Can I upgrade my iMac CPU?

[mac000]

I have a AL 20" iMac with a 2.4 C2D chip, my question is can I upgrade the CPU to one of these:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115130

 

[Tallest Skil]

Nope. It's soldiered on. That would also melt it, even if desktop and laptop chips were interchangeable, and they're not.

 

[Sun Baked]

The iMac is a laptop chipset and socket.

With a "Socket P" mobile CPUs, you aren't going to get a reasonable upgrade until people test out the quad core mobiles to see if they will work.

If you look at the same site, there isn't a huge selection for a reasonably priced update right now.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2000340759 1686143084&name=Socket P

 

[mac000]

The iMac is a laptop chipset and socket.

What do you mean by socket, can it be popped out and replaced?

 

[Tallest Skil]

What do you mean by socket, can it be popped out and replaced?

1. Your chip won't even work.
2. The iMac's chips are soldered on, I believe, so unless you want to desolder every single pin and then replace with a chip that actually works (not the one you linked to), don't try.

 

[mac000]

1. Your chip won't even work.
2. The iMac's chips are soldered on, I believe, so unless you want to desolder every single pin and then replace with a chip that actually works (not the one you linked to), don't try.

so imac's just can't be upgraded?

 

[Tallest Skil]

so imac's just can't be upgraded?

RAM and HDD. Other than that, no.

 

[Dmac77]

RAM and HDD. Other than that, no.

And to upgrade the HDD, you have to disassemble the iMac, and void your warranty.

Don

 

[craig1410]

They do hold their value very well so best way to "upgrade" is to buy a refurb then sell it a year later privately and buy another refurb of the latest model. It will cost you a bit but by buying a refurb in the first place you will minimise your losses and will probably spend no more than you would upgrading the CPU alone.

Personally, I'm taking a different approach - I'm treating my iMac as a 5 year investment and have bought Applecare to keep it under warranty for the first three years. So far it is 18 months old and still feels like new so I'm confident it will last me for at least 3, possibly 5 years before I feel compelled to buy a new one. At that time I'll probably just keep the old machine as a spare or for my kids.

Craig.

 

[Tallest Skil]

And to upgrade the HDD, you have to disassemble the iMac, and void your warranty.

Don

The voiding only occurs if you break something while you are in there.

 

[Sun Baked]

The voiding only occurs if you break something while you are in there.

Or if you decide to remove the "warranty void if removed" stickers.

 

[TrapOx]

Once again Tallest Skil is just guessing at what he doesn't know anything about. The CPU is NOT soldered to the logicboard and it IS upgradable, just not to that quad you want.

A simple google search will find this guide on how to upgrade your CPU:
http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=11295&page=1

 

[oneEG6]

The voiding only occurs if you break something while you are in there.

The voiding occurs the second you open your iMac up, since you're not an authorized Apple service technician. If Apple has to service the machine there are several ways to tell if it has been worked on previously.

 

[AlexisV]

The 2.4Ghz Core 2 is darn fast anyway. Why do you need a quad, out of interest?