In a recent interview with Fast Company, Apple executive Kate Bergeron revealed more insights about the M4 Mac mini, discussing its modular storage system and the repositioned power button.
Following its launch, teardowns exposed that the M4 Mac mini features a modular storage framework. However, this has led to misconceptions about the feasibility of easily upgrading the device’s memory.
During the interview, Bergeron, who serves as Apple’s vice president of hardware engineering, clarified that:
The Mac Mini “is packed so tightly that actually, in the larger storage configurations, there’s not enough room on the main logic board to put the storage right onto the board,” she explained. The implementation of modular storage allows Apple to meet the storage demands of users, which would otherwise be unachievable given the compact size of the Mac’s internal components.
Another point of contention surrounding the M4 Mac mini has been the relocation of the power button. In a significant redesign, Apple moved the power button from the rear of the device to the bottom. Bergeron noted that the goal was to maximize the input/output capabilities in a compact form factor, necessitating adjustments to other design elements:
“We tried and, I think, succeeded, to get as much I/O onto this little product as we could. And so that necessitates some choices in other things,” said Bergeron. She pointed out that the new location along the recessed edge of the device provides “pretty good access” to the button.
“And honestly, in Apple Silicon Macs, it’s very rare to use the power button” since most users allow their computers to enter sleep mode when inactive, Bergeron stated. She emphasized that “the versatility of having all of those [new front-facing USB] ports we thought was really [more] important.”
There’s also a notable detail regarding how Apple engineers developed a completely new technology for precision-cutting the aluminum casing of the M4 Mac mini:
“The team developed a new technology, which is a diamond-plated nylon wire,” said Bergeron. This wire is incredibly thin, measuring just a fraction of a millimeter. “So every time we slice . . . we keep more and more of that material, which is pretty great. [It] doesn’t ever have to even go through recycling. It gets used right in the product.”
The complete interview is available on the Fast Company website.
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