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A list of successful iMac 27" (2012-2019) SSD upgrades

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The first post of this thread is a WikiPost and can be edited by anyone with the appropiate permissions. Your edits will be public.
dobrink said:
Post the following report:

iMac: before upgrades, the list is here
OS X: installed using (internet recovery / usb stick / cloned from external drive / preinstalled before ssd upgrade)
Location:
NVMe drive:
BootRom version:
NVMe driver size:
wake problems: yes / no
Click to expand...

iMac: Late 2015 - 17.1 - MK472LL/A (SSD-only)
OS X: 10.14.5, installed Mojave using USB stick recovery
Location: Canada, North America
NVMe drive: grey icon
BootRom version: 166.0.0.0.0
NVMe driver size: 19274
Wake problems: yes
 
so from reading this thread so far, is it safe to conclude that a NVMe replacement on a 2019 iMac should be trouble-free?
no errors, fan issues, sleep/hibernate issues?

2TB fusion configuration here, i'm still debating if to complete replace the 128GB with a single 1/2TB NVMe and leave the SATA alone, or just replace the SATA with a 860 EVO. 128GB is fast and large enough for MacOS and files. Since i'm going to use bootcamp a lot, i need to get rid of that SATA HDD anyway...Windows always runs off the HDD part on fusiondrives :(
 
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So I've successfully installed into my 2017 iMac 27-inch i7-4.2GHz, the following:
PCIe: EVO 970 1TB
SATA: EVO 860 2TB

Speeds are great when tested, but, when turning the machine on, it takes 40 seconds before the apple logo even appears! From there, only another 8 seconds or so until the login page appears, which seems fine. But, thought I have not owned an iMac before, 48 seconds to turn on seems like a very long time. Is this wrong?

I checked it with Geekbench as my single core speed is 5819, multi-core 20053. These seem actually a little higher than the usual stats I found for this model so far as I remember. Then with Disk Speed Test, the EVO 970 it running at around 2518 write, 2783.7 read, which seems good. That's the drive everything is installed on. The EVO 860 is empty, running at around 484.6 write, 521.8 read.

Also, I noticed that I could not screw in a couple of the screws all the way on the board with the PCIe drive, due to the extra space the heatsink on the drive took up (EK Water Blocks EK-M.2 NVMe Hard Disk Drive Heatsink). I am hoping that's not a problem!
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zerozoneice said:
2TB fusion configuration here, i'm still debating if to complete replace the 128GB with a single 1/2TB NVMe and leave the SATA alone, or just replace the SATA with a 860 EVO. 128GB is fast and large enough for MacOS and files. Since i'm going to use bootcamp a lot, i need to get rid of that SATA HDD anyway...Windows always runs off the HDD part on fusiondrives :(
Click to expand...

I'd stick with the 128GB and put the money into the 860 EVO.
 
Woodlandjustin said:
I'd stick with the 128GB and put the money into the 860 EVO.
Click to expand...

i forgot i already have an 850 evo 1TB from my current PC :)
are there any problems in running MacOS from the 128GB apple SSD and installing bootcamp on the SATA 850 EVO?
 
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I recently upgraded my late 2012 iMac from a 1TB Fusion Drive to a 1TB OWC blade SSD and an 8TB WD Red Drive. 9TB of storage! I also removed and replaced the AirPort/Bluetooth card with one from a 2103 iMac to get ac WiFi. Everything works great.

You'll need a USB keyboard temporarily due to the new AirPort card and an ethernet cable plugged in for WiFi if you plan on using Internet Recovery.
 
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Device: iMac 2017 18,3 5K
HDD upgrade: 32GB Blade -> Intel 760P 512GB
Speed test: around 1500 MB/s write, 2900 MB/s read
OS: Mojave 10.14.3
Location: New Zealand
Temperature sensor: none
Issues after fresh OS install: None.

Recovered the OS from TimeMachine (Samsung T5 by USB-C port)straight away after formatted the SSD.

ps: Why there power cable so difficult to pull it out while tearing down...
 
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iaanda said:
Device: iMac 2017 18,3 5K 27
HDD upgrade: 32GB PCIe stock -> Intel 760P 512GB
Speed test: around 900 MB/s read, 2900 MB/s write
OS: Mojave 10.14.3
Location: New Zealand
Temperature sensor: none
Issues after fresh OS install: None.

Recovered there OS from TimeMachine (Samsung T5 by USB-C port)straight away after formatted the SSD.

ps: Why there power cable so difficult to pull it out while tearing down...
Click to expand...

No hard drive installation?

Power cable? Do you mean on the power supply?
 
Coconutcreampie said:
No hard drive installation?
Click to expand...
Yes, the power supply cable which connected to the mainboard.
I Will leave it empty for now until the my preferred SATA 1TB SSD got cheaper. Been play around no issues at all so far. happy!
 
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iaanda said:
Yes, the power supply cable which connected to the mainboard.
I Will leave it empty for now until the my preferred SATA 1TB SSD got cheaper. Been play around no issues at all so far. happy!
Click to expand...

Why not do what I did and go with a huge hard drive to compliment the SSD you installed? You already have a very fast and decent size SSD to work from.
 
Coconutcreampie said:
Why not do what I did and go with a huge hard drive to compliment the SSD you installed? You already have a very fast and decent size SSD to work from.
Click to expand...

I am not the mechanic hard drive fans, the clicking sounds pretty annoying for me.. especially in the quiet night time, also I'm not storing huge data files.
 
