Electronics boffin creates slot-in MacBook SSD module system — breaks storage limits for every modern MacBook

A YouTuber's slot-in SSD replacements for MacBooks, replacing the default soldered storage solution.
A YouTuber's slot-in SSD replacements for MacBooks, replacing the default soldered storage solution. (Image credit: iBoff RCC on YouTube)

Those familiar with the restricted, soldered storage design of standard Apple silicon-built MacBooks have reason to rejoice. Mac Logic Board Enthusiast iBoff RCC has shown this restrictive storage design can be circumvented with specialized breakout PCBs that allow for full storage drive swapping over the NVMe M.2 interface.

One major notable restriction of MacBook storage has been overcome here — and it bodes particularly well for the long-term future of devices that follow this modding route, since a corrupted SSD can outright prevent a MacBook from booting... and is, of course, near-impossible to deal with for most end users. This is noted as a fundamental concern for long-term MacBook repairs and maintenance and not something Apple should be forcing its users to deal with by soldering storage to the board, to begin with.

No More Storage Limits : Solution For All Apple MacBooks - 4K - YouTube No More Storage Limits : Solution For All Apple MacBooks - 4K - YouTube
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Unfortunately, there are some major caveats here worth discussing. The biggest issue for Joe Public is the requirement for a second MacBook to help you reboot your original MacBook after replacing the original SSD storage. Beyond that, the high-difficulty, high-risk mod process involving the removal of the original SSD chips may also raise some eyebrows. However, the final results indicate that modding the M.2 slot does not negatively impact SSD performance.

While some may question the practicality of even considering an upgrade like this, it's important to remember that such steps wouldn't be necessary if Apple weren't insistent on setting arbitrary limits on users of its hardware. These arbitrary limits, especially soldering SSD storage instead of allowing it to be freely swapped, speak to a desire to nickel-and-dime consumers instead of leaving the tools and processes for easy DIY repairs and upgrades in place. Those stuck with a low-capacity MacBook model aren't going to have recourse besides slower external storage or solutions like this.

In terms of saving physical footprint, it seems obvious that soldering SSD drives and RAM offers virtually no benefit when compared to simply supporting the smallest swappable version of these existing standards. What Apple might be saving in millimeters within the build is easily being lost by consumers when issues that would otherwise warrant a quick hardware swap become nigh unsolvable.

Christopher Harper
Contributing Writer

Christopher Harper has been a successful freelance tech writer specializing in PC hardware and gaming since 2015, and ghostwrote for various B2B clients in High School before that. Outside of work, Christopher is best known to friends and rivals as an active competitive player in various eSports (particularly fighting games and arena shooters) and a purveyor of music ranging from Jimi Hendrix to Killer Mike to the Sonic Adventure 2 soundtrack.

  • toffty
    The best solution?
    Don't buy Apple products!
    Reply
  • hotaru251
    and now Next gen ones will have special id's that refuse to boot if there is a non spec id part in it.
    Reply
  • georgebaker437
    Proof of time travel! No one has used the term "boffin" since 1945, WW II movies excluded. This writer is obviously a time traveller.
    Reply
  • 1_rick
    georgebaker437 said:
    Proof of time travel! No one has used the term "boffin" since 1945, WW II movies excluded. This writer is obviously a time traveller.
    No, The Register likes using that term for some odd reason, possibly they're all from the 1940s. Maybe the auther here is trying to get a job there.
    Reply
  • Joseph_138
    If it's not practical to use (and requiring a second Macbook every time you reboot is NOT practical) then it's a worthless exercise.
    Reply
  • DingusDog
    georgebaker437 said:
    Proof of time travel! No one has used the term "boffin" since 1945, WW II movies excluded. This writer is obviously a time traveller.
    I use that term frequently and also refer to my kids as sprogs and I'm not British.
    Reply
  • Nikolay Mihaylov
    IIRC, the NAND controller is embedded in the SoC, so this board provides only the NAND chips. The M2 slot is probably used for convenience, but you cannot plug any M2 device in it. So it's misleading to call it M2, even if it's the same mechanically.
    Reply
  • newtechldtech
    Even if Apple Decides to make the SSD slot in , it will not be a standard M2 slot , but a proprietary one.
    Reply
  • das_stig
    Isn't a boffin just a nerd with old school scruffy beard and not one of these GenZ-Losers custom chin stubble?
    Reply
  • drajitsh
    toffty said:
    The best solution?
    Don't buy Apple products!
    when the 1st macbook pro with the M1 max chipset was released I was awfully tempted to ditch windows for that -- but Louis Rossman cured me of that insanity by telling me just how much the engineering motherboard design sucked.
    Reply