Today at Flash Memory Summit, Toshiba is debuting a new form factor for NVMe SSDs that is small enough to be a removable alternative to soldered-down BGA SSDs. The new XFMEXPRESS form factor allows for two or four PCIe lanes while taking up much less space than even the smallest M.2 22x30mm card size. The XFMEXPRESS card size is 18x14x1.4mm, slightly larger and thicker than a microSD card. It mounts into a latching socket that increases the footprint up to 22.2×17.75×2.2mm. For comparison, the standard sizes for BGA SSDs are 11.5x13mm with a PCIe x2 interface or 16x20mm with a PCIe x4 interface.
XFMEXPRESS is intended to bring the benefits of replaceable storage to devices that would normally be stuck with soldered BGA SSDs or eMMC and UFS modules. For consumer devices this opens the way for aftermarket capacity upgrades, and for embedded devices that need to be serviceable this can permit smaller overall dimensions. Device manufacturers also get a bit of supply chain flexibility since storage capacity can be adjusted later in the assembly process.
MacDailyNews Take: More serviceable in less space. What’s not to love?
Capacities?
Pricing?
Is Apple even vaguely interested in implementing something like this?
No. Apple believes you should only pay up-front to them for memory needs. Apple is a very stingy company who wants to control everything and screw the user. It’s just crazy how Apple went from allowing user access to components to eventually sealing everything up tight.
“Screw the user”
That’s why people keep buying Apple products – they’re gluttons for punishment.
You really think everyone is dumber than you, don’t you?
The soldered SSD is why I can’t bring myself to buy a new MacBook Pro. If apple moved to replaceable SSDs, I would fork out the money.
Exactly, needs change over time and failures can occur.
Get 16GB and replace your laptop in 3-5 years. With the high resale value of Apple laptops, that’s not as expensive as you might think.
1: We are talking about SSD capacity – not RAM. And 2: Good luck trying to sell your butterfly MBP at four years : ) Why would anyone buy a secondhand butterfly computer destined to a faulty keyboard, that costs $$$ to replace?
T2 chip means this will never happen on the Mac. They completely disposable widgets now. The circle is complete. You will never be able to replace a part on a Mac ever again because of the T2 chip.
So, since the upcoming 2019 Mac Pro has a T2 chip it will not be able to be modified or expanded?
Your logic is faulty in the extreme.