What happens if you try to UPGRADE a $5,000 Mac Studio?

Thanks to Morning Brew for sponsoring

With news swirling recently about the removable SSD in Apple's new Mac Studio, I thought I'd try to answer any questions we might have about future upgradability the only way I know how: by actually TRYING IT! In today's video I'm putting $9,000 of Mac Studio on the line by trying to upgrade the storage in Apple's latest Mac!

Time stamps
0:00 Intro
1:48 Methodology
2:52 Upgrade Attempts
10:20 Rant

Gear:
*Amazon Links are affiliate codes and generate small commission to support the channel*

#RightToRepair

[user_anthony]

The amount of time needed to open and close these machines at least 5 times, dedication. Great job luke.

[kFY]

The SSDs are most likely encrypted with per-machine keys. I've seen M1 MBA being upgraded by resoldering the SSD chips - and it worked, but required Apple Configurator and DFU mode. The "SOS" blinking pattern is precisely Apple's way of asking for a DFU recovery.

[devicefuldb]

Thank you Luke; this is exactly what I wanted to know. I have the Mac Pro (Late 2013) that I got in 2015 and have since upgraded it myself from 1T SSD to 2T SSD and from 32GB DRAM to 64GB DRAM. When I first purchased it, I thought, "I'll never, ever need more than 1T of storage and 32GB of DRAM." But of course, I did. My current Logic sessions, when mature, use over 40GB of DRAM. Knowing if the M1 Studio is upgradable was a key decider for me, and you solved it. BTW, on another note: the SSD upgrade I did was from a Mac parts 3rd party, completely approved, and when updating to Monterey, the upgrade would not complete, because Apple said the SSD was not compatible. I had to get the original SSD, upgrade it to Monterey, so it would update the Firmware, and then put my 3rd party SSD back in and upgrade it to Monterey.

[ARamirez]

Intriguing. You might wanna try booting the Mac Studio into DFU mode. Then, on another Mac, install Apple Configurator so you can reflash the firmware, so the SSD can be properly accessed, much like the same procedure on a 2019 Mac Pro. No guarantees, but it might be worth a shot!

[dogussahin]

Plus if apple is really honest with their environmental concerns, they must respect the right to repair!

[dson]

This may be a situation like the 2019 Mac Pro SSD upgrade. It requires special steps but it does work. Luke, please look into how the Mac Pro is upgraded and see if you are missing software level steps to enable this.

[laserfloyd]

Was contemplating one of these machines but I like to upgrade my systems from time to time. Thanks for putting the time _and_ money into this.

[near_by_gamer]

it's to do with the way that the modules interface with the processor and the way that arm architecture works means that the controller is on the m1processor for the SSD making it a little bit more difficult to swap the memory modules because these actually don't have a controller on the actual board itself, meaning that you may actually need a piece of software to reset the controller inside the m1 chip since arm architecture is very tightly integrated with itself this becomes a very difficult subject around right to repair but it's all depending on if Apple allows people to get access to the necessary tools to reset the controller in order for people to be able to change the memory modules, if you actually look at the memory modules themselves you'll notice that they don't actually have a controller unlike an nvme or mSATA SSD usually arm architecture is a very tightly integrated with itself generally controllers and memory modules have to work in tandem and the controller has to have a reference of the addresses available on the NAND chips. I'm in no way defending this product and I support right to repair but having the understanding of how this machine actually works compared to x86 based machines is necessary.

[vojtechvokoun]

Well I think that the Secure Enclave on the chip is restricting it (same as the 2019 Mac Pro, where you had the T2 chip, you also can’t just swap out the drives) for security reasons. People were able to get it working through Apple Configurator 2, try using that after swapping, you basically authorize the new drive and it might work.

[jermainemills]

I think you miss a step, because with all Macs With A T2 Chip you have to restore the firmware for it to notice new/different storage modules. I know this to be true with the Mac Pro 2019 Models. I think if you did that then we could truly know if they did something more to blocked just being able to replace the drive.

[alanl]

you need to do a DFU restore using Apple Configurator 2.

[RandomKSandom]

11:59 Not to undermine anything else that you said. But I didn't see anything in what you showed to suggest that that slot is non-functional.
* I wouldn't be at all surprised of it's only possible to boot from the first slot.
* It worked well enough that the device recognised the foreign SSD and locked you out.

That aside, I'm with you on evening else. This is the machine that has brought me the closest to actually buying a Mac. And then things like this are an excellent example of why I never will on their current trajectory. We have to get better at repairability.

[Fernyte]

You did a great job of articulating exactly what I’ve been feeling for the past few years with apple! Thank you!

[EnaBBQ]

You need to try using AppleConfigurator 2 to "resync" the drives. You have to do that with mac Pro 7, 1 too

[boogymano]

I have access to internal documents and Mac Studio repairs have a similar process to replacing a screen on iPhone 12/13. The Mac puts itself in DFU mode to be restored by System Configuration which (by my assumption) flashes the security chip to allow it to boot.

[BrandonHuettner]

With the Mac Pro, you have to restore firmware to the T2 chip using Apple Configurator when upgrading the storage modules. Maybe this is or will be a similar process?

[AmirZaimMohdZaini]

When ordering the Mac Studio, any of configuration details will be written onto the firmware which any of consumers can't doing such modifications after receiving the unit. Secondly, the storage inside SSD are encrypted uniquely on each machine, so swapping with one another is not possible.

However, there is one thing that you might want to try - cloning the entire SSD storage bit by bit and transfer into 3rd party SSD, see if Apple is trying to locking SSDs only to one particular model instead of using any kind of 3rd party, even the storage had been cloned.

[supralapsarian]

Luke, you’re killing me! 😱 Did you brick both machines in the end, or were you able to get them back up and running with their original SSDs in place? 🤔 Inquiring minds want to know!

[DJLsbVapes]

Interesting. You may need to boot into recovery menu, disable all safeties and encryption, and only then exchange or add storage.

[ThinkscapeVideo]

I doubt it’s lack of controller. Second slot probably disabled by firmware, so only Apple can use it to offer higher storage options in the future, or compensate for module shortages (ie ship 2x 2TB modules if 4TB are too expensive or not available)