Two years after the M4 Mac mini released with an upgradable SSD, but Apple has changed course with the soldered new model. But, the new Mac Studio still has a slotted SSD with serialized components, so an upgrade there is at least possible.

Apple always used to solder its Mac storage in place, making it a permanent and so unchangeable, unrepairable feature. Given that Apple charges more for SSD storage than seems imaginable, it was big news when the last generation of Mac Studio and Mac mini changed this.

The M4 Mac mini came with a slotted, removable SSD, as did the M1 and M2 models of the Mac Studio. It's not as if Apple recommended upgrading your SSD yourself, but it was no longer making it impossible, and many people took great advantage. AppleInsider's Mike Wuerthele did it with an M4 Mac mini and then monitored it for six months, never finding any issues at all.

However, one firm that provided larger SSD storage for these devices, ExpandMacMini.com, now reports that the New Mac mini is not upgradeable. That's for both the M5 Pro and M6 versions of the Mac mini, meaning the NAND storage is once again soldered onto the logic board.

At time of writing, Apple's official repair documentation for the Mac mini consists only a specifications sheet. So there will be details later of what can be replaced or repaired, but it's not going to include swapping out the SSD.

However, Apple repair documentation for the new Mac Studio and includes how it is possible to replace the SSD has been published.

Better news for the Mac Studio

The repair documentation's section on the SSD is for both the M5 Max and M5 Ultra versions of the Mac Studio. That same section does presume that you are repairing the Mac Studio, though, not that you are trying to install lower-cost SSD storage.

It can of course be the SSD that has failed, so the repair instructions allow for you replacing them. However, "SSD modules are specific to the Mac model," it says. "Ensure that you use an SSD module that correctly corresponds with the model."

Then the Mac Studio can come with two SSD modules, depending on the storage configuration, and they aren't the same. Apple's ones come with serial numbers whose ending corresponds to one of the two connectors on the logic board.

Plus it won't be clear until teardowns check it out, but it's unlikely that Apple uses standard parts. While they resemble standard PC storage modules, Apple has the controller integrated into Apple Silicon instead of on the module itself.

That means it's not possible to order off-the-shelf M.2 SSD modules and use those. Previously some users have undertaken immensely delicate and complex soldering to make it happen.

But then after that, there were companies that provided options that weren't exactly plug and play, but were close enough. They could fit into the slots on the Mac Studio, for instance, and work.

You still had to have access to another Mac in order to complete the setup. And the moment you open your Mac Studio, you void the warranty.

So it's hardly a recommended solution to Apple's high SSD storage prices. But in theory it is still possible to do this with a Mac Studio and doubtlessly there will be firms that produce the parts to do it.

They just can no longer do so for the Mac mini.