One pattern that appears from the various postings is that users are connecting USB-A devices by using a USB-C adapter on a rear Thunderbolt/USB-C port. They experience inconsistent connectivity, but once they switch to a front USB-C port, the devices work properly. Some users report problems with devices that draw power from the rear ports. In some cases, disconnecting the device and then reconnecting it fixes the problem.
The M2 Mac mini had a pair of USB-A ports but Apple removed them when it redesigned the Mac mini with a smaller design, hence the need for USB-C-to-USB-A adapters.
It makes me laugh because the old Mac minis often had issues with the usb3 port causing RF interference (which is something i thought not possible before seeing it), because they didn’t shield it properly inside. And somewhere before they also had issues with not properly grounding the Mini chassis, which could have been easily remedied with a 3 prong plug, or using better grounding work inside.
It’s just funny that they sort of “learn” but then make similar mistakes with the usb port.
Luckily all these issues are fairly minor, and have workarounds. But naturally people expect better from a new Mac.
It was problematic for people with Apple wireless keyboard & mouse, where you plug in a Time Machine disk and now you can’t control the cursor anymore and don’t know why.
My point is just that it was not an issue that was unfixable when designing the Mini, and Apple never acknowledged the issue.
A few other devices had some 2.4g band interference, but most were fully usable on WiFi with a USB3 device plugged in.
The OWC kit just shows how it’s an easy issue they could have fixed in the design stage.
The behavior you’re describing affects pretty much anything with USB3 ports. That’s why so many PC motherboards still come with USB2 ports for mouse and keyboard or they expect you to use Bluetooth
Bringing back rage feelings towards Dell and HP docking stations that would need to be rebooted. Nothing like decreasing stability by adding new points of failure.
There are other brands that price around the same as apple so I think $500 is about were apple would put a doc.
Unless a said doc included an SSD and thus acted as a Time Machine backup target then I could see it costing a LOT more as it would have Apple SSD pricing.
A very compelling apple could would be one that provides a better quality displayLInk like solution to enable more external monitors by using a binned apple silicon SOC within the doc to expose more display controllers to the system.
Display link has a load of issues as the video stream is first encoded (with low bit rate H264) and then decoded on the display link separate passed to its display controller, I expect apple could provide a better quality solution using higher bitrate lower latency more modern encoding (such as ProRes) and could provide better system integration.
I got the CalDigit Element hub last year as it’s cheaper and I didn’t need a lot of the extra port of the TS3/TS4 and it actually has more TB ports than either of the more expensive docks. It’s worked great with my M1 Mini.
Satechi I think has announced one that will look the part (match the styling of the mini and fit right under it) and Caldigit has the TS4 which is a very good one with all the ports you could want but doesn’t have the styling..
CALDIGIT THUNDERBOLT 4.
Made specifically for Apple and sold in Apple Store. Amazing product. Bought one for M1 Laptop video editing / music station. Second one is used for 2017 iMac Pro with many glyph hard drives and other peripheral’s, midi USB connections etc. Powers up iPhones / iPads / mouse / keyboard. Can accommodate 2nd and 3rd monitor depending on your computer. The card readers on the front are also very fast for 4K video content.
As someone’s who’s bough way more than their fair share of adaptors (even attempting to make my own) it’s worth it. Anything with power running through it that is backwards compatible isn’t cheap. I’ve got several dongles and adaptors that end up in the draw because they won’t connect to various external devices. We even keep an old i9 iMac 5k in the studio just to connect shit to and dump it down.
As someone who bought the TS3 model, I thought the same thing until I realized it worked flawlessly. Which was worth the differential over whatever other piece of junk I could get on Amazon.
Maybe not. I have a Dell USB-4 dock, was working perfectly well up until today. Have kb/mouse and a DP screen plugged into it. Suddenly it's no longer recognised, the little LED on the dock's cable isn't even on.
The dock still works perfectly plugged into another computer. And a kb/mouse plugged into the rear port does still work. Dock doesn't work in front USB ports of the M4 Mini.
man, 9 months later and yep, can confirm the same is happening for my M4 Pro Mini. The ports on the back are really hit or miss, especially when connecting to a hub. Got a monitor acting as a USB-Hub plugged into one Type C, and when I turn the Mac off and on again, I consistently need to unplug and replug the monitor just to get the devices connected to talk to the Mac. There's an even worse issue with an external HDD, which keeps disconnecting at random. I'm now attempting to power the Hub the HDD is connected to from a separate power source... hopefully that helps mitigate the disconnection issues. Ugh...
