iFixit Awards Redesigned M4 Mac mini A Repairability Score Of 7 Out Of 10, Citing Modularity And Easy-To-Replace Components In Teardown

Apple launched the new M4 Mac mini with a complete redesign a few weeks ago, and we now have one of the first teardowns of the machine, showcasing what changes the company has implemented on the inside. iFixit is known for its in-depth teardown of Apple and products from other companies and provides how well it is designed for repairability. Apple has greatly reduced the size and overall footprint of the M4 Mac mini, so it will be interesting to see how the teardown goes.

iFixit gives a 7 out of 10 repairability score to the redesigned M4 Mac mini

As mentioned, the M4 Mac mini’s size has been dramatically reduced on all four sides, measuring only 5 inches by 5 inches. This means that the components inside the device will be packed densely inside the housing, possibly making it difficult for repairers to get in. The previous model had a lot of empty space on the inside, but this time, the company not only improved the external chassis but also enhanced the thermal design.

It can be seen on the M4 Mac mini teardown that the power supply module is situated at the top of the machine, similar to the HomePod. Since the power supply takes a lot of space, it could be one of the reasons how the company shrunk the size down to a few inches without touching the performance aspect of the device. The fan is situated in the middle of the device, which takes air from its surroundings and keeps the device cool as the hot air exits through the bottom of the machine.

The thermal solution adopted is quite different from what we have seen before in Apple products, but since the Mac mini requires a lot of cooling, especially the M4 Pro variant, the company has added a more oversized copper heatsink than the standard M4 model. We have previously covered the thermal design aspect of the redesigned Mac mini in a previous teardown video, which you can also check for more details.

Besides this, the M4 Mac mini teardown also shows modular storage, allowing users to upgrade the SSD themselves. The SSD is proprietary to Apple and is the same type that the company uses on the Mac Studio. It is worth noting that the M4 and M4 Pro Mac mini models feature different NAND modules, meaning they can not be interchanged, as seen in the video. Users are, therefore, advised to make sure which SSD is correct for their unit.

While the SSD is modular, the same can not be said about the device’s RAM, which is soldered onto the M4 chip. This can make replacements difficult, as users would have to upgrade the machine with more RAM when they buy the device from Apple. Other parts inside the device can not be upgraded after buying the device, so users would have to do their research before purchasing the unit that best fits their needs.

iFixit gave the new M4 Mac mini a 7 out of 10 for repairability, which is quite high compared to what Apple devices typically get. The publication’s decision may have been greatly influenced by the SSD’s modularity, easy-to-remove components, and detailed repair manuals. We will keep you guys posted on the latest, so be sure to stick around.