Cost to replace MacMini M1 logic board due to SSD failure

[brb408wpb]

Using SMART, my SSD currently shows 400TB written. I don't know how much life is left in the SDD. So when it does stop working, I am curious to know if the only fix is a logic board replacement, and if so, what is the approximate cost to do so? Has anyone had to pay for this repair yet? Or does the computer truly become a brick, so buy a new one?
Thanks!

 

[BanditoB]

My guess is that by the time the SSD fails, you'll want a newer computer with a better processor and graphics than your old one and as the motherboard will be the most expensive part of the computer, you'll be better off putting the money towards a new computer.

Keep in mind that the TBW figures given by the manufacturers are the number of cycles that they guarantee, so there's no telling how long the SSD will last after meeting that threshold. It could, and likely will, still be serviceable for quite some time.

 

[jav6454]

Using SMART, my SSD currently shows 400TB written. I don't know how much life is left in the SDD. So when it does stop working, I am curious to know if the only fix is a logic board replacement, and if so, what is the approximate cost to do so? Has anyone had to pay for this repair yet? Or does the computer truly become a brick, so buy a new one?
Thanks!

400TB written on an M1 Mini? Are you running a server on it? 400TB seems way too high. At any rate, Apple SSDs can last between 680 TBW and 3000+ TBW depending on amount of storage bought. However, Apple SSDs are know to be quite resilient which means you could easily surpass those guidelines.

 

[jdb8167]

Using SMART, my SSD currently shows 400TB written. I don't know how much life is left in the SDD. So when it does stop working, I am curious to know if the only fix is a logic board replacement, and if so, what is the approximate cost to do so? Has anyone had to pay for this repair yet? Or does the computer truly become a brick, so buy a new one?
Thanks!

Most SMART monitoring software will tell life remaining. For the M1 Macs, 400 TB isn't much. Probably about 10% used, 90% left.

Unfortunately, if you do exhaust the SSD the motherboard is a brick and the will have to be replaced.

 

[benwiggy]

My 2018 Mini's logic board recently failed, and it cost £432 (inc. VAT) for a replacement. As the M1 Mini doesn't have enough RAM for my needs, I'm ok to pay that to keep it running for a couple of years until there's an M2, M3, or Pro Mini.

 

[jav6454]

My 2018 Mini's logic board recently failed, and it cost £432 (inc. VAT) for a replacement. As the M1 Mini doesn't have enough RAM for my needs, I'm ok to pay that to keep it running for a couple of years until there's an M2, M3, or Pro Mini.

M2 is coming this Fall.

 

[Thistle41]

400TB written on an M1 Mini? Are you running a server on it? 400TB seems way too high. At any rate, Apple SSDs can last between 680 TBW and 3000+ TBW depending on amount of storage bought. However, Apple SSDs are know to be quite resilient which means you could easily surpass those guidelines.

I'm following this M1 TBW saga as my MBA 256/8 is now 18 months old and has hit 98.4 TBW and 6% used. If that 6% is reliable then no problem as it suggests a 1800 TBW lifetime left. So I'm just curious as to where the figures above come from please?

 

[leman]

I'm following this M1 TBW saga as my MBA 256/8 is now 18 months old and has hit 98.4 TBW and 6% used. If that 6% is reliable then no problem as it suggests a 1800 TBW lifetime left. So I'm just curious as to where the figures above come from please?

I’d put it this way: if you are inclined to trust the SMART TBW stats you should also probably trust the endurance estimate. 6% for 18 months translates to what, 25 years?

 

[jdb8167]

I'm following this M1 TBW saga as my MBA 256/8 is now 18 months old and has hit 98.4 TBW and 6% used. If that 6% is reliable then no problem as it suggests a 1800 TBW lifetime left. So I'm just curious as to where the figures above come from please?

Figures come from Apple. They don’t document their TBW but the percentage used comes straight from the SSD controller built into the M1.

