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Waymo Offers Robotaxi Transit Discounts in Visa PartnershipNuance Audio Plus, Beats 360 and Sonos Ultra products launch with upgrades and tradeoffsWindows Task Manager Creator Ships TMOG, a Vibe-Coded Cross-Platform Rival Built From a 107-Page SpecBreakthrough Energy Bets on 21 Startups as Data Center Opposition GrowsBaselayer Raises $35M to Build Identity Trust Layer for AI AgentsHeidi Health raises $340M to deepen AI adoption across health systems
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New M6 and M5 Pro Mac mini Return to Soldered Storage, Blocking Aftermarket Upgrades

9to5Mac reports Apple's new M6 and M5 Pro Mac mini have soldered SSD storage again, removing the M4's aftermarket upgrade path.

AI News Feed · 2026-09-22 22:44

In a blog post, Expand Mac mini said the NAND in the new machines is soldered to the logic board, similar to the M1 and M2 versions of the Mac mini. Because the SSD module is no longer removable, the company said support for the M6 and M5 Pro "now looks unlikely." Expand Mac mini sells storage upgrade modules for the M4 and M4 Pro Mac mini. "No slot means nothing to swap, and very little room left for us," the company wrote, adding that it would continue looking for an opening but would report any change first.

The practical difference is cost. Expand Mac mini's 1TB SSD expansion module for the M4 Mac mini costs $300, while Apple charges $500 to upgrade the M6 Mac mini from 256GB to 1TB. Expand Mac mini's 2TB module costs $420, while Apple charges $1,000 for that upgrade, according to 9to5Mac.

The report said Apple's repair guide for the Mac Studio still shows removable SSDs, though no teardowns have yet confirmed that information. For M4 Mac mini owners, 9to5Mac previously published an in-depth tutorial on upgrading storage. Separately, Satechi makes an accessory that includes an SSD enclosure and additional ports for the M6 Mac mini, offering external storage rather than an internal upgrade.