Apple's New Mac mini Comes with Removable Storage

[R0H1T]

Anything apart from Apple's own modules(?) probably will not work, & even getting them would be an issue. For all practical purposes, it's basically useless for 99.99% of users out there!

 

[Chrispy_]

With Macbooks, I've bought adapters to make Apple's stupid/greedy/anti-consumer proprietary SSD slot compatible with standard (better, cheaper) M.2 NVMe drives.

I'm genuinely surprised Apple didn't devise a firmware lock or other shenanigans to block use of non-Apple parts, the same way those arseholes do with non-Apple parts for a phone or iPad.

 

[TheLostSwede]

With Macbooks, I've bought adapters to make Apple's stupid/greedy/anti-consumer proprietary SSD slot compatible with standard (better, cheaper) M.2 NVMe drives.

I'm genuinely surprised Apple didn't devise a firmware lock or other shenanigans to block use of non-Apple parts, the same way those arseholes do with non-Apple parts for a phone or iPad.

It's unclear if this has that or not, but there does appear to be a firmware chip on the NAND PCB, so it's possible only "genuine Apple" storage devices will work.

Again, keep in mind that this isn't an SSD, the controller is built into the SoC, this is just some NAND and a few passive components on a PCB, as well as what appears to be an SPI flash or maybe even just an EEPROM chip.

 

[MaMoo]

Glad I left Apple's curated garden.

 

[_roman_]

You can remotely reinstall the OS at any point you want.

No does not "always" work.

Why? Below just an explanation:

I repaired two apple devices three years ago.

Both devices failed with the key combination and internet plugged in to remotely install an operating system.

one device looked like a desktop monitor. the hdd was dead according to apple operating system. It was readable in my gnu gentoo linux. I swapped the drive for a ssd and had a lot to do to get the operating system on that box. I learnt that there is a key combination for operating system installation but that was not working for that device. Just by chance i ripped the power on cable. Which was designed such way that you rip it by opening hte device. I repaired a lot of android based smartphones and a few x86 based computers before. I think I have a bit of knowledge on how to "refurbish" or repair a device. I do repair stuff when I get asked by my friends or work colleagues.

another device looked like a notebook. Same issue with upgrading the operating system.

Basically the only way for myself was like always. Like e.g. getting gnu linux on a box. Getting a macos image and get it bootable via usb.

 

[Neo_Morpheus]

Apple vowed to never repeat the mistake they did with the Mac Pro 4.1 and 5.1 models.

Those are still running today thanks to the openness of the design.

I swear, after that, they created a dept that its only duty is to make sure their rabid fanbois cannot upgrade their Macs.

Actually, they have another assignment, make these things as complicated as possible so easy disassembling is not available to mere mortals.

Compare the tear down of a Mac Studio and a regular mini pc.

 

[Chane]

macOS is a different beast than Windows though, I don't think reinstalls is a thing really.

Working in Enterprise. Reinstalls are absolutely a thing for Apple devices just as much as they are for our PCs. We just have less Apple users.

 

[Chrispy_]

It's unclear if this has that or not, but there does appear to be a firmware chip on the NAND PCB, so it's possible only "genuine Apple" storage devices will work.

Again, keep in mind that this isn't an SSD, the controller is built into the SoC, this is just some NAND and a few passive components on a PCB, as well as what appears to be an SPI flash or maybe even just an EEPROM chip.

I did a double-take, was about to say "WTF are you talking about, of course it works! - the article you wrote explains how they upgraded to 2TB."
...and then I read it properly, rather than skimming it, and see that it works because they went to the trouble of desoldering the NAND packages

So maybe you're right - there's no reason to not lock it, forcing people to pay $400 for an extra 0.75TB of storage, worth about $40. If upgrading to 1TB cost as little as a $60 SSD and $15 adapter, Apple would be undercut but small retailers opening the devices and swapping out the SSDs themselves. I mean, that's one reason. The other reason is that Apple are the greediest second greediest company on the planet...

 

[TranceHead]

I mean, this is exciting. If I can buy a 2TB drive for $300 to add to my Mac Mini it will be a huge win. Will have to wait and see.

You can't, they took the existing PCB and desoldered the NAND chips, then replaced the chips with higher capacity ones. I guess some company may collect a few of these and upgrade them, can't see them being cheap though.

 

[Tek-Check]

Let's be honest. Swapping an SSD drive must be far more easier task for a regular user.
A regular user should be able to open the box and access NVMe drive slot without needing to remove any components.
Apple, are you learning anything finally? It's almost 2025, for God's sake...

 

[phints]

Apple base model coming with a pathetic 256GB drive that only performs at 3GB/s? Meanwhile if it was a regular M.2 slot it could have been upgradeable to a 1TB 7.5GB/s drive for $90 (e.g. SN850X).

