New Mac Mini Has Modular Storage, 256GB Model Will Have Faster SSD
New Mac Mini Has Modular Storage, 256GB Model Will Have Faster SSD
Apple has returned to using two 128GB storage chips in the new Mac mini with 256GB of storage, according to a partial teardown video shared on social...
The teardown video also reveals that storage is modular in the new Mac mini, meaning that it can be easily removed since it is not soldered down. As we saw with the Mac Studio, however, replacing the modular storage is complicated.
Indeed, totally an Apple approach to modularity: it is a proprietary Apple SSD...
Apple decided they want memory modules that only contain memory because the storage controller is on their own silicon and they have direct low level access to the storage chips if they do it themselves. Probably cheaper (for them) without redundant controller parts they don’t need too.
Surprised nobody has reverse engineered this yet to make compatible upgrade modules. Probably not enough money in it. Edit: there’s a kickstarter for some homebrew modules which seem to work but they’re still pretty expensive.
I just got mine with 1TB. I added a second external SSD for a bit more space. Good enough for me. The only issue is that I can’t point the Dropbox app at the external drive. The new one has to point to the user home folder (guess I could move all of that to the external drive).
On the bright side, if you sell the device someone else could upgrade the storage after the fact.
Once they figure out the counters to Apple’s tricks.