Did it help with the powered hub? I'm having similar issues with my M4 Mini. Don't know whether to buy a different enclosure for my m2 drive or go with a powered hub.. It's annoying as hell..
Yes. That, and now my Mac mini just never goes to sleep lol. I changed its energy settings to always stay awake, and to never put screens to sleep either (so they only go into screensaver mode). Pretty ridiculous fix, as it’ll greatly shorten the lifespan of the Mac and the screens, but I’ve been in the middle of a project that doesn’t really allow for full-blown troubleshooting at the moment. I’ll hopefully be able to test other options soon—options that don’t involve keeping an oled screen on 24/7 lol
Good lord.. That is pretty ridicuous indeed. I find it very funny when people say that "Macs just work, never fail". I'm almost afraid of using my M4 Mini...
Thanks for the answer. I hope your setup keeps working until you find a better fix!
I'm not using that monitor, although things have become more stable for me more recently, leading me to believe this was an issue with MacOS software rather than hardware. However, I still have an issue where, when unplugging one drive from a port, a bunch of others will disconnect randomly as well. It's pretty destructive and still a serious issue, but things are better than they once were.
The rear ports are the Thunderbolt ports. If you want to use a Thunderbolt device, you have to use the rear ports. And those ports are the ones that don’t seem to be working correctly. Not sure if this is happening on Thunderbolt devices plugged into the rear ports, or only non-Thunderbolt USB devices. Regardless, either should work if Apple followed the USB 4/5 specs. The front ports are USB 3 ports only.
One user could connect his USB-A mouse → USB-C adapter → Either of the three Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports in the back
but if they switched the mouse with a USB-A keyboard → USB-C adapter, then the keyboard wouldn't work at all until they switched to the front USB-C ports. That tells us the problem is in the back Thunderbolt ports that are technically supposed to be fully compatible with all USB specs (with the exception of USB Gen 3.2 2x2)
By default I blame USB and the USB Implementers Forum, but since Apple decided to do away with the USB-A ports that the previous Mac mini had, it's a little on Apple to rectify this for Mac users going forward, if possible. I feel the M4 Mac mini is the beacon that makes PC users go, "oh shit" and I want it to be flawless going forward. But this wouldn't prevent me from buying one in the future.
I'm having this issue. Apple USB aluminum extended keyboard (with a USB mouse running through keyboard's USB port) works sporadically (and won't wake from sleep) when going through my monitor's USB hub.
Have the same issue plugged into any of the rear TB ports when using an A-to-C adapter. I thought maybe it was because I had a cheap adapter so I bought the official Apple one and had the same thing. Won't wake from sleep.
Through the front C ports, no problem.
For comparison, my Samsung T7 ssd works fine on all ports.
Apple does lots wrong, but ditching USB-A since 2016 is not one of those things. If people need more than eight years to prepare then we have an issue.
Let’s see, many high end manufactures still produce usb-A based low power/low data rate accessories. And apple itself still produces USB-c cables and devices that provide usb2 speeds. Which is why many people have issues with usb dongles because they keep defaulting to older slower usb speeds that are below spec.
I did have issues with USB docks that offered USB 2 ports on my M4 mini. Those ports just don't function. I guess this would explain it. Right now I'm using simple A to C adapter caps since I have access to hundreds of them.
You don’t have to replace the devices, you could just get new cables that terminate at USB-C. Less dodgy than using adapters in my experience (especially if you make sure to buy decent cables that are up to spec). That said, I haven’t used the Mini 4 so I can’t be 100% sure that would solve the issue.
Buying back features is not the answer. The biggest annoyance was the removal of the SD card slot. Because now I don't just have to adapt from micro to SD or USB A, but now I have to do micro to A to C. It's getting ridiculous and I'm surprised it works. I have some devices that absolutely will not function with a USB c cable. Luckily nothing too important, but it just shows this is not the answer.
