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Who else is still using a 2017 iMac?
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If you look carefully at Luke Miani’s YT video you’ll see his conversion is only running at 8 bits YUV.
5K iMac panels can do better than that , and display RGB 10bit - see the second to last @kalsta link, or the MacRumors thread I posted.
5K iMac panels can do better than that , and display RGB 10bit - see the second to last @kalsta link, or the MacRumors thread I posted.
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Does anyone have experience using EGPU together with Mac on Intel? Can EGPU work in games on the internal display? Are there any restrictions in the choice of OS?
I was afraid to install i7 7700k in 21.5 2017 because of overheating and I was wrong.
Games do not often use multithreading, the processor frequency is more important. I think that there would be more benefit from 7700k working at a higher frequency with one or two cores.
I did not succeed. And the i7 7700 processor is weak and Radeon Pro 560 with 4 GB of memory is not enough (PCI-e x 8). The last chance to use EGPU, at least Vega 56. This card should be supported, I think.
But if it can only work on an external monitor, there will be no point in this.
I was afraid to install i7 7700k in 21.5 2017 because of overheating and I was wrong.
Games do not often use multithreading, the processor frequency is more important. I think that there would be more benefit from 7700k working at a higher frequency with one or two cores.
I did not succeed. And the i7 7700 processor is weak and Radeon Pro 560 with 4 GB of memory is not enough (PCI-e x 8). The last chance to use EGPU, at least Vega 56. This card should be supported, I think.
But if it can only work on an external monitor, there will be no point in this.
I've been on the market for a 5k display and ended up "settling" for an iMac 27" 2017 16GB 512GB SSD instead of just hooking up my MacBook Pro M3 Pro to a monitor. I'll keep using my MBP for more demanding tasks and use the iMac for basic day to day work stuff (mostly boring admin) and my home use (YouTube, light vid editing, overall web browsing, etc).
Paid $500 for it, and it is a much better overall deal compared to any 5k monitor around. Samsung and Dell 5k monitors are going for decently more. It is in fantastic condition too. No complaints at all about purchasing an iMac 2017 in 2024.
When it stops supporting any form of updates, I'll try to convert it into a Mac Mini monitor as shown above 🫣
Paid $500 for it, and it is a much better overall deal compared to any 5k monitor around. Samsung and Dell 5k monitors are going for decently more. It is in fantastic condition too. No complaints at all about purchasing an iMac 2017 in 2024.
When it stops supporting any form of updates, I'll try to convert it into a Mac Mini monitor as shown above 🫣
Interesting but way beyond my skills.
i think we have the same, or very similar, model. OS updates stopped at Ventura but I do get the occasional, e.g. yesterday, Safari or security updates.
Yes, an eGPU can accelerate games rendered on the internal display, but there is something like an additional 25% performance penalty to render on the internal display vs a directly external monitor due to thunderbolt overhead. Just plan on buying a card that is a step or two beefier/faster that what you think you need/want.
Supported cards with regard to MacOS:
MacOS 10.15.1 or newer: Vega 56, Vega 64, Radeon VII, RX 5700, RX 5700 XT
MacOS 11.4 or newer: RX 6800, RX 6800 XT, RX 6900 XT
MacOS 12.1 or newer: RX 6600, RX 6600 XT
(The RX 6600 isn't on Apple's eGPU support list, but it is the same chip family/generation/driver as the 6600 XT and has been reported as working by other eGPU Mac users)
Edit:
Assuming you plan to use OpenCore. 2024 is probably the wrong time to invest in an eGPU for a mac that will be stuck on Ventura. Honorable mention for getting a new console instead.
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The way I look at it, at that point if I screw it up, it'll have been a basically 10 year old device without much resale value, so might be worth the effort to keep the amazing 5K display.
I have a 2007 Mini I use as a media server for my AppleTV and a 2007 27" iMac I use for backups (it has backups of my media files and I also use it when my new Mini is busy with an update or something).Just wondering who else is using their 2017 27" iMac?
I bought mine back in August 2017 and specced it to the best available at the time, the 4.2GHz quad core i7 with the 8Gb Radeon Pro 580 and a 1Tb SSD.
I retired it from my radio shack last year when I got a Mac Studio and moved it to my office where it's been running perfectly since then and because I need Windows 10 for a minor task (don't ask), I've just rebuilt it so I can set up a dedicated partition. It's never had an OS rebuild since it was initially installed, I always just upgrade the OS when the new version comes out.
The latest version this will run is Ventura.
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Obviously, it's nowhere near Apple Silicon speeds but for what I need, in the office, it's absolutely perfect.
The SSD isn't bad, speed wise.
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And despite it being a good few years old, there's plenty of life left in this SSD.
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It'll be a sad day when I have to retire this old beast
Intrigued to know how many people are still using a 2017 iMac and whether you have any immediate plans to change.
Lost my 1984 Mac in a divorce in 1986. Wish I still had it for nostalgia. It would probably still work.
Currently, my wife has the 2014 27" iMac on High Sierra and I have the 2017 27" iMac on Monterey. We use them everyday just fine. I also have Parallels to run WinXP and Win10 applications. I'm not sure WinXP would be possible with an "M" mac.
When they die, I'll look into a 27" "M" iMac. Oh, that's right. The "geniuses" at Apple don't make the iMac anymore.
Currently, my wife has the 2014 27" iMac on High Sierra and I have the 2017 27" iMac on Monterey. We use them everyday just fine. I also have Parallels to run WinXP and Win10 applications. I'm not sure WinXP would be possible with an "M" mac.
When they die, I'll look into a 27" "M" iMac. Oh, that's right. The "geniuses" at Apple don't make the iMac anymore.
Was using my 2017 iMac until about a week ago. Traded it in to Apple. Got a Studio Display and connected it to MBA 15. I will miss that iMac 
There are no problems with updating Mac OS and I use OCLP (thanks to the developers). Patches are only needed for Wi-Fi. Since it is connected with a cable, patches can be omitted. It works easier in Sonoma than in Sequoia. I think I need to go back to Sonoma. I am like a capricious child now - I want something, but I myself do not understand what I want. Everything is actually not bad. I can play old games on it. But not all kinds. New games are released only for Apple Silicon. The video card shows good results in tests. The processor is not pleasing. I will still try 7700k. If the power supply and the VRM of the processor on the system board can handle it. I will not do anything else with it. I do not see the maximum load on this processor and do not understand what is happening and what is the reason.
Sorry for complaining here. The topic is positive, I am the only one who is not happy with something.
Did they actually give you anything for it? I'm surprised it still has trade in value.
My 2017 27" iMac is sat next to the Studio and Studio Display I bought earlier this year and I'm using both at the same time with Universal Control, which is pretty cool (though would probably work better with Apple mouse & keyboard rather than the Logitech MX units I'm using).
It's showing age, sometimes screen goes black for a second or so, the ports at the back sometimes don't work until I do a restart but otherwise it's still good.
I can't bring myself to sell it as I am rather attached to it, like an old friend!
It's showing age, sometimes screen goes black for a second or so, the ports at the back sometimes don't work until I do a restart but otherwise it's still good.
I can't bring myself to sell it as I am rather attached to it, like an old friend!
I love it. I have the same setup though I'm using Synergy instead of Universal Control. I'm using a CoolerMaster mechanical keyboard and Logitech mouse.