Mac mini Late 2018 Teardown
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Mac mini Late 2018 Teardown
1–10 of 197 posts
Re: Mac mini Late 2018 Teardown
#2A bit disappointing to see that the storage is not user-upgradable. I guess it matters less on a device like this where you could more easily use external storage, but still. I wish Apple stopped soldering in stuff and just made things a centimeter taller if that was the tradeoff.
Re: Mac mini Late 2018 Teardown
#3More accessible than the previous gen (although oddly iFixit gives it the same score of 6/10), but it's harder than I'd hoped to get to the RAM.
Re: Mac mini Late 2018 Teardown
#4A bit disappointing to see that the storage is not user-upgradable. I guess it matters less on a device like this where you could more easily use external storage, but still. I wish Apple stopped soldering in stuff and just made things a centimeter taller if that was the tradeoff.
My understanding is that Apple pairs the individual hard drive in any given unit with the "Secure Enclave" that they use for TouchID within the same unit. So they are paired and one cannot be replaced without also replacing the other.
Not excusing it, just explaining.
Re: Mac mini Late 2018 Teardown
#5A bit disappointing to see that the storage is not user-upgradable. I guess it matters less on a device like this where you could more easily use external storage, but still. I wish Apple stopped soldering in stuff and just made things a centimeter taller if that was the tradeoff.
Maybe Apple should build SSD storage thingies that are exactly the same size as the mini so they can be stacked. They're already stacking them for demos and it would definitely look cool. Especially if you get Thunderbolt cables that exactly match 1-4 mini heights (since it got 4 Thunderbolt ports) + daisy chaining.
Re: Mac mini Late 2018 Teardown
#6A bit disappointing to see that the storage is not user-upgradable. I guess it matters less on a device like this where you could more easily use external storage, but still. I wish Apple stopped soldering in stuff and just made things a centimeter taller if that was the tradeoff.
Maybe Apple should build SSD storage thingies that are exactly the same size as the mini so they can be stacked. They're already stacking them for demos and it would definitely look cool. Especially if you get Thunderbolt cables that exactly match 1-4 mini heights (since it got 4 Thunderbolt ports) + daisy chaining.
That’s been a thing from a lot of companies for past Minis (e.g. https://www.newertech.com/products/ministack_classic.php ); I see no reason why it won’t happen again.
Re: Mac mini Late 2018 Teardown
#7A bit disappointing to see that the storage is not user-upgradable. I guess it matters less on a device like this where you could more easily use external storage, but still. I wish Apple stopped soldering in stuff and just made things a centimeter taller if that was the tradeoff.
Maybe Apple should build SSD storage thingies that are exactly the same size as the mini so they can be stacked. They're already stacking them for demos and it would definitely look cool. Especially if you get Thunderbolt cables that exactly match 1-4 mini heights (since it got 4 Thunderbolt ports) + daisy chaining.
Other World Computing (OWC) actually sells a device called a miniStack which is essentially that. An external enclosure the same form factor and design as the (last-generation) Mini. It's still uses an older USB 3 connection though, no daisy-chaining.
Re: Mac mini Late 2018 Teardown
#8A bit disappointing to see that the storage is not user-upgradable. I guess it matters less on a device like this where you could more easily use external storage, but still. I wish Apple stopped soldering in stuff and just made things a centimeter taller if that was the tradeoff.
My understanding is that Apple pairs the individual hard drive in any given unit with the "Secure Enclave" that they use for TouchID within the same unit. So they are paired and one cannot be replaced without also replacing the other. Not excusing it, just explaining.
Ideal solution would be small secure enclave storage for keys then user-upgradable main storage encrypted with those keys.
Re: Mac mini Late 2018 Teardown
#9Curious as to which 10Gb Ethernet controller is being used, no mention in the teardown. Anyone know?
Re: Mac mini Late 2018 Teardown
#10Earlier quoted context omitted.
My understanding is that Apple pairs the individual hard drive in any given unit with the "Secure Enclave" that they use for TouchID within the same unit. So they are paired and one cannot be replaced without also replacing the other. Not excusing it, just explaining.
Ideal solution would be small secure enclave storage for keys then user-upgradable main storage encrypted with those keys.
Of course, but then how could you charge 2-3x for storage upgrades that way?
Edit: wow, really struck a nerve there. I take it back, Apple is in no way motivated to massively overcharge for storage upgrades.