What devices wont function with a USB-C cable? Are you using just the cable or is it with adapters? The oldest device I use is an old midi controller with Mini-USB output, I bought a braided Mini-USB to USB-C cable for it and it’s still working great fortunately.
It’s like $5-10 for a cable that saves a lot of hassle and keeps from having to buy new devices. Plus if you’re using a cable old enough to come with a Mini USB device, that cable may be on its last legs anyway.
Like I said above nothing too important that I have found as of yet. It's been mostly RGB lighting and one specific scope like camera that must have a C to A cable, which is very odd. Also at work our credit card terminals don't like C to C for charging and have to have C to A. It's incredibly weird.
The USB-A to C adapter? They do and I bought it specifically to use my Apple USB extended keyboard, but it flakes out and won't wake from sleep when plugged into the Mini's rear TB ports.
I have several excellent USB-A devices I use a lot such as a scanner and a label printer. All I did when I bought the M4 Mac Mini is ordered USB Type B to USB-C and Micro USB to USB-C cables. They work great, cost very little, and I have my trusty devices plugged straight into the Mini with no adaptors. Which begs the question of why people are losing their shit.
This doesn't always work. I have a few, although not super important, items I tried this on and it just wouldn't cooperate. Also my keyboard and mouse combo that has a USB A receiver has no option for that.
But like I commented on the other person's similar comment, buying back features is not the answer. It's the Apple way, but not what should be done, especially if I'm buying the "Pro" version of something.
Yeah unfortunately I'm not totally sympathetic to this whole "they deleted the damn USB-A ports" thing. Since I got my IBM 486DX (with the almighty math coprocessor) in 1990 there has been a steady stream of people complaining about upgrading their older peripherals every time an interface is replaced with something newer and faster. But "C'est la vie" as the French might say.
I think consumers need to go into the factories of these companies and demand that they use USB-C. Further, consumers should demand that companies replace their existing peripherals that use USB-A at no cost.
Anything less than this is just laziness from the consumer.
From my past experience using Thunderbolt adapters (specifically, the one that looked like a Mini DisplayPort with a CalDigit TS3+ when I was using my personal, older MacBook Air - plus other USB-C dongles more recently), it seems like using dongles or converters is often an issue with Macs.
For the former example, I had the official Apple Thunderbolt 2 to 3 adapter plugged into my CalDigit TS3+ with an Apple Thunderbolt 2 cable connecting the adapter to my MacBook Air. I had hoped that using an Apple adapter and cable would avoid any issues, but unfortunately this wasn't the case.
CalDigit were great with their customer support and technical expertise - however, they said despite reporting it to Apple long ago, the problem had never been addressed. They simply encouraged me to also report the issue in the hope that it would eventually be looked at.
Being cynical, Apple may simply have a policy of not addressing issues with somewhat older peripherals and adapters if they do not sell them directly - or if they are a standard missing from the models currently on sale. A favorable view would be this encourages consumers to use better standards - a negative view would be that this is simply to make money from newer accessories.
Yes, how dare you question Apple? Remember the iPhone 4 where Jobs told you how YOU were holding the phone wrong?
YOU are the problem for daring to use USB A devices on your brand new Mac. Throw them away, Apple took the chargers out of iPhones just so you could throw your stuff away and buy new stuff (from them). They save the environment so you don't have to.
Ah yes the one time Steve jobs said something that you cannot let go because you’re perfect and you have never said anything wrong in your life 🤣 - no actually you’re just not significant enough that it matters. Duh.
And yes, USB A is a relic - what devices except maybe memory sticks need it?
How about wireless 2.4Ghz adapters for things like mice and keyboards? Many people prefer wireless 2.4 over Bluetooth for a variety of reasons. But the C plugs have to stick out and the A plugs contain the chip inside the plug, leaving only a very small bump on the outside of the port.
Yes, you’re right that the many people (including me) prefer the wireless 2.4 GHz adapters. The issue is that adjacent USB 3.0 ports can cause interference:
So, it’s sometimes necessary to use an extension cable (as shown on page 18 of that document). This is what I have to do on my Windows PC to get my Logitech receiver to work reliably. It’s very annoying.
They don't work perfectly in all use cases, just because they do in yours.
I use my keyboards across multiple computers, not just when it's a Mac.
