Engineers in China have reportedly managed to upgrade the M1 chip’s memory and storage, suggesting that Apple’s integrated custom silicon for the Mac may be more flexible than previously thought.
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Reports were circulating from service technicians who could expand the memory and storage of M1 Macs on Chinese social media over the weekend, but now international reports are starting to clarify the situation.
Technicians in Guangzhou, China have discovered that it is possible to disconnect the RAM from the M1 chip and the nearby SSD module and replace it with larger capacity components, which are correctly recognized by macOS, without affecting the device. breaks down.
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As proof, a large number of images of the process of a base model M1 MacBook Air with 8 GB RAM and 256 GB storage have been upgraded to 16 GB RAM and 1 TB storage, and this change is properly reflected in macOS Big Sur. shared online.
The RAM and SSD components on Apple’s M1 Macs are soldered into place, making the procedure extremely challenging, and there is reportedly a high risk of failure. This invasive unofficial upgrade is no doubt also against Apple’s warranty.
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Apple has made it increasingly challenging for users to upgrade their own Macs over the years, and the M1 Mac was thought to be a definitive enhancement of this step, with all of the M1 Mac’s computer components heavily physically integrated. The ability to upgrade the memory and storage of M1 Macs, albeit in an invasive and risky procedure, therefore appears to be an important discovery.
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Due to the difficulty of upgrading the RAM or SSD, nearly all M1 owners will likely still have to rely on the memory and storage configuration they chose at the time of purchase, with upgrades limited to a minority of enthusiasts, although has been the case. suggested M1 Mac memory and storage upgrades will be available in Asia through unofficial channels.
M1 Mac owners may want to see the process behind these upgrades refined over time and become a more viable option.