Expand Mac mini reported on September 22, 2026, that its inspection found the Mac mini M6’s NAND—flash-memory chips that store data—soldered to the logic board, with no removable SSD module. An internal module swap is therefore not an option on the inspected hardware. An external SSD can add capacity, but it remains a separate drive.
The Mac mini M6 has soldered internal storage
Expand Mac mini reported the same design in the Mac mini M5 Pro it inspected. The company also said its aftermarket M4 and M4 Pro storage modules do not fit the M6 or M5 Pro. The M4’s removable module arrangement is different from the soldered storage found in the inspected M6.
What the reported SSD speed test measured
Blackmagic Disk Speed Test results published September 23, 2026, compare sequential read and write speeds across three configurations. Sequential throughput measures how quickly data moves in a continuous transfer; it does not, by itself, predict how responsive every app or everyday task will feel.
| Mac mini configuration | Sequential read (MB/s) | Sequential write (MB/s) |
| M6, 256GB | 3,216.8 | 3,000.2 |
| M6, 512GB | 6,371.5 | 6,577.4 |
| M4, 256GB | 2,792.5 | 2,014.5 |
In these results, the tested M6 512GB configuration recorded higher read and write speeds than the tested M6 256GB configuration. The M6 256GB figures also exceeded the M4 256GB figures in this test. These measurements describe the tested configurations and benchmark, not a guaranteed result for every workload.
External SSDs add capacity without replacing the internal drive
A compatible enclosure or dock lets you connect an external SSD, including an M.2 NVMe drive in a supported dock. Transfer speeds depend on both the SSD and the dock’s connection to the Mac mini.
Apple documents using an external storage device as a startup disk on Apple silicon Macs. The internal SSD still plays a role in the startup and security process, so starting from an external drive does not make the internal storage removable.
What to consider when choosing storage
Because the inspected M6 has no removable internal SSD module, the practical choice is how much storage you want inside the Mac mini from the outset. An external drive can add room for files, but it does not increase the capacity of the soldered NAND.
