Mac Mini M4 Expand Card Introduction

This is the original SSD module for the Mac mini M4, 2024 model. Yep, it’s a removable card. And here, we have a third-party version, using the exact same memory chip as the original Apple kit.
And guess what? It works. In this video, I’ll walk you through how we make this card, how it’s even possible to create one of these, and of course, why we do it.

This is A Premium Typwriter. I’m Alpha, your host. Welcome to my channel. Um, by ways of introduction, I run a technology company.
Uh, we develop Linux-based operating systems, and we also design and manufacture hardware devices, mainly in the consumer electronics arena.
Now in this channel, I like to share anything that I believe is interesting. Um, the things that we design, we make, and the problems that we have, and the solution that we come up with. So yeah.

I meant to say welcome, but I guess I was too nervous. Anyway, moving on.

The Mac Mini M4 Storage Problem

So, this story all starts with this nice little Mac mini M4 2024 model. Honestly, it’s probably one of the best value personal computer of 2024.
Our company picked up a few of these for professional use. Apple though, has this weird pricing strategy.

The base model starts at $599, but you only get 256 gigabytes of SSD storage, which, let’s be real, it’s way too little. The maximum you can get is 2 terabytes, which seems like it would be enough for us,but there is a huge 800 dollar price gap if you want the two terabyte option. That’s like 1.3 times more than the base model itself. So instead of opting for the 2 terabytes, we went with the base model, you know, to get our money’s worth.

Everything is great, it’s all shiny and new until you try downloading something from the browser and it fails. You check, there’s only 36 megabytes left on your disk.

It’s incredibly frustrating, constantly juggling files around because you don’t have enough storage space.

Our Solution

And this is the reason we decided to tackle this problem ourselves by applying our expertise and using the resources we have in consumer electronics. Let’s take a look at the results first.

This is the exact same Mac mini I had earlier, the one with just 256 gigabytes of storage. But now, after swapping out the SSD module and going through a process that I will show you later in this video, you can clearly see, it’s now got the maximum 2 terabytes of SSD.

It’s such a huge relief because I no longer have to juggle files constantly.

If I dive deeper into the system report, you’ll see that macOS is actually working really well with the new SSD module. The Smart Status is verified, and if I hop over to the command line tool to check the smart information, using the SmartCTL command, you see that the data right there in the terminal, clearly showing that it’s fully compatible.

Now, as for performance, it’s actually better than the original 256 base model’s onboard SSD. I’m running this benchmark tool to measure the sequential and random read and write speeds. I’ll share the results shortly comparing the 256 base model to the new 2 TB drive we just installed.

As for endurance, the one I’m using right now actually came from the factory as an engineering sample, the PVT model. I have only been using it for a couple of days, but so far it’s been working perfectly fine.

No issues at all. Of course, time will tell and I’ll update you if anything comes up, but honestly, I really don’t expect any problems.

Upgrading Your SSD: The Process

Now, let’s talk about the actual process of upgrading the SSD in your Mac mini M4. Unfortunately, it does require taking apart your device.

But don’t worry, we have got ifixit.com to the rescue. They’ve got a super detailed guide that walks you through each step. I won’t bore you with all the details, just head over to Ifixit and follow the instructions, but overall, it’s actually pretty simple.

The trickiest part is getting the bottom cover off, since you need a prying tool. After that, it’s a breeze. All you need is the right sized screwdriver to remove the original SSD, pop in the new one, then just reverse the steps, and boom, installation done.

Reviving Your Mac Mini

There’s one more step after installing the new SSD. You need to revive your Mac mini M4 with the new drive. Since the SSD is empty, the Mac mini won’t boot.

To do this, you need another Mac, anything made after 2015 should work, whether it’s a laptop or another Mac mini. Apple’s website has detailed instructions for reviving a Mac, but here is the high level process.

Connect the second Mac with the Mac mini via the DFU port, that’s one of the type-C ports using a type-C cable. Then, while holding the power button, plug in the power cord to trigger the DFU mode.

So once in DFU mode, you see orange light flashing in front of your Mac mini, the other Mac will show a finder window with the option to revive or restore the Mac mini. Since the SSD doesn’t have an OS, just click restore now, and the system would download the latest macOS and install it.

The process will take about 15 to 20 minutes depending on your internet speed. Once it’s done, a prompt will let you know that it’s finished, and you can safely disconnect the cable. That’s it. You have a bootable Mac mini with the new SSD.

Caveats and Warnings

So it’s been all singing and all dancing, um, I’m pretty happy with the upgraded Mac mini M4, I’m using it to edit this current video actually. Um, yeah, but, um, this is not without any caveats. So with, um, full honesty, um, here is what we know so far.

