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.
The previous-generation Mac mini base model with the M2 chip has a single 256GB storage chip, resulting in 30% to 50% slower SSD read and write speeds compared to higher-capacity models. The slower speeds led to criticism from some customers.
The new Mac mini has modular storage (via iFixit Answers forum)A single 256GB storage chip also led to slower SSD speeds in the MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro base models with the M2 chip a few years ago. Apple returned to using two 128GB storage chips in 256GB configurations of MacBook Air models with the M3 chip earlier this year, while the 13-inch MacBook Pro line was discontinued last year and replaced with an entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro that starts with 512GB of storage.
The criticism surrounding Apple’s decision to use a single 256GB chip in some base-model Macs a few years ago primarily came from a vocal contingent of tech enthusiasts, and the average customer is unlikely to even notice the slower speeds in common day-to-day tasks. Nevertheless, it appears that customers who do want the fastest SSD speeds do not need to worry about which storage capacity they choose when ordering the new Mac mini.
This article, “New Mac Mini Has Modular Storage, 256GB Model Will Have Faster SSD” first appeared on MacRumors.com
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