iMac spec upgrade ideas- What should I be looking for?

rob-nikon

rob-nikon

Suspended / Banned
Messages
7,077
Name
Rob
Edit My Images
Yes
I’m thinking of selling my my 21.5 inch late 2012 iMac and upgrading to a 27 inch version at some point in the future. The main reason is the lack of user ability to upgrade RAM on my 21.5 inch. It feels like I need to start looking at upgrading the 8GB RAM and the late 2012 is very difficult for someone of my ability with computers to upgrade. I’m currently looking into possible upgrade routes. The 21.5 inch iMacs are ruled ou5 because of the difficult of pgrading RAM. 27 inch iMacs seem to b3 th3 right choic3 a# they have easily upgradable RAM. Currently I’m trying to work out the potential specification I’m looking for and how much I would be looking at to upgrade. Upgradeable RAM, fusion drive or SSD and perhaps retina screen would be high up on the list if they are possible. I have plenty of external storage for RAWs so I could probably use a smaller internal drive without any issue but bigger the better. My main uses are Lightroom, a little photoshop and general website management (adobe portfolio for me). General computer use too.

Whilst I know a PC could give better bang for buck performance but I’m pretty much linked into Apple with my external thunderbolt storage. The computer sits in the dining room so the smaller form of a single screen is liked by my wife (although I’ve added external drives she does seem to mind them).

Any ideas on specs I should be looking out for and what kind of price I would be looking at? Any help would be appreciated.
 
Last edited:
LongLensPhotography said:
how is pc better bang for buck? Once you pay for the high quality 5K / 4K IPS screen there is very little money left for that bang!
Click to expand...
One thing I always hear is macs are expensive for the hardware included, whether thats true or not im not qualified to say, I just didnt want this thread turning into the normal PC v mac threads.
 
wave01 said:
Just order a 21.5 with max ram. Problem sorted
Click to expand...
Thats one option but it seems to me an expensive way to upgrade the RAM at apple prices especially as currently 16GB would probably do but it would be nice not to be limited in the future if i needed more. Im also most likely looking at used due to budget.
 
If I remember correctly the 27 inch version can be upgraded with memory. Then I would use a 3rd party supplier. I did with my 21.5 2010. So i have cheaper
 
I have a late 2015 5k 27" imac.
I upgraded the ram from 8 to 32gb.
In truth, I could not see much improvement in performance.
 
redsnappa said:
16GB is the absolute minimum you should go for these days.
See this recent thread...
Click to expand...
It was that thread that has made me think I will probably need to update my computer at some point in the future.

wave01 said:
If I remember correctly the 27 inch version can be upgraded with memory. Then I would use a 3rd party supplier. I did with my 21.5 2010. So i have cheaper
Click to expand...
That’s the reason I’m looking at the 27 inch iMacs. I think I have one of the first 21.5 inch models that have the advesive screen rather than magnets. If it had magnets I wouldn’t have too much of an issue upgrading it myself.

soupdragon said:
I have a late 2015 5k 27" imac.
I upgraded the ram from 8 to 32gb.
In truth, I could not see much improvement in performance.
Click to expand...
It’s the late 2014 or late 2015 retinas that I’m probably looking at but I just don’t know what spec to look for within those models and what price each model would likely be for a used model either.
 
Last edited:
My early 2015 5k retina Imac was easy to upgrade the memory on. I just went to Crucial memory's website, ran the upgrade wizard and chose 16gb which is presently £131. Recieved the memory, took out the power lead, opened a little door and popped it in. I believe it has a magnetically fitted screen so I could sap the 1tb fusion drive if I wished to but don't really see the point.
 
rob-nikon said:
One thing I always hear is macs are expensive for the hardware included, whether thats true or not im not qualified to say, I just didnt want this thread turning into the normal PC v mac threads.
Click to expand...

It depends as usual. Some options can be very cost effective - typically their base spec imacs and MBPs. If you don't need a top quality screen then you would see it differently but chances are you do.
The really costly ones are Mac pros, all the iOS devices and all the upgrades they sell you. You may as well look elsewhere for such devices.

rob-nikon said:
Thats one option but it seems to me an expensive way to upgrade the RAM at apple prices especially as currently 16GB would probably do but it would be nice not to be limited in the future if i needed more. Im also most likely looking at used due to budget.
Click to expand...

That's the way they get your money. 27" would not have such a severe limitation but they would still rape you for SSD upgrade which an absolute must. You may even consider a 2nd hand unit with the right spec and warranty left.
 
You definitely want a SSD drive for boot/applications, mechanical hard drives are becoming a thing of the past as a boot drive but are OK for storage / backups.

I couldn't use a machine that boots or opens applications slowly, not when I have a 10 second boot time and a three second load of Photoshop CC. And that is not using a really fast SSD, mine is about middle of the road spec wise.

Honestly, you will be amazed at how quick an SSD is, especially coming from your iMac.
 
What’s the different between the fusion drives and SSDs? Would a fusion drive be ok for performance or does it have to be a SSD? Looking further 2015 specs the SSDs would have been an optional extra.
 
Last edited:
Fusion drive is something like 20GB SSD + 1TB regular very noisy drive combo. It's better than nothing, but it certainly shouldn't be part of nearly £2k product in 2018! That's a bit like selling BMW M3 with drum brakes and asking for extra for proper ones. If these are user upgradeable by any chance you are good to go, but Apple did everything to make sure that is no longer the case.
 
LongLensPhotography said:
Fusion drive is something like 20GB SSD + 1TB regular very noisy drive combo. It's better than nothing, but it certainly shouldn't be part of nearly £2k product in 2018! That's a bit like selling BMW M3 with drum brakes and asking for extra for proper ones. If these are user upgradeable by any chance you are good to go, but Apple did everything to make sure that is no longer the case.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the help, I’ve just looked up replacing a drive on a late 2015 27 inch and it does mean removing the glued down screen. That’s the same problem as the 21.5 inch I have so you are definitely right to say look for one with the the SSD already installed (makes things a little more expensive and difficult to source).

ChrisH said:
My early 2015 5k retina Imac- I believe it has a magnetically fitted screen so I could swap the 1tb fusion drive if I wished to but don't really see the point.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately this website shows the tapered edge 27 inch iMacs from 2012-current all have adhesive stripes holding the screen down.

https://everymac.com/systems/apple/...grade-imac-hard-drive-aluminum-2012-2013.html

Once the screen is off it doesn’t look to bad a task, it just getting the screen off. Looks like they dropped the magnetically secured screens when the thin tapered side models came in. Like @LongLensPhotography says they took the opportunity to make it as difficult as possible to upgrade meaning optional extras upgrades were done at the time of purchase.
 
Last edited:
soupdragon said:
I have a late 2015 5k 27" imac.
I upgraded the ram from 8 to 32gb.
In truth, I could not see much improvement in performance.
Click to expand...

I did the same but i think it will make a difference in intensive video editing which is not something i do.
 
Phil White said:
I did the same but i think it will make a difference in intensive video editing which is not something i do.
Click to expand...

32GB will extend the usable life of the machine by a few years. The system and apps get bigger and bigger so smaller RAM will inevitably become a showstopper for lesser specced machines.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top