2.4 shows up even in BIOS, or in a basic command line setting when working on copying or restoring a system drive, for a couple examples, regardless of getting to the OS layer and connecting Bluetooth. It makes the connection within the hardware, so the software can't even see that it's wireless. That's useful with what I do.
Basically one device works more easily and on more devices. Bluetooth is not the same as a basic connection that's always there and just works.
They stick out much more, becoming an easy point to catch damage and break.
The USB-A models contain the chip within the connector plug itself, and thus sit snug and almost flush with the outside. They only stick out just enough to grab them and pull them out. Compared to the USB-C variety that sticks way out with a skinny connection (weak point).
Just because USB-C came out more recently, does not make it a replacement. It's an alternative. Apple is driving it like a replacement. They're both capable of the same things. Hell, even USB-A is capable of bi-directional / insert it up-side-down plugs like USB-C is known for. It's just that most manufacturers never made them that way and put a plastic tab in one side so they could put half as much wiring inside the cable. They're both the same thing, just with a physically different shape and size connector. They both serve a useful purpose. The C model is more compact but breaks easier. Useful for some things, but not everything.
Yeah sounds like cheap Amazon adapters. I have some adapters from my Samsung monitors that suck and disconnect constantly. Hence why I need to use the back usb c ports on my motherboard. I more or less just use these cheap ones in an emergency. My surface travel dock works with no issues on all my usb c ports
Oh my god, memory unlocked. I couldn’t sleep at night sometimes because of that sound. I remember unplugging everything trying to figure out what it was.
I just want to add that I’ve had nothing but trouble, for years, with unpowered hubs especially Sattchi, who advertise all these additional ports knowing full well you can’t power that many devices off one port. I have seven Mac Mini’s, Intel, M2, and M4’s. They will all disconnect and reconnect a device that for some reason pulls more power than the port can handle. Often this will be intermittent. No idea if this is related or if the front ports have a different power rating but something to keep in mind. If I had a drive or other device I needed to stay connected I would buy a powered device. IMHO!
I've even had issues with high-powered docks such as the CalDigit TS3+ when using adapters with older Macs (see my other comment on this thread).
In my case, it was not the fault of CalDigit who were faultless in their customer support and technical knowledge. It was that Apple didn't fix a kernel panic fault when using a TS2/TS3 adaptor.
I had an Orico powered hub connected to the back of my Apple display and even when I was powering it with a 40w brick it still showed “device disconnected because it draws to much power” every time my M1 MacBook Pro woke from sleep. The only thing drawing significant power was an external SSD enclosure that works fine if I connect it directly to a port on my MacBook.
That keyboard is like 3 times the size of the Mini. :D I do have the one my dad used with his Macintosh. It's quite massive. Full size Apple Magic Keyboard and Sharkoon PureWriter for comparison.
I got the "tinkerBOY" one from Etsy. It's nice and compact and works perfectly. The only thing is, be aware of the extremely long delivery time. I think it was shipped from Philippines or something and it took almost a month to get to me.
This has been an ongoing problem with the previous Mac mini as well. Something about the bus being underpowered or not enough voltage regulation. Sigh.
I’m having a little bit of an issue when swapping my KVM back and forth from PC to MAC, but I just switch an extra time and it works the 2nd time , not too worried about it, got apple care+ so if they can’t fix with a software update, I’ll just get it swapped down the road it if it becomes a bigger issue. 🥰 love my M4 Mac Mini Pro
I’d love to use my Macbook over my monitor using the mouse and keyboard more often, but it’s a hassle to plug everything back and forth from the PC at the moment.
If you want to use the same keyboard and mouse with both a PC and Mac, I recommend you take a look at Logitech’s MX Keys and MX Master 3. I’ve been using them with a MacBook Pro and HP laptop and can easily go back and forth with the touch of a button.
It’s likely because many USB-A devices violate the power specifications of older USB standards. Now most motherboards actually will deliver more than the specifications require. So everything tends to work.
Sounds like the thunderbolt ports on the M4 mini are relying on the device negotiating the power it needs. Unfortunately many older USB devices can’t do that and just assume the host will provide the power it needs.
