The Mac mini has become a surprisingly capable little workhorse. With Apple’s M-and M-Pro chips, it easily handles cutting, grading, and playback duties once reserved for towers. But anyone who has actually used one in a studio knows what follows: a nest of cables snaking from Thunderbolt hubs, audio interfaces, SSDs, and PCIe expansion boxes. For facilities that rackmount their systems in machine rooms, the mini’s minimalist form factor quickly becomes a liability.
Enter Sonnet Technologies with its xMac mini (2024+) family: modular 2U rackmount enclosures designed to house one or two Mac minis while adding full Thunderbolt-to-PCIe expansion. The result: less cable chaos, better airflow, and no more artists tripping over power bricks on the way to the coffee machine. And a power button you can reach without shoving your hand into the gordian knot of cables behind/below the machine. Yes, it is nicely at the front.
Modular Rackmount for Modular Macs
The xMac mini (2024+) comes in several configurations, all based on a half-width 2U chassis. The core xMac mini module mounts up to two Mac minis side by side, providing front-panel power buttons and access to all I/O ports.
Studios starting from scratch can opt for the xMac mini (2024+) Base System, which includes the module plus an empty half-width bay ready for a PCIe expansion of choice. For heavier workflows, Sonnet bundles two preconfigured systems with its Echo Thunderbolt-to-PCIe technology.
PCIe Expansion via Thunderbolt
The xMac mini (2024+)/Echo II DV pairs the Mac mini module with a half-width Echo II DV expansion chassis. It provides two full-height, full-depth PCIe slots, each connected via a dedicated Thunderbolt link. This layout allows two separate Thunderbolt paths from one Mac mini (or from two individual minis) ideal for cards with sustained high bandwidth such as AJA or Blackmagic capture, 25GbE network, or RED Rocket acceleration.
The higher-tier xMac mini (2024+)/Echo III module offers three PCIe slots through a single Thunderbolt port, targeting audio professionals running multiple Avid Pro Tools | HDX cards. Both Echo modules rely on quiet Noctua fans, which keeps noise low enough for control-room placement if required.
Quiet, Compact, and Very Specific
Sonnet’s enclosure design stays true to the company’s utilitarian/professional aesthetic: steel construction, quiet thermals, no unnecessary LEDs. The half-width modules allow two full systems to occupy one 2U space, which makes sense for audio and broadcast racks where space is at a premium. The modular approach also allows users to mix and match components, for example, a single Mac mini alongside a PCIe expansion, or two minis for redundancy.
Admittedly, it’s a niche solution. Few studios are clamouring to rackmount Mac minis, but those who rely on macOS for editing or ingest tasks and want their systems housed neatly in a server room will find the xMac mini a practical, production-friendly setup.
And if your goal is to have a color monitoring workstation: We got you covered!
Pricing and Availability
All xMac mini (2024+) systems are available now from Sonnet Technologies and its authorised resellers.
- xMac mini (2024+) Module (XMM-MOD): $479.99
- xMac mini (2024+) Base System (XMM-SYS-0): $699.99
- xMac mini (2024+)/Echo II DV (XMM-SYS-IIDV): $1,799.99
- xMac mini (2024+)/Echo III (XMM-SYS-III): $1,799.99
All variants are compatible with Thunderbolt-equipped Mac minis, including the current M4 and M4 Pro generation.
For the Cable-Averse
In essence, Sonnet’s xMac mini (2024+) family provides what many studios quietly wish Apple would: a professional, rackmount-ready version of the Mac mini with PCIe flexibility. It’s not for everyone, and it’s certainly a specialised island solution but for facilities that want to stay within macOS without inviting the cable octopus, Sonnet’s design delivers a tidy, scalable path.
As always, professionals should test the system thoroughly in their workflow before deployment in production environments.
