The good news is that the new M4 Mac mini features an upgradable SSD that can technically be removed, upgraded, and data can be recovered from it.
The bad news is that this is a fairly intricate process.
The storage can be upgraded per Quinn Nelson’s teardown video of the new Mac mini desktop on the Snazzy Labs YouTube channel. The steps included removing the original NAND storage chips from the board with a heat gun, preparing the new NAND chips by reballing them, soldering the new NAND chips to the board, and restoring the Mac mini in DFU Mode.
While these steps are arguably impractical for the average customer, they prove that the new Mac mini can technically be upgraded without having to pay for Apple’s storage upgrade options when ordering the computer.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.
Via MacRumors, Snazzy Labs, dosdude1, and @LOvetodream