There has already been considerable disassembly confirming that the M4 Mac mini’s SSD is designed with a modular structure, meaning that users can upgrade or replace it themselves.
However, Apple’s official website currently only offers SSD modules for the Mac Pro that can be replaced, which means that upgrading the M4 Mac mini’s SSD is not simple. That said, overseas Mac repair technicians have shared methods for replacing the SSD in the new Mac mini, successfully upgrading from 256GB to 1TB.
1. Disassembling the main unit and removing the SSD module
The process of replacing the M4 Mac mini’s SSD is quite complicated. First, you need to disassemble the Mac mini and remove the cooling fan, revealing the factory-designed SSD slot module structure. The 256GB SSD module in the Mac mini is made up of two 128GB NAND chips on both sides.
2. Removing the NAND chips from the module
Next, you need to remove the existing NAND chips from the M4 Mac mini’s SSD module. This requires the use of a hot air gun to remove and replace the chips. Finally, you need to clean the soldering material to ensure that the soldering points on the module remain clean.
3. Reapplying solder
Then, you need to prepare two large-capacity NAND chips as replacements. Soldering is required to attach the new chips to the original module. This process involves using a mold to evenly apply the solder and then using flux to heat the components to ensure proper soldering.
4. Resoldering the NAND chips and reinserting the module
After resoldering the two NAND chips, you can then reinsert the SSD module back into the Mac mini and use Apple Configurator to restore macOS data.
5. Successful upgrade and system recovery
After upgrading the M4 Mac mini’s SSD, it will boot up normally into the macOS system, and the 1TB SSD will be displayed, effectively expanding the original 256GB storage capacity by four times.
6. Conclusion
Overall, upgrading the SSD in the M4 Mac mini is a very complex process that requires specialized micro-soldering skills. It also requires various tools and accessories to complete the repair properly.
If Apple allows regular users to replace the M4 Mac mini’s SSD themselves, it will depend on whether Apple releases an official SSD upgrade module. This would make the process much easier.
It is also known that a foreign company, Polysoft Services, is preparing to launch an SSD module specifically for the Mac mini. They are currently conducting tests and expect to begin selling the modules next month, which should make SSD upgrades simpler and more accessible.
Source: dosdude1 (YouTube)
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