Can my iMac 20" Upgrade CPU?

[myway]

Hi all.
This is my 1st post in macrumors.

i had checked my imac aluminum and glass and specs is descript same as here (http://guides.macrumors.com/iMac_(Intel)) which specs is Rev.C low-end 20" .

my iMac using Intel "Core 2 Duo" processor (T7300). Now, i want to upgrade it but i don't know what most faster cpu that i can replace.

Can anyone tell me?

 

[edesignuk]

Unless you happen to be very good with electronics, you won't be upgrading a CPU in an iMac.

 

[myway]

Unless you happen to be very good with electronics, you won't be upgrading a CPU in an iMac.

Really? i read this thread (https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/221112/). it just seems a very simple replace job but not easy to disassemble it. right?

 

[old-wiz]

Have you ever tried to disassemble an iMac? It may look simple, but you can trash the machine quite easily. Not to mention there's more to upgrading than just the cpu chip - there's also the support chips and ram. Buying cpu chips individually is not cheap either.

 

[Bubba Satori]

No, you're supposed to buy a new one.

 

[krimz]

I thought the cpu in the iMacs were soldered directly onto the mobo?

 

[old-wiz]

if you start messing around like this your Apple warranty goes down the drain. You can be stuck with a really dead system. AppleCare won't help you either. It might be more to the point to ask why do you need to upgrade the CPU? Upgrading the cpu doesn't necessarily help some tasks.

 

[myway]

Have you ever tried to disassemble an iMac? It may look simple, but you can trash the machine quite easily. Not to mention there's more to upgrading than just the cpu chip - there's also the support chips and ram. Buying cpu chips individually is not cheap either.

OMG..... i have not yet disassembled iMac. i had read some introduction after you said its quite easy to trash it. Just like you said, look simpe but quite difficult to do it.
Also the support chip? you mean like south bridge? orz.... its quite hard to find one, right?

if you start messing around like this your Apple warranty goes down the drain. You can be stuck with a really dead system. AppleCare won't help you either. It might be more to the point to ask why do you need to upgrade the CPU? Upgrading the cpu doesn't necessarily help some tasks.

i have a friend, he can buy intel cpu in half price for me. so i am thinking to replace it.

 

[desantii]

Does upgrading the cpu void the warranty? any warranty void stickers?

thanks

 

[notquiteanewbie]

Yes upgrading the CPU is possible. Ask yourself if you can do it.
Do it at your own risk.
Yes it will VOID your warranty.

/Thread

 

[rfruth]

Best have very good soldering / desoldering / hacking skills (warranty is out the window) all in 1 upgrade = pick up the old one and slide a new one in its place else good luck

 

[Dmac77]

1. Learn English.

2. The iMac's processor is soldered to the Mobo.

3. Notice how I said "disassemble an iMac", not "... disassemble iMac"?

4. You will fry your iMac, because you are not capable of doing this.

5. The iMac in the thread you linked to is a revision A or B Intel iMac, not C.

6. The OP in the thread you linked to stated that it was not easy to disassemble the Rev. A/B iMac. Rev. A/B Intel iMacs are easier to disassemble the Rev. C/D Intel iMacs.

7. If you are dense enough to do this, enjoy your voided warranty

Don

 

[myway]

1. Learn English.

2. The iMac's processor is soldered to the Mobo.

3. Notice how I said "disassemble an iMac", not "... disassemble iMac"?

4. You will fry your iMac, because you are not capable of doing this.

5. The iMac in the thread you linked to is a revision A or B Intel iMac, not C.

6. The OP in the thread you linked to stated that it was not easy to disassemble the Rev. A/B iMac. Rev. A/B Intel iMacs are easier to disassemble the Rev. C/D Intel iMacs.

7. If you are dense enough to do this, enjoy your voided warranty

Don

Hey guys. english is not my native language, so what? But how many languages you can speak?

About No.2. Seems i am not the only one don't know the iMac's processor is soldered to the Mobo.

About No.5. Are you sure u r right? Besides Rev.C, all FSB is 667 but mine is 800. What do you think?

 

[old-wiz]

if the CPU is indeed soldered to the motherboard, I can't imagine being able to get it out and put a new one in. The boards are put together by machine, not by humans, and the machines can solder a great deal finer and more accurately than any human, particularly when you have lots of fine connections to make. If I remember correctly, even 2-3 years ago the CPUs ran to hundreds of pins to connect. Soldering the CPU to the motherboard does save a little space - the board is thinner. I still think you should decide if you really need a new CPU or even if a new CPU will help you. You might try adding more RAM.

 

[Dmac77]

Hey guys. english is not my native language, so what? But how many languages you can speak?

About No.2. Seems i am not the only one don't know the iMac's processor is soldered to the Mobo.

