. This speaker has a waterproof cover and it is 100% dustproof too. There is a detachable strap so you can even hang this on your bag. The sounds are superb, especially the bass. The battery is made to last 16hrs straight from a single full charge. This speaker suits almost any occasion but most importantly it looks cute.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
