iMac on the desktopSource: Mike Matthews/iMore

What you need to know

  • The new 2020 iMac comes with storage that's soldered to the logic board.
  • But the higher capacity options have an extra expansion board.
  • Either way, none of it is user-replaceable.

Following previous reports that the new 27-inch iMac comes with its SSD soldered to the logic board, we now have confirmation via an internal Apple document. But in typical Apple fashion, it isn't quite that simple.

After German site iFun.de first reported the soldered SSD situation, MacRumors was able to get hold of internal Apple documentation that is meant for its technicians. According to that document, storage is indeed soldered to the logic board as we thought. But things get complicated if the iMac has the larger capacity SSDs. That's the 4TB and 8TB options, for those wondering.

In the document, Apple says that the flash storage is indeed affixed to the logic board and cannot be removed. However, for the 4TB and 8TB configurations, Apple says that a flash storage expansion board is attached to a connector on the logic board. In the 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB configurations, the expansion board and connector are not present.

Regardless of your configuration, you won't be replacing the SSD on your own. And even if you could, you'd lose all your data at best. Even worse, Apple also confirmed in the document that the T2 security chip means a new logic board will also mean any and all data will be lost.

Back everything up, folks!