M5 Max Mac Studio Teardown: Removable SSD, but Is an Upgrade Still Possible?
23rd September 2026: At iBoff RCC, we have always been interested in what happens inside Apple's latest Macs. So yesterday, we tore down the new M6 Mac mini. Unfortunately, what we found was disappointing for anyone interested in storage upgrades. Unlike the M4 Mac mini, which introduced a removable SSD module with a dedicated connector, the M6 Mac mini has returned to an onboard SSD design (The same case for M5 Pro mini). The storage is soldered directly onto the logic board, meaning that a conventional third-party SSD module upgrade is no longer possible.
That raised another important question: What about the new M5 Max Mac Studio? Would Apple continue using a removable SSD module, or would the latest Mac Studio follow the same direction as the M6 Mac mini? We decided to find out.
The M5 Max Mac Studio Still Has a Removable SSD
After carefully disassembling the new M5 Max Mac Studio and working our way through its internal components, we finally reached the storage module. The result was encouraging. Unlike the M6 Mac mini, the M5 Max Mac Studio still uses a removable SSD module as the storage is not soldered directly onto the main logic board. Instead, Apple has retained a dedicated connector that allows the SSD module to be removed and replaced. Picture shows 00-Port:
At first glance, this might seem like good news for storage upgrades. A removable module generally provides more flexibility than storage that is permanently soldered to the logic board. Picture shows 01-Port:
However, there is an important difference between the new M5 Max Mac Studio and its predecessor.
Apple has changed the SSD module design.
A New SSD Connector for the M5 Max Mac Studio
The previous-generation Mac Studio, powered by the M4 Max, uses a different SSD module and connector arrangement. Although both generations of Mac Studio use removable storage modules, the SSD modules are not interchangeable in a straightforward way. The connector, module dimensions, and overall PCB layout have changed. On the top side, the module has space for four NAND flash packages. However, the particular unit we examined was the 512GB base configuration, and only two NAND packages were populated. The other two NAND positions were left empty.
On the new M5 Max Mac Studio, Apple has introduced a different connector design. During our teardown, we found that the new Mac Studio uses an SSD connector corresponding to the type previously seen in the M4 Mac mini.
⚠️ Important Warning: Do not interchange the M4 Mac mini and M5 Max Mac Studio SSDs. After checking the hardware directly, we found that the electrical pinouts are not identical between the M4 Mac mini SSD and the new M5 Max Mac Studio SSD. In particular, the location of the PPBUS 12V power rail is different between the two designs. Even though the key size is a bit different, but you can still do it for fireworks anyway.
Two New Power-Management ICs
The bottom side of the module revealed the power circuitry. Naturally, we wanted to see what was underneath by desoldering the EMI shield, so there, we found the Caps, including the buck-converter components and inductors:
We discovered that Apple is using two new ICs in this SSD module. They are shown and labelled in the above picture, responsible for the NAND power rails.
Can We Simply Populate the Two Empty NAND Positions?
One detail immediately caught our attention: the inductor count associated with the new power circuitry. We found that this 2× NAND configuration is missing the inductors required for the higher-current configuration (highlighted in red). Each buck converter is designed with a 2-phase power configuration to support the higher current demand of a 4× NAND configuration. With one inductor missing, only one phase is active, effectively reducing the available current-delivery capability by approximately half:
⚠️ Warning for NAND Modifications
For anyone considering modifying this SSD module to support a 4× NAND configuration, do not populate the additional NAND packages without addressing the missing inductors and capacitors. Operating the module with four NAND packages while leaving these inductors unpopulated may exceed the intended capability of the active power phase and could result in instability or hardware damage.
Final Thoughts
The M5 Max Mac Studio SSD teardown has given us a mixed result. The good news is that Apple has retained a removable SSD module (So there's still hope for 16TB M5 Ultra Upgrade Kit hehe). The storage is not permanently soldered onto the main logic board, and the machine still offers a hardware architecture that can be studied and potentially modified.
The bad news is that the new module is not the same as the one used in the previous generation Mac Studio. The connector has changed, the PCB layout is different, and the new Power ICs are still not available in the market. It will take several months before these new ICs reach the market like the case for Pre-M4.
As always, this teardown is only the beginning. We will continue examining the module, "Reverse Engineer" its circuitry, and investigating whether a reliable third-party storage solution can eventually be developed for the M5 Max/Ultra Mac Studio.
Stay tuned for more updates from iBoff RCC.