Satechi has been making Mac accessories for a while now, but the company is clearly hitting its stride. It sells many of its accessories in Apple stores, which is a pretty good indicator of quality, but I’ve also tested a bunch of them. I can safely say that Satechi’s products work so well with Apple devices that you might mistake them for Apple’s own products. With all this in mind, it’s no surprise that I like the Satechi USB-C Slim Dock for the 24-inch iMac. It fixes many of my main gripes with Apple’s all-in-one computer and turns it into a bona-fide desktop workstation.
I recently reviewed the Satechi Stand & Hub for Mac Mini, which is a fairly similar product to the USB-C Slim Dock, made for Apple’s other desktop Macs. Although I really enjoyed that accessory, two main issues came up: a lack of support for NVMe SSDs and pass-through USB charging. Well, Satechi aadded support for NVMe drives with the USB-C Slim Dock, which is great news for people who want to expand the storage of their iMac. That means Satechi is one step closer to making a perfect product here, and the USB-C Slim Dock is one of the best Mac accessories I’ve ever tried.
Satechi USB-C Slim Dock for 24″ iMac
Versatile USB-C hub
The only iMac accessory you’ll ever need
$108 $150 Save $42
Satechi’s USB-C Slim Dock for the 24-inch iMac is designed to add extra ports and storage without drawing attention. It can hold an SSD up to 2TB in size and also features USB-A ports, SD card slots, and a USB-C port. This dock is a bit pricey, but it’s a must-have accessory for anyone looking to turn the iMac into a desktop workstation.
- Connection
- USB-C
- Ports
- 1x Type-C Upstream Port (HOST), 2x USB 2.0 Ports (480Mbps), 1x Micro SD Slot (UHS-I), 1x SD Card Slot (UHS-I), 1x USB-A (10Gbps) (Data only – no charging support), 1x M.2 SSD Slot (supports NVME & SATA)(up to 10Gbps speeds max) (2TB Max Capacity), 1x USB-C (10 Gbps) (Data only – no charging/video support)
- USB-C Power Delivery
- No
- Price
- $150
- Weight
- 10.6 ounces
- Dimensions
- 27.9cmx11.4cmx1 cm
Pros
- Supports up to a 2TB SSD, either NVMe or SATA
- Offers USB-A ports and an extra USB-C port
- Adds SD and microSD card slots
Cons
- Doesn’t support USB pass-through charging
- It’s quite expensive for an accessory
- Can only match silver and blue iMacs
Pricing and availability
Satechi designed the USB-C Slim Dock for the 2021 version of the 24-inch iMac, but it’ll work with either M1 or M3 iMacs. It comes in either silver or blue colorways, and these options are nearly a perfect color match to their respective iMac’s color. The USB-C Slim Dock retails for $150 and is available on Satechi’s website and at Amazon.
For a limited time, you can save 28% on the Satechi USB-C Slim Dock on Amazon during Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. That brings the price of this killer accessory down to just $108, which is a much more digestible price point.
What I like
The design and color helps it fit right in
Out of all the great things about this dock, I’ve been most impressed with how Satechi managed to blend it in with the 24-inch iMac. This computer has a multi-toned design, with the stand, monitor glass, and back casing all featuring different shades, and it can be tough to make accessories that match all three of those colors. The USB-C Slim Dock almost exactly matches my blue iMac’s stand, and while it isn’t identical, it’s close enough to look excellent.
The USB-C Slim Dock nearly matches the exact color of my blue iMac’s stand, and while it isn’t identical, it’s close enough to look excellent.
The Slim Dock sits right atop the base of your iMac’s stand and extends it to add extra ports — three USB-A ports, one USB-C port, a microSD card slot, and a full-size SD card slot — and an M.2 SSD slot. Aside from one cable that’s hidden from most typical viewing angles, it’s pretty hard to tell this isn’t stock iMac hardware.
