When the very first Mac Studio was unveiled in 2022, a teardown found a surprisingly removable SSD module. Nonetheless, there’s no technique to formally improve the drive, since Apple doesn’t supply any sort of service or do-it-yourself choice to swap it out. Neither has any third-party firm, till now.
Polysoft launched a Kickstarter marketing campaign for its Studio Drive, an SSD improve that “fans and restore professionals” can use to improve the Mac Studio SSD. The marketing campaign was profitable and in accordance with the Studio Drive website, the corporate is “very busy producing the boards offered on Kickstarter” they usually’re going to be taking new orders for “naked PCB board to 8TB fashions” quickly. In case you’re , Polysoft has a web-based kind to request extra info.
In case you’re questioning if this can be a reputable product, the corporate reached out to YouTube PC fanatic Luke Miani, who posted a hands-on with the Studio Drive. Miani reveals how the Studio Drive is put in, factors out how Apple’s SSD implementation is totally different from typical PCs, and the way you want one other Mac to hook up with, run the Apple Configurator app, and reformat the Mac Studio. The set up might sound a bit daunting–it’s not so simple as swapping out the SSDs and rebooting, nevertheless it’s not terribly difficult for the kind of consumer who would purchase the Mac Studio within the first place. You possibly can see Miani’s demo under.
The Studio Drive is assured for 140,00TB written and consists of one thing Apple’s SSDs don’t have: overvoltage safety to stop the SSD modules from being zapped useless.
In line with Miani, Polysoft plans to supply an 8TB Studio Drive for €799 (about $845/£660), although the official costs usually are not posted on the Studio Drive web site. Whereas Apple doesn’t promote Mac Studio SSD upgrades, an 8TB Mac Pro SSD upgrade for the Mac Professional is $2,800/£2,800. So, that’s a huge value distinction.
Polysoft additionally has M4 Mac mini SSD upgrades within the works. For extra info because it’s obtainable, try the Studio Drive website.