I wonder if that was a conscious change from Apple due to pressure from the right to repair crowd? Good news all round, soon as third party upgrades are a thing I’ll be ordering a base M4
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iFixit Shares M4 Mac Mini Teardown
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I WANT ONE! an M4 Mac mini Pro. Base model.
Upgrade it on my own to a 4TB SSD module.
The Ultimate Digital Nomad set up anywhere computer.
Upgrade it on my own to a 4TB SSD module.
The Ultimate Digital Nomad set up anywhere computer.
there's the official apple repair manual available online for free for everyone:
Mac mini (2024) Repair Manual - Apple Support
Technical instructions for troubleshooting and replacing parts in an Apple device
before you get too excited: the SSD module is special. it's not the regular controller+dram+flash on an M.2 module as it was with the MacBook Air for quite a long time. Those are NAND chips w/o controller. so if you want to do the upgrades yourself, as of now you need to source the compatible flash ICs (kioxia) and perform some very delicate BGA soldering. not saying it is impossible to pull of, but it's not something most people even dare to watch.
sure, if someone decides to manufacture newly designed PCBs populated with compatible flash chips, then replacement will be easy as 1-2-3.
If the EU is so keen to make sure that devices have the same kind of charging ports and should be able to download apps from other sources, why can't they force manufacturers to enable easy upgrading of RAM and storage?
To be able to do so would extend the life of devices and lead to lower carbon footprint.
To be able to do so would extend the life of devices and lead to lower carbon footprint.
Where does that end though? Should your smart TV have SODIMM slots? Or should your smart switches have a micro SD slot?
I hope that is the difference that will enable 3rd party vendors to offer upgrades.
This is an inexpensive machine, and the market for affordable upgrades should be much bigger than Mac Studio or Mac Pro.
The only snag could be that you do need a second Mac to be able to perform the DFU restore. Wasn't there some rumor at one point that you could do that in the future from an iPhone? Not sure if that ever materialized.
My two cents on the storage upgrade thing, since they haven't locked it and they are listed as orderable parts on the service manual, why wouldn't it work? Do they sell NAND modules for the Studio? That is also listed as a orderable part. Personally, even if they gouge on the upgrade it would be way better then not being to upgrade.
That is exactly how I'm taking this. These mini beasts are going to be a problem! At $599 they will sell like hotcakes. But the real magic might be six or more years from now when they are all over the used market, available for like $100, and still very capable with years of service left in them. We might see them in all sorts of places.
7 years is obsolete. In 6 years these will be on their way out. There won't be years left in these. They will stop getting os updates 1 or 2 years afterwards.
They have their reasons, but definitely not because anyone has placed any pressure on them.
If that was the case, they would had used regular nvmes drives, which are cheaper and in cases, faster.
Now, if the EU decided to take action, then that would be another story and i would love for that to happen.
Right @Chuckeee ? 😁
So, you, as a consumer, dont want more for your money?
TV with SODIMM would be great, if such things benefited us the consumers.
I repeat, defending companies greediness to the point that affect me and others as consumers doesnt makes any sense to me. 🤷🏼♂️
Pretty sure Apple's gonna put an end to it before they come out via a software update, and hopefully they'll get sued. 256GB for a base model is a joke.
256gb is standard. My HP laptop is 256gb also and 8gb ram.
It’s absolutely mad how some people are hung up and defend these bad practices that Apple pulls. A corporation is not your friend…
For me, im in the market for a mini, but I refuse to buy with apples insane storage upgrade prices. If I could upgrade it myself later on, I’d buy without hesitation. Fingers crossed third parties come to the rescue
Yes and it’s so unbelievably dumb of them because it will suck in it’s own hot air. It’s a basic understanding to keep cooling inflow and outflow nowhere near each other.
Maybe you should write them a letter to let them know. They probably had some interns design the cooling system who have never heard of such concepts.
(added smiley to symbolize sarcasm)
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Its bottom front to bottom back cooling. With lots of fins directing air in the right direction. The previous models had bottom to back. Where the bottom was just a slit that allowed air from anywhere to come in.
Airflow will probably be like those fanless desk fans. That create a small stream of air pulling the air around it in the same direction.
(I am hoping my sarcasm was clear even without an emojy.)
I was more asking where does government regulation end with you. Not trying to say SODIMM slots on a smart TV would or not be useful.
As soon as all Mac Studio generations will get it. In fact, it means "never".
As far as I'm concerned, this new Mac Mini is definitely the best Apple product in 2024.
My only regret is... I don't need one.
Yet 👹.
My only regret is... I don't need one.
Yet 👹.
Exactly.
But then again, the expresions "Apple cult members" and "rabid fanbois" sadly exist for the same reason.
Apple has good products, but as I said in another thread, there is a limit as to how much I am willing to take for such products.
It ends where it stops benefiting me.
Is that concept so difficult to understand? placing us consumers before these greedy corporations?