The iMac’s base is bigger with the dock, but that’s a feature, not a bug
You might be inclined to think that the USB-C Slim Dock’s larger form factor could be a nuisance, but I think it’s one of the dock’s best features. It perfectly matches the footprint of the Magic Keyboard that comes with your iMac, giving you a neat place to store the keyboard when it’s not in use.
It perfectly matches the footprint of the Magic Keyboard that comes with your iMac, giving you a neat place to store the keyboard when it’s not in use.
Personally, I find myself chucking the keyboard of my desktop computers somewhere pretty frequently. Sometimes, you just need the extra desk space for tinkering with electronics, handwriting, or even building a new PC. Now, instead of lazily throwing the Magic Keyboard somewhere, it lives right on the Slim Dock when I’m not using it.
Satechi fixed one of my biggest gripes with past USB-C docks
I liked Satechi’s Stand & Hub for the Mac Mini and Studio, but the M.2 slot was a bit underwhelming. I’m happy to report that the USB-C Slim Dock fixes all my issues with this area. It now supports both SATA and NVMe drives through the included M.2 slot. That’s really great news because it means you can pretty much grab any M.2 SSD that you might have lying around and use it with the USB-C Slim Dock. It’s still limited to 2TB capacities, but that’s more than enough to boost your iMac’s storage.
I thought Satechi had an easy SSD installation process before, but somehow, the company has outdone itself again.
Beyond the tech specs, Satechi’s new USB-C Slim Dock feels much more premium than the last one I tested. It features a magnetic closure, ditching the cheap plastic clips on the Stand & Hub. Satechi also includes a thermal pad for your SSD in the box, as well as a clever rubber plug that holds the SSD in place without screws. There’s also a helpful instruction sticker on the SSD slot cover that explains exactly what you need to do to get started. I thought Satechi had an easy SSD installation process before, but somehow, the company has outdone itself again.
What I don’t like
The only major issue left is pass-through USB charging
Since Satechi fixed my concerns with the SSD slot, the only problem left is the lack of pass-through charging support. However, this issue simply comes with this kind of product. Satechi is powering an internal SSD and transferring data from a multitude of ports with a single host USB-C cable. For it to offer power delivery on the USB-C Slim Dock, it would likely require more host ports or a dedicated power source. I personally don’t like either of those hypothetical options, but if you do want extra ports for power delivery and charging, this dock isn’t for you.
The USB-C Slim Dock only comes in two colors
Another thing that I can’t help but mention is the USB-C Slim Dock’s color options. While it seems a bit silly to knock down a product due to its available color options, it’s notable here. A big part of why this dock is so appealing is how it blends in with your iMac. However, since Satechi only makes silver and blue versions of the Slim Dock, I’d avoid buying it if you have any other iMac color.
Should you buy the Satechi USB-C Slim Dock?
You should buy the USB-C Slim Dock if:
- You have a blue or silver 24-inch iMac
- You want more data ports or expandable storage
- You’re willing to give up a bit of desk space
You should NOT buy the USB-C Slim Dock if:
- You’re looking for a dock with power delivery
- You have an iMac that the USB-C Slim Dock doesn’t match
I try to avoid calling something a perfect product because there’s always room for improvement. And on a technical level, that’s true of Satechi’s USB-C Slim Dock. The company could improve the data transfer speeds of some of the Slim Dock’s ports, and maybe there’s a way to add power delivery support. But outside those technical limitations, the USB-C Slim Dock is a standout accessory. With the right internal SSD, the USB-C Slim Dock can turn your 24-inch iMac into one of the best Macs out there.
Satechi USB-C Slim Dock for 24″ iMac
Versatile USB-C hub
The only iMac accessory you’ll ever need
$108 $150 Save $42
Satechi’s USB-C Slim Dock for the 24-inch iMac is designed to add extra ports and storage without drawing attention. It can hold an SSD up to 2TB in size and also features USB-A ports, SD card slots, and a USB-C port. This dock is a bit pricey, but it’s a must-have accessory for anyone looking to turn the iMac into a desktop workstation.