New Mac Mini Has Modular Storage, 256GB Model Will Have Faster SSD (www.macrumors.com)
from Sunshine@lemmy.ca to apple_enthusiast@lemmy.world on 08 Nov 2024 17:43
https://lemmy.ca/post/32587198

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Sunshine@lemmy.ca on 08 Nov 2024 17:44 next collapse

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.

TheHobbyist@lemmy.zip on 08 Nov 2024 18:17 collapse

Indeed, totally an Apple approach to modularity: it is a proprietary Apple SSD…

datavoid@lemmy.ml on 08 Nov 2024 18:21 next collapse

And presumably if you switch the SSD yourself, you’ll brick the whole thing!

[deleted] on 09 Nov 2024 23:21 next collapse

.

fourish@lemmy.world on 10 Nov 2024 09:34 collapse

Ifixit accomplished it. Required another Mac to reinstall the OS.

Mongostein@lemmy.ca on 14 Nov 2024 00:41 collapse

I mean, if you’re swapping it for a drive with no OS on it, wouldn’t that make sense?

fourish@lemmy.world on 14 Nov 2024 02:07 collapse

Older intel macs could do an internet recovery on a bare drive. The internet recovery system was part of the ROMs/BIOS.

Mongostein@lemmy.ca on 14 Nov 2024 05:02 collapse

Right I forgot about that

fourish@lemmy.world on 10 Nov 2024 09:26 collapse

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).

B0rax@feddit.org on 10 Nov 2024 18:09 collapse

You could create a symbolic link, that would work.

fourish@lemmy.world on 11 Nov 2024 04:17 collapse

I’ve heard it doesn’t due to Apple restrictions on the new operating systems for Apple silicon but I’ve never tried it myself.

B0rax@feddit.org on 11 Nov 2024 06:19 collapse

Symbolic links work just fine.

In fact, there is very little that works differently between Intel and Apple silicon on macOS.

From what people told me macOS shouldn’t even work AT ALL on Apple silicon. Don’t believe everything you read online ;)

veeesix@lemmy.ca on 08 Nov 2024 19:52 collapse

On the bright side, if you sell the device someone else could upgrade the storage after the fact.

Sunshine@lemmy.ca on 08 Nov 2024 19:56 collapse

Once they figure out the counters to Apple’s tricks.