Is the SSD removable, or is it soldered?

[Jashue]

I have a 2020 Comet Lake iMac with a 4TB SSD. The machine has been giving me problems as of late, and I've been forced to confront its mortality. Looking at the Mac Studio and playing around with the configurator on the Apple Store, I am offended by the storage upgrade prices. This is nothing new, of course. They should be ashamed.

So I'm thinking that when the time comes, I'd like to caniblaize the SSD in my current machine and put it into an external enclosure. Has anyone done that, or is the SSD permanently stuck to the machine (like so many other things in the modern Mac)?

Edit: It looks like I'm SOL.
I'll leave this post up instead of deleting it, in case someone can benefit. What a waste. The comments at the end of that article are entertaining. Quite a battle between the critics and apologists.

 

[Nicole1980]

This is precisely why I purchased a couple of 2019 27 inch iMacs back in the day. They were pretty much as fast as the 2020 models, but I was able to open them up and upgrade the drives with standard SSD's (in my case, I put 4tb samsung 870 evo's in both).

 

[Nguyen Duc Hieu]

I have a 2020 Comet Lake iMac with a 4TB SSD. The machine has been giving me problems as of late, and I've been forced to confront its mortality. Looking at the Mac Studio and playing around with the configurator on the Apple Store, I am offended by the storage upgrade prices. This is nothing new, of course. They should be ashamed.

So I'm thinking that when the time comes, I'd like to caniblaize the SSD in my current machine and put it into an external enclosure. Has anyone done that, or is the SSD permanently stuck to the machine (like so many other things in the modern Mac)?

Edit: It looks like I'm SOL.
I'll leave this post up instead of deleting it, in case someone can benefit. What a waste. The comments at the end of that article are entertaining. Quite a battle between the critics and apologists.

There are more things to be cannibalized from your iMac 2020, I think.
The whole LCD panels worth something 200~250$
The aluminum case can worth 25~30$, to pair with the LCD panel as a stand-alone 27" 5K monitor, depending on the availability of a compatible LCD driver kit.

2x2TB SSD chips can be cannibalized by professional repair men, These 2 chips worth at least 200~300$ on the parts market. They can be used to replace/upgrade similar parts in other Macs.

 

[Fishrrman]

What is it that is "wrong" with the 2020 iMac?
What "problems" are you having?

 

[CooperBox]

What is it that is "wrong" with the 2020 iMac?
What "problems" are you having?

That is exactly what I was wondering just in case we can offer possible tips to provide a cure. I too have a 2020 iMac and wouldn't want to write if off without exhausting all possible remedies.

 

[CooperBox]

I've just read the OP's related post HERE where he describes the problem as kernal panics.
Just wondering if he ordered the iMac new with 16GB Ram & 4TB SS drive (something I would never have done as Apple are modern highway robbers in terms of memory & SSD upgrades). If he purchased and added Ram himself (as I did) I hope the RAM is totally compatible.

 

[Jashue]

I've just read the OP's related post HERE where he describes the problem as kernal panics.
Just wondering if he ordered the iMac new with 16GB Ram & 4TB SS drive (something I would never have done as Apple are modern highway robbers in terms of memory & SSD upgrades). If he purchased and added Ram himself (as I did) I hope the RAM is totally compatible.

I added 16 gigs of Ram from Crucial. And yes, I did bend over for the Apple internal SSD. I made the trip to the Apple Store to have the machine looked at. They will let me know what they find. It could be a LOT of things. The tech to whom I spoke told me that I might need a new logic board to the tune of around $600, but again, I need to wait and see. Computer repairs aren't fun ways of spending money, but it's better than buying a new machine before you're ready. The iMac I had before the 2020 model was a 2011, so I'm accustomed to getting a lot of milage out of them.

 

[CooperBox]

I added 16 gigs of Ram from Crucial. And yes, I did bend over for the Apple internal SSD. I made the trip to the Apple Store to have the machine looked at. They will let me know what they find. It could be a LOT of things. The tech to whom I spoke told me that I might need a new logic board to the tune of around $600, but again, I need to wait and see. Computer repairs aren't fun ways of spending money, but it's better than buying a new machine before you're ready. The iMac I had before the 2020 model was a 2011, so I'm accustomed to getting a lot of milage out of them.

Crucial RAM was an Excellent choice. Now - just worth checking, I assume the 16GB Ram you installed were in 2 sticks of 8. And I assume they were installed in slots 2&4 or 1&3 to ensure correct 'channeling'. I've read that when this is not adhered to, unusual problems may occur.
I would be extremely wary of any Apple Store tech suggesting a new logic board, as there are so many tales of dissatisfaction about the so-called 'genius' bar. Even myself have caught out 'genius' with incorrect specifications on certain models, once regarding a graphics card, and another on whether an SSD was replaceable or not.
If you still have valid Applecare+ you may wish to agree to a change of logic board, but many a logic board has been changed outside of warranty (with an eye-watering cost) when a loose connector or something very basic was the likely culprit. It's no secret that there are many videos of clients being ripped-off after a visit to the genius bar. From what I've seen and read, often they will suggest a change of logic board of a laptop due to alleged water damage, as the water indicators have turned red. Apparently they will also turn red if the computer has been used in a humid environment without any water ingress or water-damage per se. Often a change of logic board and a top case and battery can exceed the value of the machine.
Please keep us informed of the findings. Perhaps some 'genuine genius' on the forum here can advise on what your problem is from detailed info of the kernal panics you are experiencing - and that's something the genius bar won't advise you on!