Mac mini M4 SSD upgrade

[Ron Lockhart]

I purchased a Mac mini M4 base model from Amazon, on sale, for $539. My goal was to upgrade the SSD with a 2 TB drive to replace my obsolete 27-inch iMac. I’d seen a lot of articles and how-tos, and felt confident that I had the skill level to pull this off.

The drive I purchased was a CHGRNLF Mac mini M4 SSD for $289, saving over $500 compared to buying an Apple 2 TB SSD. I found the upgrade straightforward, especially since I already had the right tools, which always makes a project easier. I found I didn’t have to completely remove the base plate, or fan. I was able to lean them carefully against the case, which gave me plenty of room to get to the SSD. I then reversed the steps and I was ready to go, all in under 30 minutes.

Next, I put the now-upgraded Mini into DFU mode and connected my MacBook Pro to the 4K Thunderbolt port. The OS was downloaded and installed via Apple, and after an hour, I was ready to see what my efforts had wrought! The Mini started right up and proved that the SSD upgrade was working as expected.

I’ve matched the Mini with a Dell Ultrasharp 27″ monitor, which is an impressive display. I had one minor problem when I first connected the monitor. I would get spontaneous blackouts, which would last 2-3 seconds before returning to normal. After standard troubleshooting, I suspected that the problem was the HDMI cable. I swapped it out for a new high-speed 8K cable (Amazon Basics) and the problem was immediately solved.

I also decided that after 20+ years of cloning the OS, I’d build this computer from the ground up. It’s been a bit of a challenge, but not as difficult or time-consuming as I thought it would be. After four days, I’m ready to go, including scanners, Plex, Photoshop, and Microsoft Office. The downside was that I permanently lost access to ViewIt and ♡ Sudoku, both apps that are no longer supported. Since I’ll be using this new computer primarily as a media server, the loss of these two programs was annoying, but not a show-stopper.

I’m writing to NMUG to let everyone know that if you’re in the market for a new desktop, the base Mac mini (upgraded to a much larger hard drive) is a great choice. If you’re editing with Premiere, this might not be your machine, but for anyone else who doesn’t need professional overhead, the M4 chip is a game-changer. It’s fast, responsive, and head-and-shoulders better than the 27″ 2017 iMac. I will, however, miss that beautiful screen. I wish it had been possible to use the iMac as a monitor with the Mini, but unfortunately, that isn’t possible.

If you’re interested in doing this mod yourself, check out the iFixIt cheat sheet for upgrading the Mini M4. Also, YouTube is loaded with videos on how to do the upgrade and the final DFU step.

If you choose to go this route, I wish you good luck with creating your new computer! It’s not that difficult, and you’ll love the performance of a large, capacious drive, not to mention saving $520 over buying it from Apple.

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Discussion

[Gerrie Shults]

Does this SSD upgrade invalidate your warranty or AppleCare?

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[Ron Lockhart]

I don’t know. There seems to be some mixed opinions online, but since third-party repairs are now allowed, I’d think it would be OK. Nonetheless, I saved the original drive, and if necessary, I’d reinstall it.

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[Charles Russo]

Ron thanks for sharing your upgrade process with details. As DIY’er I find the how to video’s from MacSales OWC to be quite good. Do you have any particular websites to provide information?

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[Ron Lockhart]

OWC does not make a replacement drive for the Mac mini M4. They were, in fact, the first people I checked with when I wanted to buy the drive. I’ve purchased all of my memory upgrades over the years from OWC, and I’ve never had one go bad. I ended up buying the drive on Amazon for ~$280.

I used iFixIt for the teardown. They take you through the upgrade Torx screw by Torx screw. https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/How+to+Replace+the+SSD+in+your+Mac+mini+(2024)/180199

I also narrowed down the YouTube videos to this one: https://youtu.be/zJC73hm3VM4?si=p2-y1VD9_9sYWGX_

Between these two sites and their documentation, my upgrade went flawlessly.

ifixit.com

How to Replace the SSD in your Mac mini (2024)

Use this guide to replace the SSD, or flash storage module, in your Mac mini (2024). This guide was written with a base model M4 Mac mini. Although...

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[Peter Emery]

Ron, if you feel confident about opening a 5k iMac, AliExpress (for example) is a source for a kit that converts an iMac into a monitor. They are reasonably priced but one must be aware that the webcam, speakers and external IO won’t work after the conversion. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007873359465.html

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[Ron Lockhart]

Thanks for the info, Peter. I made the decision to purchase a 27″ Dell Ultrasharp rather than modify my existing iMac. I read the reviews on the iMac monitor upgrade at Alie Express, and they don’t get a lot of compliments for their products. In addition, as you said in your post, the loss of the camera and other external IOs made me decide to get a replacement monitor. The Dell Ultrasharp also acts as a USB hub with lots of inputs. It also supports Thunderbolt 140W video connections in addition to HDMI. My only gripe with it is that the connections are recessed and at a 90º angle to the monitor, which makes plugging in cables a bit of a challenge. Once it’s all set up, however, it’s a sensational monitor.

