The new Mac Mini takes a slight step towards expandable storage.
A look inside the new machine.
The recent version of Apple’s Mac Mini M4 has introduced a significant change by replacing the soldered SSD on the logic board of the previous M2 model with a single removable SSD module. This information was confirmed through tear-downs shared on social media, highlighting this feature. This is not the first time Apple has opted for a similar design in its desktops, as similar modules were previously seen in the Mac Studio and Mac Pro.
After the initial publication of this article, another tear-down was shared on a YouTube channel that also highlights the removable storage module and other internal components. However, it is noted that, while the SSD is replaceable, the storage architecture will likely be similar to that of its predecessors, as it contains only the NAND chips and the controller remains integrated in the SoC. This could limit the opportunities for user upgrades or repairs.
In an additional clip found on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, a user is seen replacing the original NAND chips with higher capacity ones, thus increasing the storage to up to 2TB. This modification has been effective, similar to what some enthusiasts like Dosdude, known for their storage upgrades in the Mac Studio, have done. Additionally, it has been confirmed that the WiFi chip and antenna of the Mac Mini are installed directly on the back of the air intake at the bottom of the device.
Finally, it has been established that the base module of the Mac Mini features two 128GB NAND chips instead of a single 256GB chip, suggesting that performance bottlenecks should not arise compared to the previous base model in the M series. This strategy from Apple was also reflected in the MacBook Air M3, which went on sale in April of this year.