 

[TheLostSwede]

I did a double-take, was about to say "WTF are you talking about, of course it works! - the article you wrote explains how they upgraded to 2TB."
...and then I read it properly, rather than skimming it, and see that it works because they went to the trouble of desoldering the NAND packages

So maybe you're right - there's no reason to not lock it, forcing people to pay $400 for an extra 0.75TB of storage, worth about $40. If upgrading to 1TB cost as little as a $60 SSD and $15 adapter, Apple would be undercut but small retailers opening the devices and swapping out the SSDs themselves. I mean, that's one reason. The other reason is that Apple are the greediest second greediest company on the planet...

More and more people have managed to swap out the NAND packages.

M4 Mac mini SSD storage can be upgraded, but it isn't easy yet - 9to5Mac

Earlier this week, we reported that the storage in the new Mac mini is actually modular, meaning that it isn’t...

9to5mac.com

Modern Apple has, as we know, always charged a fortune for storage and RAM upgrades.

Let's be honest. Swapping an SSD drive must be far more easier task for a regular user.
A regular user should be able to open the box and access NVMe drive slot without needing to remove any components.
Apple, are you learning anything finally? It's almost 2025, for God's sake...

Even the PS5 consoles are easier than this.

 

[Chrispy_]

A regular user should be able to open the box and access NVMe drive slot without needing to remove any components.
Apple, are you learning anything finally? It's almost 2025, for God's sake...

They learned almost two decades ago that if you make something upgradeable, they can't sell you a new one.
Apple's goal is to ensure that the product becomes e-waste in landfill as rapidly as possible so that they can sell more product.
They're not repairable, getting the parts to repair them is almost impossible, the parts are unnecessarily firmware/hardware-locked and proprietary, and Apple fight right-to-repair vehemently.
Apple are not anyone's friend; They exist to make money for their shareholders and anything that gets in the way of that is something Apple lock down or obfuscate in the next generation.

 

[TheLostSwede]

Apple base model coming with a pathetic 256GB drive that only performs at 3GB/s? Meanwhile if it was a regular M.2 slot it could have been upgradeable to a 1TB 7.5GB/s drive for $90 (e.g. SN850X).

Well, it's possible that it's some kind of interface limitation, since this is clearly not a PCIe interface, but instead it looks like Apple has simply stretched the NAND interface out.
As there's no reference of anything else like this, it's hard to say if there's a performance penalty going through the edge connector and the connector on main PCB.

 

[Aleksandar_038]

There's many more form factors out there than gamers know about. There are plenty of proprietary form factors in the actual high end market and not the toy market. Even among the standard form factors you are not going to be able to put them into a gaming or "enthusiast" board. And even for the systems on the standard form factors that you can't put into ROG builds you are not going to source products from Newegg or Amazon you're going to get them directly from the vendor with the associated cost or directly from say Micron also with the associated cost. Proprietary stuff is extremely common once you get out of the toy computers.

So this device and it's SSD quirks aren't abnormal by any stretch.

As for remarks on reinstalls and the power connector it sounds like people here have never managed Macs or .nix here. You can remotely reinstall the OS at any point you want. You can also directly reinstalling it from the device. It's a non issue but you rarely have to reboot them and they handle power states much better and make Windows look like a pile of shit. Ditto for memory and storage management. In the case of the Mini they are often installed on the back of a display. Thus the button on the back makes sense. Another common use is clusters of them. In which case they are sort of shelf racked and remotely managed like blade servers. And just like blade servers or servers if you do need to truly shut them down you are pulling it out anyways. If this is going to sit on your desk due to the SOCs sipping power and apples superior power management you are not going to turn it off unless you need to take it to the store for repairs and restarts are rare.

You missed the whole goal and then some. This is not some fancy Supermicro server, but consumer PC. And rule in consumer arena are a bit different.

Comparing Mac mini to server-grade equipment or Rolex is really proof of copium overdose...

 

[Garrus]

Did you miss the part where they said it's proprietary, i.e. no way in hell Apple will sell it to you?

there are companies that make the upgrade products besides apple

for example you can mod your macs to accept nvme drives, will be released in december

 

[R0H1T]

And none of them sell it directly to you, unless you probably work at them?

 

[Dr. Dro]

Because Rolex gives the time that much better that a regular non-expensive watch ?

Definitively a cult.

Apples to oranges comparison, cheap watches give time all the same but they don't have a mechanically perfect, perpetual engine that won't skip a second in the next century, nor are made of gold, diamonds, sapphire and other noble and precious materials. You buy a Rolex as jewelry and an asset, not to look at the time.

 

[AsRock]

Sad this is a feature, should be standard.

 

[goodeedidid]

Well, Apple's "unconventional thinking" also applies to the power button. Guess, where it is...

Nobody uses the power button more than once or twice per year duhh

 

[PixelTech]

We've had smaller M.2 drives available for some time. And the smaller sizes are getting even cheaper and bigger in capacity since hand held gaming PCs like Valve's Steam Deck are growing in popularity. But also, why aren't they just using the proprietary SSDs they've been using in MacBooks?