Apple Announces M1 Ultra CPU, Mac Studio and Studio Display

[Middleman]

So Max Tech has just released an indepth real-world software and performance comparison review with the Mac Studio and a PC equipped with an Alder Lake i9-12900K and Nvidia RTX3090. You may be surprised when you see the PC still beats the Mac Studio in quite a many areas.

 

[UtterDisbelief]

It is replaceable/swappable with an Apple drive of the same size. You can't upgrade it to a larger size or put in a second drive if one slot is empty. So it only makes sense to replace it when it fails. No upgrade to the capacity if you already have a working SSD. There would be no value in replacing a working drive with one of the same capacity. That's the difference.

It bit odd then.

Agreed, you couldn't put in a second drive if one slot remained empty.

Given there is a second, identical socket on the motherboard I think it's safe to assume there must be some way to use it or Apple wouldn't go to the trouble of putting it there. Surely it more likely there's a firmward "upgrade" needed. Why hamper mass-production by making each model to unique?

 

[pastrychef]

AI mentioned a serialization tool that only Apple techs have. Not sure how that works but it may be the reason end users can't do it. This is what a former Apple authorized tech said on iFixit about logic board serial numbers in 2020. GSX is short for "Global Service Exchange."

"About 4 years ago i was Apple authorized, and every logic board we replaced needed to be serialized. The software to do this is proprietary. It is contained in the Dealer software called GSX. After the repair has been completed, the repaired computer is connected to the dealer network via an Ethernet cable, GSX is loaded, and the serial number is entered. Then the GSX serializer writes the serial number to the board. You only get one chance to do this right. If you make a mistake, the board must be returned to Apple because there is no function to erase an incorrect serial number. Therefore if you purchase a used logic board, it will most likely already have a serial number on it, and there is no way to change it, unless you are an Apple authorized tech."

If serialization is used, iFixIt would never have been able to use the second SSD in the first Mac Studio.

 

[trs96]

If serialization is used, iFixIt would never have been able to use the second SSD in the first Mac Studio.

Since it was already installed in a Mac Studio before it had a valid serial registered with Apple.

 

[pastrychef]

Since it was already installed in a Mac Studio before it had a valid serial registered with Apple.

I have two Western Digital SN750s. Both 1TB. One in my desktop and one in my laptop. The serials are on devices.



If there's a serial block on the Apple SSD modules, it would prevent booting as we have seen. That means macOS never gets loaded to phone home and ask if the serial is okay.

If, on the other hand, successful boots are dependent on registering with Apple, then, technically, upgrades should be possible as long as you do it before ever turning the system on.

 

[trs96]

The serials are on devices.

Yes, they are. An Apple NVMe has an Apple registered serial just like a logic board does. There's no way I know of to create a serial that would work for official Apple hardware unless you've got access to GSX software. It works for hacks but obviously that is not Apple branded hardware and we generate fake serials. Maybe someone will figure it out for Apple SSDs who knows ?

 

[pastrychef]

Yes, they are. An Apple NVMe has an Apple registered serial just like a logic board does. There's no way I know of to create a serial that would work for official Apple hardware unless you've got access to GSX software. It works for hacks but obviously that is not Apple branded hardware and we generate fake serials. Maybe someone will figure it out for Apple SSDs who knows ?

So, let's say you buy a stock M1 Max Mac Studio. Why can't you replace the stock SSD with an Apple made 4TB model?

When iFixIt did their SSD swap, obviously, the two modules would have different serials. But it worked for them.

Source:

 

[trs96]

Why can't you replace the stock SSD with an Apple made 4TB model?

You would have to buy it from Apple and have an Apple certified tech do it. Probably going to cost a lot more than using external NVMe SSDs to add storage. The take home point is, get a large enough drive from the start. It will end up costing less in the long run.

 

[pastrychef]

You would have to buy it from Apple and have an Apple certified tech do it. Probably going to cost a lot more than using external NVMe SSDs to add storage. The take home point is, get a large enough drive from the start. It will end up costing less in the long run.

Even if this were true, it means that upgrading is possible and the Apple Insider guy is completely wrong.

I still think upgrades can be done by anyone who can get their hands on SSD modules. Just connect the Mac Studio to another Mac to do the configurator DFU restore after swapping modules. I'm sure that's how the guy who upgraded his M1 MacBook Air did it.

Edit:
Btw, it's possible for regular users to serialize blank Mac logic boards. Search Google for "Mac blank board serializer".

 

[tedyun]

Even if this were true, it means that upgrading is possible and the Apple Insider guy is completely wrong.

I still think upgrades can be done by anyone who can get their hands on SSD modules. Just connect the Mac Studio to another Mac to do the configurator DFU restore after swapping modules. I'm sure that's how the guy who upgraded his M1 MacBook Air did it.

Edit:
Btw, it's possible for regular users to serialize blank Mac logic boards. Search Google for "Mac blank board serializer".

I will be extremely disappointed if @pastrychef doesn't try this and figure it out.

BTW, Apple locking down the hardware and crippling any non-Apple expansion cards?

Apple?

Never!

(Says me, who goes back to tinkering with his 6900XTXH and the 12.3 update)