After about four years of waiting, Apple finally released a new version of the Mac mini alongside a new MacBook Air at its October event. (You can read much more about the new releases here.) The new Macs were officially available last week and feature updated ports and specs, and the mini even brings back user-upgradable memory.
As far as adding storage to the 2018 Mac mini or MacBook Air, users are limited to external solutions unless they want to pay a premium for factory upgraded internal storage. However, owners of the new Mac mini or MacBook Air will be able to take advantage of the high-speed Thunderbolt 3 ports that both models now feature.
As part of its coverage of Apple’s latest releases, AppleInsider.com put together a feature that calls out the best external drives for the new Mac mini as well as the MacBook Air. Among the hard drives that AppleInsider has tested and recommended for readers (namely advanced home users, small businesses, “prosumers” and pro workflows) to pair with a 2018 Mac are two OWC external solutions that make perfect Mac companions.
Speed & Capacity
For users who are looking to get the best combination of speed and performance from an array of drives, AppleInsider recommends the OWC ThunderBay 6 which houses six 3.5” or 2.5” (no adapter needed) hard drives for up to a massive 72TB of storage. To keep your workflow on the cutting edge, the ThunderBay 6 also includes an additional slot for an NVMe SSD to help future-proof your storage needs.
And with OWC’s advanced SoftRAID engine, the ThunderBay 6 supports RAID 0, 1, 4, 5 and 1+0 (10) configurations.
“Using OWC’s SoftRAID … users can line up those drives any way they want, for maximum speed or maximum data protection,” the author Mike Wuerthele says.
Budget Storage
Designed to match the Mac mini’s footprint, OWC’s miniStack (above) fits underneath your system perfectly. Whether on your desktop, as a media library for your home entertainment system, or doing duty in the server room, the AppleInsider-recommended miniStack delivers reliable, high-speed performance.
The miniStack features a high-speed USB 3.1 Gen 1 interface combined with a stylish anodized aluminum chassis and MagLev fan for whisper-quiet, high-speed performance that makes the miniStack the perfect companion for your desktop.
Related: OWC Docks, Storage and Memory Compatible with the Latest Apple Products
