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IshKebab

"Upgradable" if you are willing to desolder and replace the BGA chips.

You can't just swap the module out.

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The iFixIt video above literally shows them swapping the module out.

The storage is not soldered to the M4 mini SOC.

No, it is soldered to the storage module. You have to desolder the flash chips from that module and replace them. You can't just order a bigger storage module from Apple (or anyone else) and plug it in.

I don’t think anything is stopping you buying a second hand / 3rd party module online. It just needs to be physically compatible with your particular generation of hardware.

Well, someone has to build the 3rd party module

I don't think this is true. If you watch the videos, dosdude1 specifically says he had to order blank NANDs for this process. Then you DFU restore the system from another mac. I have no proof, but I assume part of this DFU restore process is the new NAND chips being hardware paired in some way.

Again I have no proof, but there must be reasons he claims they have to be blank NANDs

> there must be reasons he claims they have to be blank NANDs

If you are building new SSDs, it makes sense to be certain that used NAND chips aren't slipping into your supply chain.

They do have a limited number of write cycles that they are good for, after all.

Watch the video again. He emphatically says they have to be blank or it won't work

M4 Macs only accept SSDs of the exact same make and model as the one installed at the factory.

So to expand storage in an M4 Mac, you indeed need to desolder the flash chips and solder in new ones.

What stops someone from selling replacement cards?

not wanting extensive interactions with Apple's legal team. Charging $400 for $10 of storage means they have a lot of money to harass you with very well payed lawyers even if you are in the right.

There have been companies selling hardware upgrades for Macs that weren't designed to be upgraded for many decades now.

The video at the base of this thread has iFixIt take the 500GB SSD from one Mac Mini and swap it with the 250GB SSD from another, and both recognized and worked with the replacement.

It is a swappable part. Which means much more attainable servicing for flash failure or exhaustion, and possibly even upgrading storage in the future.

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