Aaroncz

iPhonedo has an M2 Pro Mac Mini with 1TB ssd.  He gets BlackMagic results that match the M2 Max MacBook Pro speeds.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1y7NJXZ-5kU&t=216s

It seems like all current 40Gbs Thunderbolt 3/4 external enclosures can reach at most just under 3000 MB/s using a fast drive like the Samsung 980 pro (which can do almost 7000 MB/s inside a fast computer) when plugged into a Thunderbolt 3 or 4 port.  Enclosure compatibility varies by ssd brand.  Samsung 980 pro seems to be one of the standard ssds that enclosure manufacturers design their products for.

Some typical speeds from reviews on Thunderbolt 4 enclosures from Amazon using Samsung 980 pro:



 

Versus a Samsung 980 pro inside a fast computer:

If Apple's nand speeds are going to be all over the map,  it might be best to buy from Apple, try and return if the speed sucks.  How many times will Apple allow returns per item?
The Tom's Hardware test is using 2TB MacBook M2 versions that Apple sent them.  Are they using faster chips in the 2TB models than the low spec (and Mac Mini) models?

Where did 9-5 Mac get those low BlackMagic 14"M2 Pro MB (3150 MB/s) test scores compared to Matt Talks Tech (6300 MB/s)?  Supposedly they both used 512GB models. 

If one buys the 1TB M2 regular or Pro Mac Mini will it have BlackMagic scores in the 6000 MB/s  range or the 3200 MB/s range?

"The M2 Pro chip starts with a 10-core CPU and 16-core GPU, 16GB of unified memory and 512GB of storage. Apple sent us a version to test that costs an obscene $4,099, but it offers obscene power to match with a 12-core CPU, 38-core GPU, 64GB of memory and 2TB of storage. 

Thanks to our sister site Laptop Mag, we also have the test results for the M2 Pro version of this machine, although this is a pricier configuration than the entry-level model. It offers a 12-core CPU, 19-core GPU, 32GB of RAM and 2TB of storage for $3,299."

https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/macbook-pro-14-inch-2023#section-macbook-pro-14-inch-2023-specs

Apparently the M2 Pro Mac Mini base model (16GB ram, 512GB SSD) only has a single 512GB Nand chip.  However the 14" MacBook Pro has a 256 nand chip on either side of it's motherboard in the 512GB ssd model (maybe*).  So the 14" MacBook Pro gets almost double the disc speed in the Blackmagic test because it's in a raid configuration (maybe*). 
Here's the motherboard of the M2 Pro Mac Mini (single 512GB chip in green rectangle).  It looks to be flat on the table - no second nand chip on the other side.

From Brian Stucki  https://www.macstadium.com/blog/first-look-mac-mini-with-m2-pro

*At least that's what Matt says regarding the 512GB models of the M2 MacBook pro and Mac Mini M2 Pro.

 *  


But then 9-5 Mac says otherwise about the 14" M2 Pro MacBook Pro's 512 GB model performance...

https://9to5mac.com/2023/01/24/macbook-pro-ssd-performance-drop/

What's going on here?  Are 14" M2 Pro MacBook Pro with 512GB ssds being made in both ways? Some with single 512GB chips and some with 2x 256GB nand chips?
Are some European market Macs being made differently from US models?