So the first thing, the first warning, is you need to backup your data before attempting to remove the original SSD module. Now, this is because once you install the new SSD module and go through the process to revive, um, the system, to reinstall, uh macOS, and once it boots up, the BIOS is now having this relationship with the new SSD instead of the old one.

So say if I were to plug in the old SSD module into the Mac mini M4, I would have to go through the same process like I demonstrated earlier. Uh, it will end up with a new macOS, so you will not be able to go back to the data, to the files that you previously have. So if the data that you previously have mean anything at all to you, you will need to back it up before attempting to upgrade your Mac mini M4.

Now repeat after me: backup, backup, and backup.

Now, this is what it is. Um, now, that’s the first thing. Um the second thing is, um like I demonstrated earlier, you would need another macOS device, um, as part of the process to revive, to revive, uh, the Mac mini M4 once, uh, the new SSD module is installed. If this Mac mini M4 is the only macOS device that you have on hand,so this process will probably not work for you, you would need to borrow another macOS device from your friend, your family in order to, um, have the revive process go through. So that’s the second thing.

Now, the third and the last thing is about this module that we manufactured.

Um, the goal, our objective, is to mimic the exact same configuration, the input and output specification as per the Apple original SSD module. Now, as you can see on, on this, um, PCB, there are many components and the most important two of them, actually, one on each side, is the massive NAND memory chip. Um.

Now, we sourced this NAND flash memory chip from the same vendor to supply Apple to make this Mac mini M4, so that this thing would work.

Now, obviously, we sourced this chip not from Apple directly, we sourced it from elsewhere, from our channel partners in, in the city of Shenzhen. So, this would mean that the testing and quality control process would be different than what Apple does.

Now having said that, this does not mean that we do not have any testing and quality assurance, right?

Now trust me, we have done everything we could to make sure this SSD module is manufactured, tested rigorously, um, to the highest standard that we could actually offer. So, um, this is tested, quality assured, and is manufactured by a vetted manufacturing partner, a proper factory.

However, please bear in mind that this is not an Apple product, and the thing that we do here is not endorsed by Apple company, uh, whatsoever. So, you’ll probably need to adjust your expectation in this to some extent.

Now, one thing to justify this is probably the pricing. Now Apple charges $800 on top of the Mac mini M4 base model in order to bump the storage to 2 terabytes.

Now the cost, um, we make one of these, it’s much less than $800, that’s something that I can tell you. So, to reiterate, this is not an official Apple product, but, um, we have done everything that we could to make sure this is tested rigorously, and it’s compatible and ready to be used with your Mac mini M4. Um, yeah, something that you should know.

Why is This Possible?

Okay, that’s the, that’s all the caveats that we know so far. Okay, to, to close, I’d like to share why this is possible at all, why we can make one of these.

Um, so first of all is obviously the design, you know, it’s quite unusual, especially in the Apple Silicon era, that Apple makes the SSD module an unremovable card, because we don’t really see this in all of the laptop design in MacBook Pro, MacBook Air and MacBooks, they are all soldered onto the motherboard.

But, um, maybe repairability and upgradeability is something to be considered when Apple is designing the Mac mini, um, we have, we have also seen the exact same removable design in, in Mac studio earlier. So, yeah, kudos for Apple for making this possible for us.

And second, um, it’s also Apple design, um, like I said earlier, this card does not have any controller unit. Um, it’s just the NAND flash memory chip and the, um, power management integrated circuit. So, it’s make, makes it much easier to replicate, to produce a third party compatible unit for us to do our work. Um, say if the controller unit and the encryption module is actually onboard with this module, um, then it would be probably another story.

So, yeah, um, that’s the two possibilities, um, by Apple’s design that we can make this happen.

And third, obviously, is with our expertise in both hardware and software design, and also our resources in the city of Shenzhen, um, the epic center of all consumer electronics and manufacturing, it’s very important that, um, we need to have the capability to fast prototype, to make one of these and test within the matter of, of days. Now, this is only possible thanks to our manufacturing partner. So yeah, that’s why we can make this happen.

Future Plans and a Call to Action

Um, so we do have plans to actually commercialize this and making it into a proper product. So you can, um, actually more than helping us and maybe it could also help you. Say, if you are an owner of the Mac mini M4 base model, and I know 256 is probably not enough for you. So yeah, um, do let me know in the comments if you are interested in getting one of those, and this you believe could also help you.

Um it’s all being planned at the moment. Yeah. Um, to close, um, this is A Premium Typwriter. I’m Alpha, your host. I will be sharing more contents, um, of technology, software, operating systems, and consumer electronics, hardware in my channel. If what you have seen so far is something that would interest you, um I guess I’ll probably see you in my next video. Thank you so much. Ciao.