Yesterday we told you what it was like to put point the miniStack Max and today we have to talk about something that also it is very important: its performance, the quality of the components, the transfer speed and all those things that are really important when we are paying a respectable amount for an accessory.
Installation
If you worry the complexity of the installation I am here to remove your fears, and it is that everything is reduced to connecting cables. Newertech will give us a USB 3.0 cable to connect to the Mac with which we can use all the functions of the miniStack Max except the Firewire port, which only works if we connect the Firewire cable that they also give us, but here I have to warn of an important particularity : the Firewire cable takes priority over the USB 3.0 if both are connected, so if you are looking for maximum performance it is better that you do not connect the Firewire except when you need it.
Once we have connected the cable USB 3.0 we will see how an optical reader and a hard disk appear instantly on our Mac, which we may have to format to start working with it, something you can do in Disk Utility. Otherwise you don't have to play anything else, so it's plug & play at its best.
Speed and conclusions
Assuming that we are working on USB 3.0 (which is how I have done the tests), it must be said that you cannot put a single fault. The mini Stack Max It is capable of moving data at an impressive speed and the fact of being connected to USB 3.0 is very noticeable when we move large files from one disk to another, making us have to wait as little time as possible. If instead of a standard disk we have an SSD then we will already enjoy incredible speeds, but I personally am going to use it as a Time Machine disk and there an SSD does not make any sense.
This is not a cheap product, but if the Mac Mini is a little short in some ways and the optical drive has regular use for you I think this product is really a good buy. The quality of the materials is excellent, the operation flawless and let's not forget that Newertech is one of the most reputable companies in the world of Mac accessories, something that I can certify myself after the excellent treatment received.
Link - mini Stack Max
More information - NewerTech launches a beautiful stand for the Mac mini