 

[mi7chy]

There are several good endurance studies out there instead of relying on FUD.

https://3dnews-ru.translate.goog/93..._sl=uk&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp

Historically Apple has used Toshiba and Hynix.

Endurance by SSD model

Endurance by NAND type

 

[Boil]

Using SMART, my SSD currently shows 400TB written. I don't know how much life is left in the SDD. So when it does stop working, I am curious to know if the only fix is a logic board replacement, and if so, what is the approximate cost to do so? Has anyone had to pay for this repair yet? Or does the computer truly become a brick, so buy a new one?
Thanks!

8GB or 16GB model, more RAM equals less swapping to SSD...?

AppleCare+ has to be a lower cost than a mobo replacement, cheap insurance...?

 

[altaic]

I’d put it this way: if you are inclined to trust the SMART TBW stats you should also probably trust the endurance estimate. 6% for 18 months translates to what, 25 years?

Yeah, clearly the issue here is that people will have a hard time finding a logic board for a 26 year old computer. I guess if they want to really plan ahead, maybe pick up a few now. OTOH, maybe collect bottle caps?

 

[dieselm]

Using SMART, my SSD currently shows 400TB written. I don't know how much life is left in the SDD. So when it does stop working, I am curious to know if the only fix is a logic board replacement, and if so, what is the approximate cost to do so? Has anyone had to pay for this repair yet? Or does the computer truly become a brick, so buy a new one?
Thanks!

My 1TB SSD has 530TB written in about 2 years. smartctl says 20% of life used. If it continues at this rate, it'll be dead in 7-8 years.

 

[Sydde]

… clearly the issue here is that the OP will have a hard time finding a logic board for a 26 year old laptop

"MacMini" (per thread title) is a laptop?

 

[altaic]

"MacMini" (per thread title) is a laptop?

I was referring to Thistle41’s post that leman quoted. Fixed per nitpick. Not much humor around here, huh.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP:

I'd be more concerned about keeping a current backup, rather than the cost of SSD replacement if it fails.

If the SSD fails, you need a new motherboard, and that's pretty much that.

 

[benwiggy]

AppleCare+ has to be a lower cost than a mobo replacement, cheap insurance...?

I've been buying Macs from Apple for over 20 years. If I bought AppleCare for all that time, it would cost me more than the repair costs I've paid for.

 

[BanditoB]

If the internal SSD fails and the motherboard is still functional, just attach and external SSD and boot and operate from that.

 

[leman]

If the internal SSD fails and the motherboard is still functional, just attach and external SSD and boot and operate from that.

You can’t. Apple Silicon boots from the internal SSD only, for security reasons. That initial system can then invoke a loader on an external drive.

 

[pshufd]

Just ran DriveDX on my M1 mini 16/512. I bought it July 2021. 6.6 TBW. Drive health 100%.

For comparison, my 2014 iMac (32/512): 83.3 TBW, health is 99%. Wear leveling is 81%. It was used in a video production shop from 2014 - 2021 when I bought it. Neither system swaps at all. If you are worried about TBWs, get a system with more RAM. The M2s should have a 24 GB option and that should be enough for the vast majority to see 0 swap.

 

[evertjr]

Using SMART, my SSD currently shows 400TB written. I don't know how much life is left in the SDD. So when it does stop working, I am curious to know if the only fix is a logic board replacement, and if so, what is the approximate cost to do so? Has anyone had to pay for this repair yet? Or does the computer truly become a brick, so buy a new one?
Thanks!

Theses new SSDs are uniquely designed for Apple, there's no similar model to compare, I've seen users with over 1.3 Petabytes written due to memory leaks (fixed in the latest updates). From the SMART readings of Apple's own SSD controller they expect the base model 256gb SSD to last around 1.7 petabytes written, you can look at percentage used on smartmontools. I'd say trust the information provided by the hardware over random guesses on the internet.