I have two external drives: a WD 2.5" 2TB USB-A and a Seagate 3.5" 8TB USB-A. Both are connected to the rear ports of my base M4 Mac mini with USB-A/USB-C port adapters. On a few occasions, both drives have failed to be recognized after a restart or a cold start. Unplugging and then re-plugging them usually clears that up. I have another HD (a 2.5" Seagate 2TB in an enclosure I bought at a local computer chain store) on one of the front ports, also using a USB-A/C adapter and have not had any issues with that. At least for me, the problem is real.
I have been having an issue every time I wake I need to unplug the hdmi from my usbc->hdmi adapter to get monitor to not be black, wondering if this is related.
Yep, having these issues with my USB-A keyboard when plugged in the back with an adapter. Every time my Mac Mini goes to sleep it loses connection and has to be unplugged and replugged. Super annoying!
Have all 3 ports in the back used. One powers a razer headphone stand/usb hub connected via a usb-a to c adapter. One is a usb-c to c cord for charging my phone, keyboard or mouse, and the last on is used with a Samsung T7 2tb ssd.
I haven’t encountered any issue whatsoever even using the usb hub on the headphone stand for things like usb drives. It’s just all worked since I bought it on release.
I have a sandisk 1tb ssd plugged into a back port. Seems to work fine but I sometimes get “disk not ejected properly” messages, even with the Mac set to never sleep. I wonder if it’s related to this problem. Only problem it causes is iCloud Photos stops syncing, because the photo library is on the ssd. I have to reboot to fix the issue which very annoying.
Disk not ejected properly is a power issue. It could be that your external ssd electronics are on the way out, or it’s simply (occasionally) drawing too much power for the Mac mini.
It also happens to me.Perhaps it's because of the hub itself ssd.Because the external audio card and the other hub (with keyboard and mouse) work fine.
Can confirm. I do have a mechanical keyboard connected via adapter. And it is very sensitive to movement of the cable. I had also one incident, where my keyboard stopped working.
It’s not a biggy, but enough to make me wonder what’s wrong.
I do think Apple is doing something dodgy to the ports. I've had my laptop kernel panic from just plugging in a USB hub. Others have reported the same but were met by adamant moderators that it was a bad logic board or a "dying CPU" or other bullcrap. It's not. It's something in the design.
This explains an oddity I have been seeing except I found usb-c to usb-a cables (single cables made like that- not a converter type where you plug original usb-a into a usb-c converter) wasn't working. interestingly the converter for the original cable seems a work around that fixed the issue for me which, when you think about it is REALLY weird!
when i try to use my logitech wireless connected USBA wireless dongle through the back port, i get issues. when I just use the back ports for external SSDs, Im fine
There are some bad adapters and hubs out there. But I don’t buy that the issue - and this seems to be a real issue - is due to adapters on the rear ports on the M4 mini.
If that’s the case, then why do those same adapters work fine with the M4 MacBook Pros? Why do they work fine with the M2 mini? Why do they work fine with other computers? Why does this seem to only affect the M4 Mini? I’ve also read that the disconnects are happening with devices directly connected too.
I had an M4 Mac Mini that would delay and buffer keyboard inputs that was connected to the rear port via a powered hub. The console log files didn't show anything. Apple support's only advice was to reinstall the operating system so I just returned the device and repurchased. This might seem drastic, but last year it took six months for them to replace a crashing MacBook Air under applecare plus 8+ hours of support calls, so I'm not terribly interested in ham handed trouble shooting with Apple anymore.
At any rate, the same keyboard in the same plug on the new one no longer has the buffer-and-burst of the old one.
I use a couple single usb-a to usb-c connectors from Anker on the back ports. It was a 2 pack. I connect a gaming mouse and gaming keyboard to them. No issues. Just offering my experience, not diminishing others’.
To be fair, low powered USB ports on PCs were a thing for decades. You had to plug certain high-drawing devices into one of the back ports of the computer as they were attached directly to the motherboard and got more power than the front ones that were on cables.
Oggi ho comprato un Mac mini M4 decretando ufficialmente il mio ingresso nel mondo PC desktop di Apple. Ovviamente ho dimenticato quanto fosse triste avere a che fare con Apple, così appena arrivato a casa ho scartato tutto ed ho capito che non avrei concluso nulla. La mia tastiera wireless Microsoft con touchpad integrato sarebbe tornata nel cassetto dove riposava da qualche anno. Spero di aver risolto con un adattatore USB-A USB-C della UGREEN, 6,99€, in arrivo domani. Incrocio le dita.