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iaanda said:
I am not the mechanic hard drive fans, the clicking sounds pretty annoying for me.. especially in the quiet night time, also I'm not storing huge data files.
Click to expand...

I've never been able to hear the hard drive in my iMac, original or current much larger one, and I work through the night. You shouldn't either. Remember, you'd be primarily working with your SSD. If you're not working with large files then I’d call it good, but if you plan on selling later then a hard drive along with the SSD would greatly increase resale prospects.
 
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Coconutcreampie said:
I've never been able to hear the hard drive in my iMac, original or current much larger one, and I work through the night. You shouldn't either. Remember, you'd be primarily working with your SSD. If you're not working with large files then I’d call it good, but if you plan on selling later then a hard drive along with the SSD would greatly increase resale prospects.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the advise!
 
Hello Guys, thanks for posting this! I am facing an issue when I did my upgrade.

I have done all my tear down upgrade on hardware
1. CPU -> 6700
2. Blade SSD -> Samsung EVO Plus 970 1TB (with firmware upgraded to latest)
3. Replace SATA HDD > WD green ssd 1TB

So I boot by Ubuntu and everything is ok I can see the new cpu + WD disk + Samsung disk, I can do fdisk with the samsung disk and add partition.

However, in cmd + option + R, in disk utility, I cannot see the samsung disk (only the WD disk and the recovery memory)

My question is How can I see the Samsung disk in disk utility so that I can install the MacOS into that? Thanks!!!

Joel
 
hkjoel said:
Hello Guys, thanks for posting this! I am facing an issue when I did my upgrade.

I have done all my tear down upgrade on hardware
1. CPU -> 6700
2. Blade SSD -> Samsung EVO Plus 970 1TB (with firmware upgraded to latest)
3. Replace SATA HDD > WD green ssd 1TB

So I boot by Ubuntu and everything is ok I can see the new cpu + WD disk + Samsung disk, I can do fdisk with the samsung disk and add partition.

However, in cmd + option + R, in disk utility, I cannot see the samsung disk (only the WD disk and the recovery memory)

My question is How can I see the Samsung disk in disk utility so that I can install the MacOS into that? Thanks!!!

Joel
Click to expand...
I just found a solution. I think it is recovery program is not having the driver. What I did is install EI Captain in SATA SSD first and then upgrade it to Mojave, then use Cmd+ option +R then I am able to see the Samsung 970 EVO Plus. Then I erase SATA SSD OS and install Mojave into NVME SSD. Now work like a chram but sleep is still not working.

Thanks!
 
Great info here but I’ve read through the 8 pages and am unsure of something. I will be attempting to update either the Blade and/or the SATA from my yet to receive, 27” Late 2015 iMac 1TB Fusion.

I will have a couple of Apple 128GB SSD’s and wondered if either would fit right in without issue, and by this I mean no sleep/hibernate/need for adapter issues? One is from a Mid 2014 MacBook Pro, the second is from an Early 2015 MacBook Pro.

I’m tempted to go the adapter route and use a larger capacity Blade but the issues are putting me off. I plan to up the SATA to an Crucial MX500 1-2TB and leave the drives separate - really my aim is to increase the boot drive 24GB to something useful and self manage the data.

Thanks all.
 
mbosse said:
If you have a SSUBX and a SSUAX, use the former. That's likely the 2015 one, and it's faster.
Magnus
Click to expand...
See pic -

My eyes aren't great but I can't see mention of either on the Mid 2014 one... Mid 2015 is buried some place at present.
 

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Ciderspace666 said:
Great info here but I’ve read through the 8 pages and am unsure of something. I will be attempting to update either the Blade and/or the SATA from my yet to receive, 27” Late 2015 iMac 1TB Fusion.

I will have a couple of Apple 128GB SSD’s and wondered if either would fit right in without issue, and by this I mean no sleep/hibernate/need for adapter issues? One is from a Mid 2014 MacBook Pro, the second is from an Early 2015 MacBook Pro.

I’m tempted to go the adapter route and use a larger capacity Blade but the issues are putting me off. I plan to up the SATA to an Crucial MX500 1-2TB and leave the drives separate - really my aim is to increase the boot drive 24GB to something useful and self manage the data.

Thanks all.
Click to expand...

If you work with a lot of media I would instead install a large (8TB or more) HDD instead and create a huge Fusion Drive with the 128GB blade SSD instead. That would give you much better resale value and you will not not see much of a difference, if any, because the blade SSDs you have are significantly faster than a SATA SSD.

In my late 2012 iMac I have a 1TB blade SSD and the hard drive is 8TB. It’s a beast. I only wish it had PCIe SSD speeds for the blade SSD slot.
 
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Hi, I did a search but could not find a definitive answer ..

Does the iMac perform a bootrom update with these aftermarket NvME SSDs? I had a Samsung 960EVO that prevented my trashcan from doing this. Ultimately I removed it as it was too much of a hassle.

Target Machine : 2019 iMac (27")

Thanks in advance.
 
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RxJemm said:
Hi, I did a search but could not find a definitive answer ..

Does the iMac perform a bootrom update with these aftermarket NvME SSDs? I had a Samsung 960EVO that prevented my trashcan from doing this. Ultimately I removed it as it was too much of a hassle.

Target Machine : 2019 iMac (27")

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
I have the same question. Hope someone can answer this.
 
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