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Mac Mini Teardown Reveals User-Upgradable RAM, But Soldered Down CPU and Storage (macrumors.com)
iFixit has released their teardown of the new Mac mini, providing a look inside the portable desktop computer. Some of the notable findings include user-upgradable RAM and soldered CPU and SSD. Mac Rumors reports: While the RAM in the previous-gen Mac mini from 2014 was soldered to the logic board, the new Mac mini has user-upgradeable RAM, as discovered earlier this week. As seen in older iMacs, the RAM is protected by a perforated shield that allows the memory modules to operate at a high frequency of 2666 MHz without interfering with other device functions, according to iFixit. To upgrade the RAM, the shield can be removed by unfastening four Torx screws.
Other silicon on the logic board of this particular Mac mini includes the Apple T2 security chip, a 3.6GHz quad-core Intel Core i3 processor, Intel UHD Graphics 630, 128GB of flash storage from Toshiba, an Intel JHL7540 Thunderbolt 3 controller, and a Gigabit Ethernet controller from Broadcom. Despite the good news about the RAM, the CPU and SSD are soldered to the logic board, as are many ports, so this isn't a truly modular Mac mini. iFixit awarded the new Mac mini a repairability score of 6/10, with 10 being the easiest to repair, topping the latest MacBook Air, MacBook, MacBook Pro, iMac, and iMac Pro, and trailing only the 2013 Mac Pro.
Other silicon on the logic board of this particular Mac mini includes the Apple T2 security chip, a 3.6GHz quad-core Intel Core i3 processor, Intel UHD Graphics 630, 128GB of flash storage from Toshiba, an Intel JHL7540 Thunderbolt 3 controller, and a Gigabit Ethernet controller from Broadcom. Despite the good news about the RAM, the CPU and SSD are soldered to the logic board, as are many ports, so this isn't a truly modular Mac mini. iFixit awarded the new Mac mini a repairability score of 6/10, with 10 being the easiest to repair, topping the latest MacBook Air, MacBook, MacBook Pro, iMac, and iMac Pro, and trailing only the 2013 Mac Pro.
The "top-of-the-line" Mac Mini is so expensive because it can be upgraded to 64 GB Ram / 2TB SSD.
No it's expensive because they can overcharge for the 64GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD.
It took a couple of minutes on google to find a pair of 32GB sodimms of the right frequenct for about $650. A really good 2TB ssd is similar.
and there are four thunderbolt parts where you can attach the fastest and biggest SSD drives you can find.
It's not so much mini at that point as mini-but-with-a-bunch-of-shite-plugged-in.
SJW n. One who posts facts.
There's a difference between a company making an honest amount of money, and a company gouging their customer base. Looking at Apple Canada's site today (because I'm in Canada) I see that going from 128GB of storage to 256GB on the new Mini Apple is charging $240 CDN. Like fuck right off - dozens of brand new 256GB m2 SSDs on newegg.ca are selling for between $100-$120. For the whole 256GB, not an "upgrade". Apple is making at least a $180 of pure profit off that $240. That's horseshit.