iMac Running Slowly

[PixelDestructor]

Hello, I am having trouble with my iMac. It is the mid 2011 21.5" model with the 2.7 GHz i5 and 1TB HDD and 8GB RAM. When I first got it, it was fast and everything worked great. Now the computer will frequently crash, especially while using Final Cut Pro X. I don't understand why this is happening as the same applications worked fine when I first got the computer, and it's not as if Final Cut Pro or Chrome for that matter have really been updated in any way that would make them run so poorly on the same computer that ran them so well up to about a year ago. Is there any reason why this is happening and is there anyway to prevent it from happening in the future, as I am soon going to purchase a MacBook Pro Retina but I am a bit nervous as it has very similar specs to the iMac I have currently and the iMac has not faired so well.

 

[YoNadz]

This is somewhat off topic, but we have a mid 2014 13" Retina MBP we are looking to sell. 2.8ghz i5, 16gb ram, Intel iris graphics, and 500gb SSD. Includes case, sleeve, laptop, charger, all original packaging, and original packaging. Paid $2000 new, asking $1300. Absolutely flawless condition as it has spent majority of its life at home on a desk in our study. Looking to replace it with a iMac for the kids.

Anyways, I figure if your looking for a MBP Retina maybe we can make it good for both of us. =) I can send you more information if you're interested. Thanks!!

 

[r6mile]

Hello, I am having trouble with my iMac. It is the mid 2011 21.5" model with the 2.7 GHz i5 and 1TB HDD and 8GB RAM. When I first got it, it was fast and everything worked great. Now the computer will frequently crash, especially while using Final Cut Pro X. I don't understand why this is happening as the same applications worked fine when I first got the computer, and it's not as if Final Cut Pro or Chrome for that matter have really been updated in any way that would make them run so poorly on the same computer that ran them so well up to about a year ago. Is there any reason why this is happening and is there anyway to prevent it from happening in the future, as I am soon going to purchase a MacBook Pro Retina but I am a bit nervous as it has very similar specs to the iMac I have currently and the iMac has not faired so well.

Replace the HDD with an SSD. It will feel like a brand new computer.

 

[redheeler]

Hello, I am having trouble with my iMac. It is the mid 2011 21.5" model with the 2.7 GHz i5 and 1TB HDD and 8GB RAM. When I first got it, it was fast and everything worked great. Now the computer will frequently crash, especially while using Final Cut Pro X. I don't understand why this is happening as the same applications worked fine when I first got the computer, and it's not as if Final Cut Pro or Chrome for that matter have really been updated in any way that would make them run so poorly on the same computer that ran them so well up to about a year ago. Is there any reason why this is happening and is there anyway to prevent it from happening in the future, as I am soon going to purchase a MacBook Pro Retina but I am a bit nervous as it has very similar specs to the iMac I have currently and the iMac has not faired so well.

Your iMac's hard drive is probably failing, which would cause slow performance and instability. If you want to extend the life of your iMac, I suggest an SSD upgrade and clean OS X install, which will make it feel faster than it did when you first got it. The Retina MacBook Pros all come with SSDs and won't suffer from this issue anytime soon.