iFixit teardown awards Apple’s new Mac mini 6/10 for repairability

“The future is now!” iFixit exclaims. “Apple’s once-neglected Mac mini is coming in hot with a brand new, cutting edge, long awaited… processor upgrade? And a couple more ports? There has to be more, and we know how to find it — time for a teardown!”
“An opening tool takes care of the base, and six quick stabs with the TR6 Torx security driver loosens the familiar antenna plate underneath,” iFixit writes. “The fan unscrews with zero fuss, giving us a better view of the mini’s depths.”
“A firm push on either side of the blower exhaust is all it takes, and the whole board unclips and slides out,” iFixit writes. “As much as we love making great tools, nothing makes us happier than seeing something you can service with no tools at all.”
New Mac mini delivers an insane five times faster performance.
 
Mac mini now features the Apple T2 Security Chip, enabling on-the-fly data encryption, secure boot and up to 30 times faster HEVC video transcoding.
 
Mac mini now offers faster and expanded I/O to allow it to connect to almost anything, including four Thunderbolt 3 ports, an HMDI 2.0, two USB-A ports, an audio jack and Gigabit Ethernet, as well as a 10Gb Ethernet option.
 
“Back in the day, a Pro Mac meant a computer you could upgrade, configure, and connect as you pleased. This new mini aligns so well with that ideal that we’re surprised it didn’t earn itself a ‘Pro’ title — especially compared to the increasingly closed-off MacBook Pro line,” iFixit writes. “Perhaps the most exciting part of this mini is a return to upgradable RAM.”
iFixt awards the new Mac mini a repairability score of 6 out of 10 because “the CPU and storage are both soldered to the logic board and not user-upgradeable” and “if any of the many ports is damaged or worn, the entire logic board will need replacing.”
Check out the full teardown here.
MacDailyNews Take: It’s a beautiful inside as it it outside (maybe even more so)!
SEE ALSO:
Yes, it’s possible to upgrade the RAM inside Apple’s new Mac mini – November 8, 2018
Apple’s new Mac mini teaches an old design new tricks – November 6, 2018
Macworld reviews Apple’s new $799 Mac mini: ‘A huge improvement that’s well worth the cost’ – November 6, 2018
Hands on with Apple’s all-new Mac mini powerhouse – October 30, 2018
Apple unveils all-new Mac mini with a massive increase in performance – October 30, 2018