iMac upgrade

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
Can anyone tell me if i can upgrade my own 24" iMac.



I would like to drop one of these in it

INTEL CORE 2 DUO E8500 3.16Ghz 6m CACHE 1333FSB LGA 775



Will it run? if not, are there any other options?



TIA.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 16
    ytvytv Posts: 109member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by beta.services View Post


    Can anyone tell me if i can upgrade my own 24" iMac.



    I would like to drop one of these in it

    INTEL CORE 2 DUO E8500 3.16Ghz 6m CACHE 1333FSB LGA 775



    Will it run? if not, are there any other options?



    TIA.



    No that is a desktop processor. iMac's use notebook processors.
  • Reply 2 of 16
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by YTV View Post


    No that is a desktop processor. iMac's use notebook processors.



    Okay, so are there other options? has anyone done it?
  • Reply 3 of 16
    ytvytv Posts: 109member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by beta.services View Post


    Okay, so are there other options? has anyone done it?



    In theory I guess you could swap it our for another mobile processor. But due to the fact that the processors that come in the 24" are already so near the top tier, any type for minimal performance gains would not seem to be worth it at all.
  • Reply 4 of 16
    backtomacbacktomac Posts: 4,579member
    I believe the cpu is soldiered to the MB.



    The iMac is not cpu upgradable.
  • Reply 5 of 16
    ytvytv Posts: 109member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by backtomac View Post


    I believe the cpu is soldiered to the MB.



    The iMac is not cpu upgradable.



    Even if it is soldiered its still upgradable, just not as easily. But still I see no point, as there are no mobile processors out that make any huge performance gains.
  • Reply 6 of 16
    outsideroutsider Posts: 6,008member
    Wow, so much disinformation in this thread.



    http://www.everymac.com/systems/appl...o-upgrade.html



    The processor on the white and aluminum iMac ARE on sockets and as long as you get a processor that in pin compatible it will work. See for example the BTO option for the 2.8GHz Core 2 Extreme, NOT a mobile processor. The only concern I would have is if the cooling and heat dissipation is adequate for the processor you would swap with. I would study and refer to any online walkthroughs before even attempting it and remember this does VOID your warranty.
  • Reply 7 of 16
    outsideroutsider Posts: 6,008member
    Let me add, you would want to get a processor with the same motherboard speed, 800MHz. There is no easy way to modify the system bus speed on the iMac and even if you could via EFI, I would not. The system was designed for 800MHz and should stay at that speed.



    I'm looking on New Egg, and there is not even that many options for 800MHz bus Core 2 processors beyond 2.4GHz...
  • Reply 8 of 16
    backtomacbacktomac Posts: 4,579member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Outsider View Post


    Wow, so much disinformation in this thread.




    Oops.



    My bad. Please forgive.
  • Reply 9 of 16
    outsideroutsider Posts: 6,008member
    no need!
  • Reply 10 of 16
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Outsider View Post


    Wow, so much disinformation in this thread.



    http://www.everymac.com/systems/appl...o-upgrade.html



    The processor on the white and aluminum iMac ARE on sockets and as long as you get a processor that in pin compatible it will work. See for example the BTO option for the 2.8GHz Core 2 Extreme, NOT a mobile processor. The only concern I would have is if the cooling and heat dissipation is adequate for the processor you would swap with. I would study and refer to any online walkthroughs before even attempting it and remember this does VOID your warranty.



    The 2.8GHz Core 2 Extreme available for the iMac is, in fact, a Merom-core mobile processor.
  • Reply 11 of 16
    ytvytv Posts: 109member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Outsider View Post


    Wow, so much disinformation in this thread.



    http://www.everymac.com/systems/appl...o-upgrade.html



    The processor on the white and aluminum iMac ARE on sockets and as long as you get a processor that in pin compatible it will work. See for example the BTO option for the 2.8GHz Core 2 Extreme, NOT a mobile processor. The only concern I would have is if the cooling and heat dissipation is adequate for the processor you would swap with. I would study and refer to any online walkthroughs before even attempting it and remember this does VOID your warranty.



    Yes including your post. I have no idea if they are socket or soldiered, but I dunno they are all mobile processors
  • Reply 12 of 16
    outsideroutsider Posts: 6,008member
    Holy crap they do make a Extreme Mobile! My apologies to YTV!



    But thankfully they are in sockets. That image shows the socket peeking through the top part of the heat sink. You can also barely make out the thing you turn to loosen the processor from the socket, right between those 2 heat pipes.



    A better view without the heat sink in the way.
  • Reply 13 of 16
    Than you all for your help. Outsider I am looking over those sites you listed.



    I just got the 2.4 for 2 reasons.

    1) i had waited long enough, and the guy at the mac shop told me I would have to wait anoher 2 weeks if I wanted the 500GB HDD or the 2.8 - The only thing I could upgrade at the shop was the RAM.

    2) The guy at the mac shop also told me that it wasnt worth the price to upgrade to the 2.8, and I should just upgrade my ram.



    So I said fine. and I took it. (was upset until i unboxed it and sat it next to my old 20" rev.b)



    So I dont have an immediate need to upgrade. But I just wanted to know if it was an option. - And thanks, I now see that it is.



    I will probably wait the year for my warranty to run out - hoping that theyre is atleast a 3.5GHz that I can drop in.



    This might even give me the excuse I need to get my Mac Hardware Cert. - I know a few people that also just bought the 24" and would pay well to upgrade their iMacs.
  • Reply 14 of 16
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by beta.services View Post


    I will probably wait the year for my warranty to run out - hoping that theyre is atleast a 3.5GHz that I can drop in.



    Mobile processors the iMac's socket can accept will probably only go to 3GHz or so before Intel transitions to Nehalem-based CPU's at the end of 2008. Those will use an entirely different socket.
  • Reply 15 of 16
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by beta.services View Post


    This might even give me the excuse I need to get my Mac Hardware Cert. - I know a few people that also just bought the 24" and would pay well to upgrade their iMacs.



    Even if you are certified, non-Apple CPU upgrades will void the warranty without a doubt. Not to mention, the heat distribution systems were built to accomodate only the processors that are available in the machine; upgrading beyond 2.8GHz is a bad idea.
  • Reply 16 of 16
    Quote:

    Even if you are certified, non-Apple CPU upgrades will void the warranty without a doubt. Not to mention, the heat distribution systems were built to accomodate only the processors that are available in the machine; upgrading beyond 2.8GHz is a bad idea.



    After a year I wont have a warranty anyway. But Ive always watned to take the Cert. And I'd like to avoid bricking my iMac.



    They are a great machine, and I expect to keep it around for a few years yet.
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