MINIX NEO Storage Pro, an adapter with SSD, Thunderbolt 3, USB and HDMI

We tested the MINIX NEO Storage Pro adapter which gives you everything you need for your MacBook Air or Pro: a 4K 60Hz HDMI port, Thunderbolt 3 port, USB-A port and 480Gb SSD storage for what it costs a simple SSD disk.

USB-C, a wonder but with problems

The USB-C port is undoubtedly the best port that we can ask for in our devices right now, and if it also complies with the Thunderbolt 3 specifications as in the MacBook Air and Pro, its advantages are innumerable:

• Transmission speeds of up to 40Gbps
• Video output to one 5K 60Hz monitor or up to two 4K 60Hz monitors
• Laptop charging
• Universal and non-proprietary connection

But until all manufacturers adopt this industry standard and our accessories are renewed by others with this type of connection, it assumes that yes or yes we will need one or more adapters with different "conventional" connections. Any MacBook Air or Pro user with this type of connection must sooner or later look for an adapter that solves these problems, and this MINIX NEO Storage Pro offers you the essentials for the vast majority of users.

MINIX NEO Storage Pro, the most adapted solution

The most common problems encountered by a MacBook user who only has Thunderbolt 3 are accessories with a USB-A connection, and monitors with an HDMI connection. But there is also another major problem: the price of SSD storage at Apple is very expensive when it comes to expanding your laptop, so most users choose to buy their MacBook with the minimum capacity and use external disks to expand it. These problems are solved at a stroke with this MINIX NEO Storage Pro adapter that offers us:

• One Thunderbolt 3 port
• One USB-A 3.0 port
• One HDMI port (4K 60Hz)
• 480Gb SSD storage with speeds up to 400Mbps

The detail of having a Thunderbolt 3 port is very important. Most adapters of this type usually offer us a simple USB-C connection that in many cases only serves to recharge our MacBook, and if it allows data transfer it does so with poorer specifications, such as USB 3.0 or at most USB 3.1. MINIX keeps the performance of our Thunderbolt 3 connectors intact Thank you to leave us a port of this type in your adapter. With this port we can connect a 5K 60Hz monitor or two 4K 60Hz monitors and enjoy data transmission speeds of up to 40Gbps and charge our laptop with a charging power of up to 100W.

Small and well built

Another important aspect is the build quality, and this MINIX NEO Storage Pro gets an excellent grade in this section. Anodized aluminum with two finishes (space gray and silver) that correspond to the colors of our MacBooks. Compact and light, we can take it anywhere, and also thanks to the transport bag it brings, it will be perfectly protected against scratches.

Editor's opinion

Although we can find adapters with a greater number of connections, this MINIX NEO Storage Pro offers what most users need, neither more nor less, and also with an expansion of the storage capacity of 480Gb that are a real luxury for our MacBook Air and Pro. A very good build quality and really excellent specs make it one of the most interesting adapters that we can find in the market for performance and price. MINIX wanted to launch this product through the Indiegogo crowdfunding platform with a starting price of $ 8 with worldwide shipments (link). Right now there are no longer available at that price, they cost $119, which is still a great price. At the end of July it will go on sale on Amazon and official distributors for a price of € 149.