iFixit has posted its video teardown of the unexampled M4 Mac mini , and as common , it ’s a enchanting work of how design , engineering , and technology come in together – or in this sheath , take apart
While a deal of masses are interested in the inner works of Apple ’s products , the Mac miniskirt might draw more interest than any other product . There ’s a widespread belief that users should be able-bodied to perform a certain amount of customization and rise with desktop computers , even with Macs . And the Mac miniskirt has been used in unparalleled situations and projects . Teardowns like iFixit ’s do n’t just satisfy curiosity , they provide utilitarian selective information .
Watch iFixit ’s television , and after that , here are a few takeaways from the teardown .
It’s packed to the gills
The M1 and M2 Mac miniskirt used an sometime design andleft a good deal of space inside . With the new excogitation , the Mac mini is vastly packed . It ’s an incredible feat of innovation and technology , but it also provides a serious vault to do - it - yourselfers . Which lead us to …
It’s user upgradeable…but is it, really?
Apple clearly has an melodic theme of what components should be approachable , and it ’s obvious in the Mac miniskirt . For model , the CMOS bombardment is designed for entree without dive deeper into the car . In fact , it ’s the only constituent that ’s readily accessible .
We see early reports about theMac mini ’s SSD being upgradeableand the iFixit telecasting provides more info . The M4 and M4 Pro Mac minis use modules of different sizes and iFixit could n’t get its Mac mini to turn when they tried swop the SSDs .
iFixit often come to to the Mac mini as being upgradeable , but being “ upgradeable ” involves the ability to remove a part and replace it with anavailable part . At this power point , there ’s no uncommitted part for the Mac miniskirt . Apple use a proprietary SSD module that is nothing like the NVMe SSDs used in Windows PC and is made by third party such asCrucial . You ca n’t grease one’s palms a NVMe and pop it into the Mac mini .
Could a fellowship make a Mac mini - compatible SSD faculty ? peradventure , but would it be worth the investment funds for them ? It ’s unvoiced to say . The Mac miniskirt ’s SSD is similar to that of the Mac Studio , and aKickstarter projectto make a third - party Mac Studio SSD climb has exceeded its financing end , but it has only 142 backers . Granted , the Mac Studio is more of a niche than the Mac mini , but it still seems like a gloomy - volume endeavor .
In case you ’re wondering , the RAM is incorporate in the M4 chip , as it has since the M1 . There is no way to promote random access memory after purchase .
The fan is big
The ring of blowhole at the bottom of the Mac miniskirt lead to a fan that take up a considerable amount of space ( and even more space in the M4 Pro model ) . I ca n’t help oneself but wonder if smaller cooling units can be used , which could make the Mac mini even more tiny .
For example , Frore System makes “ solid - State Department active chill chips ” that are passing slender and good . Last class , I insure how theymodified a MacBook Air with its chill chips , which allowed it to break off throttling to maintain a proper operating temperature . I do n’t know what a system like Frore ’s would cost to implement , but I imagine it ’s not as cheap as a rooter , so it may be too pricey for consideration .