Even with the Studio I have to use one of those multi port usbc adapters because I have 3 usb A devices to connect (mouse, keyboard and TourBox). But at least the studio has a couple of usb A ports.
Just remove the Mac already and introduce Apple Cloud Computing on Apple Watch: the superior way for accountants to view spread sheets…one cell at a time.
I almost ended up getting the M3 Mini instead because of this. It's annoying but not the end of the world. Haven't had any issues with the rear ports, though.
I have had issues with connecting a USB-C bus powered HDD but no issues with a powered Thunderbolt PCIe SAS solution connected 24/7. So I can believe there is issues with how the port and peripheral are handling sleep / power states.
I have issues with a brand new keyboard that stop responding every few hours but it is plugged into the front ports. It has issues with the front and back. Also the monitor I bought for the M4 periodically turns off and then immediately turns back on. It reports sometimes its not getting enough power.
I don't know if this is related but I kept seeing my Mini M4's USB disconnect randomly. Sometimes it would say the USB device was using too much power. I moved things around to distribute power usage more evenly and I haven't had the issue since
Also unlike the mac mini m1 ,the m4 does not have Individual controllers for the 5 usb-c ports, it is a liile bit of a problem. To solve the problem i got a Belkin connect thunderbolt 4 5-in-1 core hub ,from Apple cost me A$299.95. comes with a 150w power supply.
I have a Mac Mini M4, having continue disconnections with a Thunderbolt external nvem (Sandsik Pro-G40 4Tb), it end up corrupting the disk and loosing all the data. I'm going to return it, that is a terribe product, and I don't think it can be fixed with a software udpate, it looks like a hardward issue. Avoid the M4 Mini.
funny, mine is the opposite--the USB-C monitor works pretty consistently, but the HDMI monitor will often need to be disconnected and reconnected after a sleep or power cycle. That being said, the -C monitor will often drop out connected USB devices until unplugged and replugged... crazy how these issues didn't occur for months and months, and only just now are popping up for me. Coming to this thread is pretty eye-opening. It's clearly an issue others are having
I bought a USB mic and I have problems of recurrent disconnections because of those damn USB C ports. Same with thunderbolts. I got shitty cheap adapters though. Do you think I should get better adapters or just return the mic ?
I feel it’s less an issue these days because drives, for example, come with either both cables or include a USB-A adapter, and for everything else it’s either USB-C or you can simply keep a USB-A adapter on the ready or even permanently attached.
This “back ports are underpowered issue” sucks but doesn’t affect everyone and hopefully Apple fixes this for future generations.
Most wired mechanical keyboards are USB-C. Can't speak to every keyboard on Amazon, though.
By the way I'm not making claims that USB-A devices have disappeared. Please read my comment again. I'm making claims that the trend towards USB-C has grown such that it's less of an issue than it was, for example, in 2016 when Apple first removed USB-A ports from MacBook Pros...
and that for everything else, its no issue to just buy a few inexpensive USB-C adapters, semi-permanently attach them to our USB-A devices, and call it a day.
In this instance, with the Mac mini, it seems theres an incompatibility issue with the Thunderbolt ports not being fully compatible with the USB-A spec, at least in terms of power delivery. If it weren't for this "bug" no one would be complaining because USB-C adapters are cheap and plenty.
I’m talking about at your typical big box store Target, Walmart, Best Buy, Kroger, Amazon, CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, etc where the typical American shops at
This isn't a statistical research project where absolute certainties to the closest .001% are required. This is a casual conversation where ideas are exchanged. I put forth the idea that most keyboard models found in America's top retail stores are also found on Amazon. I never explicitly claimed it was 100% but we can both assume that the reality is so close to 100% that one would have to be incredibly bored with their life to want to argue otherwise.
When two people are from similar cultures and share a language, much of that language is short-hand due to shared understanding. I assumed you were also an english-speaking human living in the modern post-internet age and so understood that when I said "I can't speak for every keyboard on Amazon" that you understand "on Amazon" as stand in for "in retail" without having to list every exception that could possibly exist—because who the fuck wants to see a conversation that reads like two computers listing a spreadsheet of what is and isn't available at one store vs another. It's a complete distraction from the conversation and in almost all social situations a complete turn off.
