Engineers in China have reportedly managed to upgrade the M1 chip's memory and storage, suggesting that Apple's built-in custom silicon for the Mac may be more flexible than previously thought.
Reports of maintenance technicians being able to upgrade the memory and storage of M1 Macs were documented on Chinese social media over the weekend (via DuanRui). But now international media are also reporting on it.
M1 MacBook Air is significantly upgraded
Technicians in Guangzhou, China, have discovered that it is possible to remove the memory from the M1 chip and the adjacent SSD module and replace them with larger capacity components that are correctly recognized by macOS - without destroying the device. As proof, a large number of images have been shared online showing the process of upgrading a base model M1 MacBook Air with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage to 16GB RAM and 1TB storage and having this change correctly reflected in macOS Big Sur. The RAM and SSD components on Apple's M1 Macs are soldered in place, making the procedure extremely difficult and reportedly with a high probability of failure. This invasive unofficial upgrade also undoubtedly violates Apple's warranty. Cupertino has made it increasingly difficult for users to upgrade their own Macs over the years.
Upgrading M1 Macs: More for enthusiasts
Thus, it has already been suggested that the M1 Mac represents a final solidification of this move, as all of the M1 Mac's computing components are highly physically integrated. The ability to upgrade the M1 Macs' RAM and storage, albeit in an invasive and risky process, therefore seems to be a significant discovery. Due to the difficulty of upgrading the RAM or SSD, almost all M1 owners will likely still be stuck with the storage and hard drive configuration they chose at purchase, with upgrades limited to a minority of enthusiasts, although it has been hinted that M1 Mac storage and hard drive upgrades will be available in Asia through unofficial channels. It remains to be seen whether the process behind these upgrades will be refined over time and become a more viable option. (Image: Apple)
