What can you upgrade besides the RAM in the current iMacs? I'm under the impression you can upgrade the GPU in the 27" but not the 21.5"?
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Upgradeability
- Thread starter Kestrel452
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Without voiding the warranty, just the RAM. Voiding the warranty, HDD and RAM.
Everything else is soldered in. Except the LCD or DVD Slot-loading device.
Everything else is soldered in. Except the LCD or DVD Slot-loading device.
You don't void the warranty unless you take off the heatsinks with the "warranty voided if removed" stickers. That means you can replace the hard drive as you wish, and apple will have no means to void your warranty-- just means you have to replace the upgraded drive with the original hard drive if you ever have the machine serviced by apple. If you break your machine while trying to do it however, it's not above apple to blame any possible internal reconfigurations you've done as a means to void your warranty.
The cpu and gpu are not soldered in. The cpu uses a default intel socket designed for lynnfield and clarkdale cpus, while the gpu is an mxm card. It's not recommended to replace either with anything other than what's already in the iMac lineup, however-- or better yet even at all.
The cpu and gpu are not soldered in. The cpu uses a default intel socket designed for lynnfield and clarkdale cpus, while the gpu is an mxm card. It's not recommended to replace either with anything other than what's already in the iMac lineup, however-- or better yet even at all.
Hmmm, well, is there enough of a difference between the 5670 and 5750 to warrant the upgrade? I was planning on getting a 21.5 with the i5 but the 27" has a 1GB video card...
The main difference is the GDDR5 of 5750 (mobility 5850) allows for twice the memory bandwidth than the GDDR3 of the 5670 (mobility 5730)-- even though both cards have only 128 bit buses.
According to benchmarks, the mobility 5730 is 60% the performance of mobility 5850.
OWC actually has a program right now that can replace your gpu in the iMac for you, and I think they offer their own warranty. It's expensive however, because you're paying for the special mxm cards, and OWC's service. That service is only for 27 inch iMacs however, so it'd only really benefit late 2009 27 inch owners.
According to benchmarks, the mobility 5730 is 60% the performance of mobility 5850.
OWC actually has a program right now that can replace your gpu in the iMac for you, and I think they offer their own warranty. It's expensive however, because you're paying for the special mxm cards, and OWC's service. That service is only for 27 inch iMacs however, so it'd only really benefit late 2009 27 inch owners.
So I guess I should save up the extra few hundred and just get their top of the line. Oh well, at least Sandy Bridge will have made its way in there by then.
Although, why is their TOL model a lower Ghz than the rest?
Although, why is their TOL model a lower Ghz than the rest?