About No.5. Are you sure u r right? Besides Rev.C, all FSB is 667 but mine is 800. What do you think?

FYI, I can speak two languages fluently (English, German), and I'm almost fluent in Mandarin. And I'm only 14.

Yes, I'm sure that it is a revision A or B, due to the fact that the post was made in 2006, and the Rev. C (aluminum) iMacs were not released until August 2007.

Get your facts straight.

Don

 

[bry223]

FYI, I can speak two languages fluently (English, German), and I'm almost fluent in Mandarin. And I'm only 14.

Yes, I'm sure that it is a revision A or B, due to the fact that the post was made in 2006, and the Rev. C (aluminum) iMacs were not released until August 2007.

Get your facts straight.

Don

Although you're right, you need to learn to calm down and go about things in a proper manner and not flaming people at will. Your age really shows.

 

[myway]

if the CPU is indeed soldered to the motherboard, I can't imagine being able to get it out and put a new one in. The boards are put together by machine, not by humans, and the machines can solder a great deal finer and more accurately than any human, particularly when you have lots of fine connections to make. If I remember correctly, even 2-3 years ago the CPUs ran to hundreds of pins to connect. Soldering the CPU to the motherboard does save a little space - the board is thinner. I still think you should decide if you really need a new CPU or even if a new CPU will help you. You might try adding more RAM.

Yeah, u r right! just like BGA chipset soldered to the motherboard. if CPU is same like that, we can't do anything besides replace RAM or HDD.
One more question, did you found any post show disassembled aluminum iMac? especially CPU part.
Thx your useful advice.

FYI, I can speak two languages fluently (English, German), and I'm almost fluent in Mandarin. And I'm only 14.

Yes, I'm sure that it is a revision A or B, due to the fact that the post was made in 2006, and the Rev. C (aluminum) iMacs were not released until August 2007.

Get your facts straight.

Don

Yes, you r right, that post was made in 2006. Did you read the bottom line which marked "This page was last modified 21:28, 12 June 2008". I do think editor will revise it from time to time.

If you r 14 and can speak three languages, i must say you r smart but you still not learn what is humility and proper manner.

Although you're right, you need to learn to calm down and go about things in a proper manner and not flaming people at will. Your age really shows.

thx, you teach me a new sentence: "somebody's age really shows"

 

[AlexisV]

Bear in mind that there's little point upgrading the CPU anyway. There's nothing wrong with the Core 2 you have already. Putting in a 3.0Ghz Core 2, for example, will do very little/

FYI, I can speak two languages fluently (English, German), and I'm almost fluent in Mandarin. And I'm only 14.

Yes, but by the sounds of it nobody will want to converse with you anyway.

 

[IJ Reilly]

I think it might be more feasible to find a complete motherboard for a high-end iMac and replace your old one, but even assuming you could find the part, it would likely be more costly than it is worth. You'd be better off selling your current iMac and buying a new one.

 

[myway]

I think it might be more feasible to find a complete motherboard for a high-end iMac and replace your old one, but even assuming you could find the part, it would likely be more costly than it is worth. You'd be better off selling your current iMac and buying a new one.

thx, got your advice.

After collect all reply in this thread. i won't consider to replace CPU anymore but maybe change HDD

 

[lPHONE]

1. Learn English.

The iMac's processor and blah, blah, blah...

Learn to answer a question.

The guy wants to know what's the fastest CPU he can upgrade to. He never asked how difficult it is.

Personally, I can replace the CPU in a 2006 iMac and put it back together under 30 minutes. Easy. Now opening a SONY mini PC? To me that's a nightmare.

 

[TheBritishBloke]

Learn to answer a question.

The guy wants to know what's the fastest CPU he can upgrade to. He never asked how difficult it is.

Personally, I can replace the CPU in a 2006 iMac and put it back together under 30 minutes. Easy. Now opening a SONY mini PC? To me that's a nightmare.

Please don't bump old threads..

Also, you only posted today asking how and what you could do in regards to changing CPU. So no BS please...

 

[lPHONE]

Please don't bump old threads..

Also, you only posted today asking how and what you could do in regards to changing CPU. So no BS please...

OK, I just took it apart and put it back together again in 22.5 minutes. Want to see the video? Obviously you have never taken one of these apart, so stop BS'ing and spamming my posts, as if you know that I don't know what I'm talking about because you obviously don't know what I am and am not capable of.

Also when topics are too old for replies- they should be archived. There's a setting in vBulletin's AdminCP to automatically do this after a certain amount of days.

Personally, I think the information is ever so relevant and the record needed to be straitened, but what do I know, I'm not a MR "Demi-God" thank you very much, very kindly, very politely and have a wonderful afternoon.