Upgrade '09 27" iMac memory or buy new

[servenvolley]

I have an 09 iMac that was used by our three children as they grew up. They are now either in college or have a laptop of their own and so this iMac gets little use. I am a writer and I am considering using it myself at my writing desk. It runs sloooowwww. I have taken off some of the garbage programs that have accumulated on it over the years and it runs a tad faster but it is still hesitant to move along from one task to the next. It has 4GB of memory and I was thinking of adding more to help it but I am concerned that Apple has moved on and this computer will soon be considered archaic (it's considered vintage now I believe).
So any thoughts as to what I should do would be most welcomed.

 

[iEMH]

I upgraded mine to 12GB Ram and fresh installed osx sierra. It made it quite decent, and I am a semi hard core user. I believe for your use, it will keep going for a few more year as long as the hdd doesnt die. Which will cost about $100 to replace it anyways. RAM is also cheap.

 

[macTW]

I have an 09 iMac that was used by our three children as they grew up. They are now either in college or have a laptop of their own and so this iMac gets little use. I am a writer and I am considering using it myself at my writing desk. It runs sloooowwww. I have taken off some of the garbage programs that have accumulated on it over the years and it runs a tad faster but it is still hesitant to move along from one task to the next. It has 4GB of memory and I was thinking of adding more to help it but I am concerned that Apple has moved on and this computer will soon be considered archaic (it's considered vintage now I believe).
So any thoughts as to what I should do would be most welcomed.

SSD and 8+ GB RAM and it'll run like new. Well, close to new.

 

[servenvolley]

Thanks, that's what I wanted to hear. I already replaced the hard drive so I will do as everyone suggested and keep it going for a few more years. Again, thanks.

 

[varian55zx]

Buy new. 2009 is not viable in 2017

 

[kschendel]

I strongly disagree with "not viable". You can certainly get a massive performance and display boost by buying a new one, but if you just want to keep this one running, SSD and 8Gb ram (per macTW above) will fix it right up for a year or two. That's exactly what we did for our 2009.

 

[MadDane]

What processor is in your machine? I have a 2.8 i7 in my 2009 27" iMac with 20GB RAM and Fusion Drive and it still runs pretty well. So if you have the quad core I am certain it will serve you well for another few years with the upgrades suggested by several people.

 

[varian55zx]

I strongly disagree with "not viable". You can certainly get a massive performance and display boost by buying a new one, but if you just want to keep this one running, SSD and 8Gb ram (per macTW above) will fix it right up for a year or two. That's exactly what we did for our 2009.

Well I strongly disagree with you. An 8 year old machine can't run current software, etc. Cant perform modern day operations

 

[kschendel]

Well I strongly disagree with you. An 8 year old machine can't run current software, etc. Cant perform modern day operations

Can't run current software, like what? oh wait, it can run Sierra and Word and Nisus Writer and Pages and Adobe CC and PowerPoint and Keynote and Mail and Thunderbird and on and on. And quite effectively, as the family early 2009 iMac running behind me can attest. What "current software" had you in mind that can't be run on a 2009 iMac?

Can't perform modern day operations, like word processing? book layout? email? web surfing? I can demonstrate how you are wrong on each one of those points.

Did you even bother to read what the OP wanted to use the machine for? I doubt it, you just jumped in with comfy sounding absolutist pronouncements.