Are the i5 and i7 processors upgradeable?

[53x12]

Thanks for the great post ehurtley and the info you provided.

As to the upgradeability of the iMac; we won't know if they are socketed until they are delivered and someone takes it apart; but the very first Intel iMac used a socketed Core Duo; and was fully upgradeable to the later Core 2 Duo just fine. So short of soldering the processor down like they did later, Apple will likely do nothing to limit the upgradability. If the processor is socketed (as expected, since the just-released low-end Core 2 iMac is,) then you can safely buy the Core i5 version, knowing you can later upgrade to a socket 1156 Core i7. (Either the currently-available 860 or 870; or a future-available faster model.)

I guess another issue is having your warranty voided if you replace the CPU. On the iFixit website for the 27'' tear down they said: "The processor is socketed, but there's a "Warranty void if removed" sticker above one of the heat sink's screws."

 

[Anonymous Freak]

I guess another issue is having your warranty voided if you replace the CPU. On the iFixit website for the 27'' tear down they said: "The processor is socketed, but there's a "Warranty void if removed" sticker above one of the heat sink's screws."

At least in the United States, per the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, a "warrantor" (in this case, Apple,) may not void a warranty based on an end-user replacing a replaceable part, unless the user's direct actions, or the user's chosen replacement part are directly responsible for the failure.

So if you buy the i5 model, and upgrade it to an i7 yourself, and the iMac later breaks, Apple still has to honor the warranty. Except if the processor itself fails (duh, they didn't sell it to you,) or if something directly related to the processor fails, due to your act of replacing it, or fault of the processor itself. So if the hard drive fails, or the graphics chip fails, you're 100% covered. If the processor socket fails, it would be sticky, since Apple would of course blame you for the damage.

But, even if a separate component fails (the graphics chip, for example,) Apple may still try to decline warranty service based on your upgrade. You would then have to sue Apple in court to get it covered. (But, if you win, Apple would have to pay your legal bill.)

edit: I suppose it should be obvious, but: I am not a lawyer, my advice is solely based on a layman's understanding of the law, and should not be construed as legal advice. Contact an attorney for any questions on this matter.

 

[53x12]

ehurtley, any reason to think Intel would come out with something faster than the i7 870, still in a LGA1156 version? Maybe something like an "i7 880" @ 3.06GHz or a "i7 890" @ 3.2GHz, or even expand the i5 series of CPUs? Or will they be focusing more on the i7 9xx and the i9 from now on? Hopefully they will still improve the 1156 options.

 

[300D]

At least in the United States, per the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, a "warrantor" (in this case, Apple,) may not void a warranty based on an end-user replacing a replaceable part

Breaking the seal alone gives Apple plenty of legal right to deny a warranty claim. The case would be open and shut in Apple's favor; the plaintiff knew the "warranty void if removed" sticker was there and willingly chose to remove it.

Thats the entire pint of putting the sticker there. If there was no sticker, any user could attempt an upgrade, fry the logicboard, put the stock CPU back in and claim the machine as defective.

 

[Anonymous Freak]

ehurtley, any reason to think Intel would come out with something faster than the i7 870, still in a LGA1156 version? Maybe something like an "i7 880" @ 3.06GHz or a "i7 890" @ 3.2GHz, or even expand the i5 series of CPUs? Or will they be focusing more on the i7 9xx and the i9 from now on? Hopefully they will still improve the 1156 options.

At the time I left Intel, I didn't have access to any internal roadmaps that showed out any further than early 2010, and there are now public roadmaps going out further than that. They all show upgrades for both sockets 1366 and 1156. Intel is committed to supporting both sockets until the next-generation architecture is out (mid 2011 at least until that happens, with one rumor showing the next-generation architecture pushed out even further, specifically to give more room for the current architecture to expand.)

Breaking the seal alone gives Apple plenty of legal right to deny a warranty claim. The case would be open and shut in Apple's favor; the plaintiff knew the "warranty void if removed" sticker was there and willingly chose to remove it.

Thats the entire pint of putting the sticker there. If there was no sticker, any user could attempt an upgrade, fry the logicboard, put the stock CPU back in and claim the machine as defective.

The seal does give Apple plenty of excuse to deny; but by (my non-lawyer reading of) the Magnuson-Moss act, the consumer has the explicit right to do it without voiding their warranty.

A company can claim whatever they want, but the law is the law. If a company claims something that isn't legal for them to follow up on, then they can't follow up on it. (Or, they can try to follow up on it, but then are open to lawsuits.) I have a feeling that Apple would likely initially deny the claim, but if you got a lawyer to write a 'threat of lawsuit' letter, they would relent.

 

[300D]

(my non-lawyer reading of)

Key.