Thanks for the link. I’ll definitely bookmark it for when I’m looking for resources for my next project.

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[Peter Emery]

The way I found out about the Ali Express module is from a social media reply I received to a post I’d made mentioning a company here in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia that can supply the bare kit (at a significant markup), convert an iMac you send in or purchase a converted 4k or 5k iMac directly from them.

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[Brian Silverio]

How does the drive R/W speed compare to the original?

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[Ron Lockhart]

It’s a very good question, and I don’t have a definitive answer. I never even turned on the Mini before taking it apart. I don’t have the specs on the replacement drive, but here is what was posted on Amazon:

• 【ULTRA-FAST READ/WRITE SPEEDS】: With read and write speeds of up to 3300M/S, the macmini ssd storage upgrade dramatically cuts down on wait times, whether you’re transferring large files, running apps, or editing high-definition media. Experience lightning-fast data transfers with our third-party internal hard drive for Macmini m4.

Here’s what I found when I asked ChatGPT “What is the drive speed of the Mac mini M4”:

• On the 256 GB SSD in the base M4 Mac mini, benchmark tests (BlackMagic Disk Speed Test) show ~3 GB/s read, ~3 GB/s read and write, i.e., symmetrical speeds.

• From an anecdotal viewpoint, this Mini flies! Opening Photoshop or GarageBand seems instantaneous compared to my older iMac.

  I hope this helps answer your question!

appleinsider.com

M4 Mac mini review: The first redesign in years hides incredible computing power

Apple's long-overdue overhaul of the Mac mini shrinks an already great package even more, yet it still punches far above its weight class.

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[jo Pinder]

Thank you for this. Excellent discussion about upgrading the SSD and an M4 mini

I wonder if You and perhaps Peter could insert a small discussion here on how to choose memory chips you’ve suggested some for the mini. I have an external hub with an SSD slot that fits under the mini and I’m trying to decide how to identify which brands or qualities of chips I need to buy to fit into that drive

Thanks

Joe.

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[Ron Lockhart]

Joe, I don’t understand your question. The newest Mac Mini M4 is based on a System on a Chip (SoC) architecture, where the memory is part of the CPU. Because of that, you can no longer upgrade DRAM in a Mini.

If that’s possible by purchasing a hub and populating it with DRAM, I’m not aware of it. You could use an external drive case from OWC (Envoy Express) and add additional drive space, but DRAM, I don’t think so. I do know that there are hubs that hold additional drives, so maybe that is what you were asking.

Would anyone else like to weigh in on this topic?

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[Peter Emery]

Jo, what Ron referred to was not the memory, with Apple Silicon (aka M-series) Macs, that cannot be upgraded, instead needs to be specified at purchase. Ron referred to the actual Solid State Drive (SSD) storage module which is user-replaceable if you have the skills and or aptitude.

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[Charles Russo]

Thank you for mentioning iFixt. I had forgotten about the excellent methodical videos they post.

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[Edward Adams]

wow, thank you for sharing. I assume the same process can not be done on my M1 Mac Mini 16GB ? whose biggest problems are the internal SSD at 1/2TB and lack of ports.. It does what I need quite well including lots of AI processing of images.

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[Ron Lockhart]

The answer is no, you cannot upgrade the M1 Mini. The SSD is soldered to the board. The M4 Mini changed that architecture, and as you can tell from this posting, its drive can be upgraded.

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[jo Pinder]

Sorry, terminology red flag. I was referring to the SSD. It appears to me that what Ron has done. Has replaced the SS D Dr. I would call them chips. Maybe that’s wrong in the Mac mini but external hubs of the short that you have Peter I forget the name of it come with or without chips for the drive section and you can then get your own of various sizes. I’m wondering how to decide which of those SSD sets to put in one of those<div>Joe</div>

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[Ron Lockhart]

You populate that compartment with additional storage, e.g., a drive. Populating it with DRAM will NOT work and will not even fit. The drive(s) have the connector at the end, while DRAM has the connector on the bottom. You also don’t have to put anything in that slot at all, if you already have sufficient SSD space. My goal was to buy the base model (256 GB) and upgrade it myself to save $520 over Apple’s pricing. Even if you have sufficient storage space on the built-in drive, you might populate that slot with, say, a 1 TB chip and use it for Time Machine or Carbon Copy Cloner.

Good luck with your project.

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