What to do....

[MrMister111]

I have an iMac that is 2012 that runs latest MacOS. Since we have iPhones and iPads and kids have own computers/laptops etc it doesn't get much use now tbh.

I don't use as much now either as only used it for music (which is now all streaming anyway) and photo organisation,
using iCloud photo library. But do use for certain other apps, web etc.

It's hanging on still but as all my photos are now on it's a little slow.

However I can't really justify a new iMac at the prices as it's only me now that uses, but I don't think we are fully there yet for no computer.

Anyone else in similar circumstances? What did you do? Don't really want to go 2nd hand as not sure what could go wrong and expensive

I know they do refurbs but still a lot of money for what I need for now. If there was something that I couldn't do then maybe would have to. Although can't do smart albums on iPad/iPhone suppose...

Maybe a refurb for Mac mini and connect to TV?

 

[kohlson]

If your only issue is that it runs slowly, consider getting the hard drive replaced with a SSD. It will work "better than new." Check out iFixit to see how difficult it would be, or get an external drive connected through USB3. But way better to replace the internal drive with an SSD.

 

[MrMister111]

If your only issue is that it runs slowly, consider getting the hard drive replaced with a SSD. It will work "better than new." Check out iFixit to see how difficult it would be, or get an external drive connected through USB3. But way better to replace the internal drive with an SSD.

Really with this old spec though? It has a fusion drive in already, 1Tb it's the older one with more SSD in as well.

Wouldn't want to open it up but would do via USB though, just not sure would be worth it as it's 2012.

Is there a way to see what the slowest thing is?

 

[kohlson]

Is there a way to see what the slowest thing is?

Activity Monitor can give you some hints, but you have to know how to interpret them. For example, if Memory Pressure is high (in the yellow) then that's a limiting factor. Add more memory. An example of something hard to interpret: A friend with a 6x3.33 2010 Mac Pro, with a standard Apple SSD, was complaining about rendering speeds. Activity Monitor showed hardly any memory use (he has 32GB), about 50% CPU utilization. Last year when SSD prices became more affordable, he put in a second one, as a workspace. So his OS and apps are on an Apple SSD, and this was a second one for his ingest/edit/rendering. His rendering speeds were cut almost in half, and Activity Monitor shows 95% CPU utilization.
My point is, it can be hard to know where the contention is. Indeed, "slow" is a somewhat subjective term, suggesting "slower than it used to be." What are the specs? What apps are slow?

 

[RUGERMAN]

Activity Monitor can give you some hints, but you have to know how to interpret them. For example, if Memory Pressure is high (in the yellow) then that's a limiting factor. Add more memory. An example of something hard to interpret: A friend with a 6x3.33 2010 Mac Pro, with a standard Apple SSD, was complaining about rendering speeds. Activity Monitor showed hardly any memory use (he has 32GB), about 50% CPU utilization. Last year when SSD prices became more affordable, he put in a second one, as a workspace. So his OS and apps are on an Apple SSD, and this was a second one for his ingest/edit/rendering. His rendering speeds were cut almost in half, and Activity Monitor shows 95% CPU utilization.
My point is, it can be hard to know where the contention is. Indeed, "slow" is a somewhat subjective term, suggesting "slower than it used to be." What are the specs? What apps are slow?

True. Slow is a subjective term. I have a 2009 iMac running Hi Sierra and it runs fine for my uses and run Excel, Word, Safari, and Chrome, along with my mail, and team viewer. It was slowing down a few Years ago but I put more memory in and now it runs great.

 

[Nbd1790]

Putting an SSD into the computer will make an ENORMOUS difference in speed. I can almost guarantee that it will most likely satisfy your needs, if not exceed them.

 

[MrMister111]

True. Slow is a subjective term. I have a 2009 iMac running Hi Sierra and it runs fine for my uses and run Excel, Word, Safari, and Chrome, along with my mail, and team viewer. It was slowing down a few Years ago but I put more memory in and now it runs great.

True but this iMac can't upgrade the memory, well not without major surgery!

Putting an SSD into the computer will make an ENORMOUS difference in speed. I can almost guarantee that it will most likely satisfy your needs, if not exceed them.

Even on my iMac? Is it fast enough via the USB ports?

 

[MRrainer]

So it's a 21"?

 

[MrMister111]

So it's a 21"?

Sorry haven't quoted the specs...

Late 2012 21.5"
i5 2.9GHz
8Gb RAM
Nvidia geforce 650 512Mb

Think it only is USB 2 as well so not sure on benefits of SSD USB drive? Says has thunderbolt upto 10Gb/s

mactracker://129C5940-79B4-4B88-A9FF-5FCAA958F005

My storage is 650Gb already for pics as like to have all downloaded to iMac (another backup in my eyes), and easier to move about edit if already downloaded fully to iMac.

Thanks

 

[MRrainer]

Well, you can buy a thunderbolt enclosure and add an SSD there. That's fast enough.


Refurb Mini in the UK store:

https://www.apple.com/uk/shop/produ...faca0c020550c2562fae6409637e7430929f5a3abd73a


What's your budget anyway?

 

[MrMister111]

Well, you can buy a thunderbolt enclosure and add an SSD there. That's fast enough.


Refurb Mini in the UK store:

https://www.apple.com/uk/shop/produ...faca0c020550c2562fae6409637e7430929f5a3abd73a


What's your budget anyway?

Is that a significant speed increase on my current iMac? Budget not sure, this iMac has lasted great tbh, so splitting up time had it's a good buy. I'd want to sell current iMac (not sure on price but trade in via Apple I would rather keep). It's more the fact the low usage now compared to a new one would get really.

So could I get a SSD and put my photo library on there maybe and keep my fusion internal drive for MacOS and apps etc?

Not sure what my thunderbolt ports are, speed or type. So I just buy and SSD and an enclosure of either USB or thunderbolt?

Thanks

 

[AxiomaticRubric]

Is that a significant speed increase on my current iMac? Budget not sure, this iMac has lasted great tbh, so splitting up time had it's a good buy. I'd want to sell current iMac (not sure on price but trade in via Apple I would rather keep). It's more the fact the low usage now compared to a new one would get really.

So could I get a SSD and put my photo library on there maybe and keep my fusion internal drive for MacOS and apps etc?

Not sure what my thunderbolt ports are, speed or type. So I just buy and SSD and an enclosure of either USB or thunderbolt?

Thanks

A USB enclosure for an external SSD wouldn't be worth it, because you would lose far too much speed on the USB 2.0 connection. Your iMac uses Thunderbolt 1 so an enclosure that supports that would be recommended.

 

[MRrainer]

Is that a significant speed increase on my current iMac? Budget not sure, this iMac has lasted great tbh, so splitting up time had it's a good buy. I'd want to sell current iMac (not sure on price but trade in via Apple I would rather keep). It's more the fact the low usage now compared to a new one would get really.

So could I get a SSD and put my photo library on there maybe and keep my fusion internal drive for MacOS and apps etc?

Not sure what my thunderbolt ports are, speed or type. So I just buy and SSD and an enclosure of either USB or thunderbolt?

Thanks

IIRC, the 2018-i3 is a bit faster than the 2012 i7.
But of course, I/O would be much faster.

So it would feel a lot faster for most everyday tasks.

As said, it's not worth buying an USB enclosure because you don't have USB3.
I'm not sure if you can buy any Thunderbolt enclosure, because you only have TB1.

I'm equally not sure if it's worth it, TBH.

I'd start saving up money and upgrade when you're in the position to do so, financially.

That way, there's no money wasted on what is basically an EOL system.