When was the last time you guys got to experience an iMac whose components you can actually upgrade if you felt that the current configuration had finally met its match thanks to taxing applications? Well, Apple is more than willing to reintroduce this idea because according to the latest 4K 21.5-inch iMac teardown, there are two core components that you can easily upgrade if you feel that the performance is finally catching up to the AIO.
Latest iFixit Teardown Shows That the CPU and RAM Are the Only Areas of the iMac Which Can Be Upgraded or Replaced
iFixit got its hands on the $1,299 mid-ranged 4K iMac that featured the following configuration:
- 3.0GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor
- Turbo Boost up to 3.5GHz
- 8GB 2400MHz memory, configurable to 16GB
- 1TB hard drive
- Radeon Pro 555 with 2GB video memory
- Two Thunderbolt 3 ports
- Retina 4K 4096-by-2304 P3 display
That is quite a decent configuration but what if we told you that if you wanted to get more performance out of the machine, there was a way to do it without throwing out the old desktop and replacing it with a new one? iFixit definitely thinks so and has the pictures to prove it too. After tearing down the All-In-One, the dexterous teardown team finds out that the CPU and RAM are not soldered to the logic board and can be replaced at will.
You will just have to find a way to meticulously cut through the chassis because that is one of the difficult processes that you will find and it could cost you heavily if you mess up anywhere between. Regardless, Apple claims that the components are non-user-replaceable, but that does not mean a proficient system builder is incapable of making the upgrades. The total repairability score came to 3 out of 10, which is higher than the 2015 iMac, which was a given repairability score of 1 out of 10.
The summary from iFixit has been given below, and we’d like to know your thoughts on Apple’s stance on incorporating upgradable components on its products.
The CPU and RAM—two of the components you are most likely to upgrade at some point—are both modular.
The standard 2.5" SATA hard drive is fully upgradable—though you can't add a blade SSD thanks to an empty pad on the logic board.
Cutting the tape to open the iMac isn't too hard (with the right tools), but it must then be replaced to complete any repair.
Most replaceable components (like the RAM) are buried behind the logic board, meaning you'll have to take apart most of the iMac just to gain access to them.
The glass and Retina Display are fused together, increasing the cost of replacement.
News Source: AppleInsider