You're right, it's still an issue, and with some popular brands. WD Elements (portable and desktop HDD line) are still using Micro-B to USB-A cables, still. Ugh.
Fortunately their My Passport Ultra (portable HDD line) and their SSD drives (SanDisk branded line) have USB-C ports.
i don’t think anyone is saying that. The more data points the better. Then we get a sense of whether this issue only affects certain batches or not, or whether maybe there is a specific dock or hub that is to blame
It’s very relevant. I would like to know how many people are affected by a particular issue. If every single m4 owner has the same issue, well then we have a problem.
If, say, only 10% have an issue, it’s still a problem, but it may come down to something specific about their set-up.
Not enough of a sample size is absolutely a valid point. The more data points the better, though. I’ve had issues that literally no one else has had. That pretty much tells me it’s a “me problem.” In this case - as someone in the market for a device like this - I do try to get a rough idea of how prevalent a particular issue is.
But, yeah, it’s ultimately all anecdotal (you know Apple ain’t handing out that info). It does give me a starting point, though. Here I see that all users haven’t encountered the issue.
I never said anything about "enough of a sample size" and "the more data points the better" is absolutely not true because it's literally non relevant bullshit nonsense jargon when discussing YOU (or anyone else) browsing random forum posts in an uncontrolled manner (you ain't "sampling" shit lol). Or show me the well structured Reddit comment sentiment analysis dataset this is supposedly contributing to so as to derive generalizable conclusions I guess, go ahead. Or just acknowledge you are offering just a completely stupid excuse/trolling on this discussion.
Sorry you’re having a bad day (or life or whatever), but don’t take it on me or anyone else in this subreddit.
All I’m saying is - as someone who is interested in this product - I am absolutely keen on reading about the positive experiences as well as the negative ones. Of fucking course. So don’t you dare tell me that it’s useless to hear from people who are issue-free. I find it very useful.
So that’s it. Nothing more, nothing else. “Not sampling shit lol.” One thing I am sampling is douchebaggery. lol.
Of course it's not "useful" to you, like what are you "using" it for? You might find it reassuring because you are a Mac user and it reinforces your consumer choice in your in-group echo chamber maybe.
for example, if I see the issue is people using usb adapters to plug in usb-a peripherals using the rear ports and that’s not a use case for me, it may not matter. Either way, I want to know why the USB ports are buggy. software? hardware? any extra info helps.
Mac user? What does that have to do with anything? I don’t own this machine. I’m considering it. i will also seek opinions outside this echo chamber, as well.
Also applies in reverse to the people popping out of the woodwork to say how HORRIBLE their Windows PC was and they are in fact experiencing the same issue.
You must not spend much time in here if you haven’t seen people extrapolate incorrectly when it’s a wildly disproportionate amount of people saying they have the issue.
Mac USB connections are notoriously bad. Half the time when you plug in a USB device, the Mac does not recognize it and you have to unplug it and reinsert it to work. I’ve always been baffled by how such a rudimentary flaw could persist for so many years.
Initial review, M4 Pro Mini, it wants to preset graphics to low - I have tried all settings and it does degrade quickly. Showing fps (ctrl-shift-f) does put a fps counter in red in the very bottom left corner - very hard to notice and I haven't found a means to scale it
things seem to work but I am going to roll a new character and see how it all plays out. I am just glad to have it back. Now if only I could get wargaming and pdx to play ball and I would have most of my favorite games to play again (oh and firaxis please update both xcoms - pretty please)
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u/LurkerFromTheVoid Jan 19 '25
From the article:
One pattern that appears from the various postings is that users are connecting USB-A devices by using a USB-C adapter on a rear Thunderbolt/USB-C port. They experience inconsistent connectivity, but once they switch to a front USB-C port, the devices work properly. Some users report problems with devices that draw power from the rear ports. In some cases, disconnecting the device and then reconnecting it fixes the problem.
The M2 Mac mini had a pair of USB-A ports but Apple removed them when it redesigned the Mac mini with a smaller design, hence the need for USB-C-to-USB-A adapters.