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Studio drives

UKenGB

UKenGB

macrumors regular
Original poster
Feb 21, 2010
177
48
Surrey, UK
I see that there are now some options to increase Mac Studio internal storage, but is there any configuration (Apple supplied or third party) that uses 2 boards, one on each slot?

If this is actually possible, is that then represented to the user as 2 separate drives or does the controller simply merge them into one single storage space?

I was just wondering if it was possible to have 2 separate internal drives rather than simply partitions on a singe drive.
 
I think you're misunderstanding how Apple has implemented its storage solution (or I misunderstood you). The studio has slots for two daughter cards, those daughter cards hold the nand chips. Within the apple silicon, is the ssd controller. That controller uses those nand chips to create the storage drive for macOS. Its not that we're using two different SSDs, they're the actual nand chips.

As for options to increase, these options are third party options not sanctioned or supported by apple, and any damage that is incurred in using them, or installing them voids your warranty. Apple does not offer storage upgrades after purchase.
 
maflynn said:
I think you're misunderstanding how Apple has implemented its storage solution (or I misunderstood you). The studio has slots for two daughter cards, those daughter cards hold the nand chips. Within the apple silicon, is the ssd controller. That controller uses those nand chips to create the storage drive for macOS. Its not that we're using two different SSDs, they're the actual nand chips.

As for options to increase, these options are third party options not sanctioned or supported by apple, and any damage that is incurred in using them, or installing them voids your warranty. Apple does not offer storage upgrades after purchase.
Click to expand...
Well I was trying to obtain a full understanding, hence my question. I realise the cards are just the NAND chips and the controller is within the Apple silicon, but how Apple decided to implement 2 separate cards of chips was unknown to me.
 
Surenmunoo said:
I bought an 8TB SSD from AliExpress. They came in 2 x 4TB cards. After installing and upgrading, the OS sees it as 1 x 8TB card.
Click to expand...
Ah, very interesting. I thought it was likely it would appear as a single 'drive'. Good to know that 2 cards can be made to work.
 
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Wild that Apple locks this stuff down so hard, and yet AliExpress swoops in with a working option before they do.
 
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taylor999 said:
Wild that Apple locks this stuff down so hard,
Click to expand...
Here's the risk - nothing is stopping apple from locking the stuff down with a firmware update, either preventing newer machines from being able to do this, or worse current upgradees. I don't if that will happen or just my paranoia but we are talking about the same company that did the following:
  • Phone 6 or 6 Plus had its Touch ID/home button replaced by a third party, and the phone later tried to install iOS updates, it could fail activation with “Error 53”
  • If the screen was replaced by a third party without copying the original screen’s calibration data, features like True Tone would disappear and/or Auto-brightness or ambient light sensors would malfunction
  • Newer iPhones (XS and up) show “Unable to verify this is a genuine Apple part” warnings for replaced batteries, screens, or cameras if not paired via Apple’s calibration system
 
maflynn said:
Here's the risk - nothing is stopping apple from locking the stuff down with a firmware update, either preventing newer machines from being able to do this, or worse current upgradees. I don't if that will happen or just my paranoia but we are talking about the same company that did the following:
  • Phone 6 or 6 Plus had its Touch ID/home button replaced by a third party, and the phone later tried to install iOS updates, it could fail activation with “Error 53”
  • If the screen was replaced by a third party without copying the original screen’s calibration data, features like True Tone would disappear and/or Auto-brightness or ambient light sensors would malfunction
  • Newer iPhones (XS and up) show “Unable to verify this is a genuine Apple part” warnings for replaced batteries, screens, or cameras if not paired via Apple’s calibration system
Click to expand...
I think there’s been too many legal cases with right to repair in Europe. You have a right to repair Australia and I think now the US as well so I don’t think they’re gonna lock down a whole computer just for putting in the third-party drive.
 
Should i get a 8TB for my M4 Max Mac Studio from AliExpress or wait for Polysoft's next batch? Polysoft do boast
- 2 modules with 8TB premium Kioxia, Hynix or Sandisk NAND
- 8x PCIe 4.0 lanes
- speed up to 10GB/s inside SLC cache, 1.5GB/s outside SLC cache
- 5-year or 16000TBW warranty
Are they all made from similar places in China or are Aliexpress's a lot worse than Kioxia, Hynix or Sandisk NAND's?
 
hugomac said:
Should i get a 8TB for my M4 Max Mac Studio from AliExpress or wait for Polysoft's next batch?
Click to expand...
There's been a number of people here that can vouch for AliExpress. It really depends on polysoft's turn around on their batches. I'm not a customer, so I'll not offer an opinion on how fast they ship orders. If it were me, I'd try to go with Polysoft - provided the shipping time isn't extreme.
 
hugomac said:
Should i get a 8TB for my M4 Max Mac Studio from AliExpress or wait for Polysoft's next batch? Polysoft do boast
- 2 modules with 8TB premium Kioxia, Hynix or Sandisk NAND
- 8x PCIe 4.0 lanes
- speed up to 10GB/s inside SLC cache, 1.5GB/s outside SLC cache
- 5-year or 16000TBW warranty
Are they all made from similar places in China or are Aliexpress's a lot worse than Kioxia, Hynix or Sandisk NAND's?
Click to expand...
I have the 8TB for the M4 but AliExpress sellers, the ones I have looked at, don't make the claims on TBW etc as Polysoft. I did post the types of Nand they use somewhere in this thread as well. So far, my SSD modules run fine. I do a lot of files transfers from the 8TB to an external 4TB drive and from my drone SD Card to internal for video editing and don't have any issues with speed slow downs etc. The biggest file transfer I did was about 1.6TB of movies from external to internal and it never missed a beat. How long will it last - That I am not sure about but the seller did say if I have any issues to let him know, no matter even if its a year or 2 later, hopefully he is still around then 🤣
 
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