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Can you upgrade the video card and the processor chip in an iMac?

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Original poster
I've had this doubt for a long time. Not planning in buying one right now, but maybe in a recent future I would like to.

If not in the iMac, can it be done in the Mac Pro?

Thanks,

Roco.
 
Ignore me, I'm an idiot.

However, my suggestion is that if you want a mac with the upgrading power of a pc, and if you have the money, get the mac pro. You will not be sorry.
 
You can't upgrade the iMac processor without voiding the warranty, so I consider it a no.
 
With the 24" iMacs, it is possible to upgrade the graphics card, since it uses the MXM interface (and the processor can be swapped too, just throwing that in there if you were thinking about it). However, if it were to work, it would only work in Boot Camp, since OS X couldn't support it. On that note, a while ago I saw the specs for the 7950GT mobile that used the MXM interface, and on the page it said it supported OS X, but I don't know if that's a fact or not.😉 I damn well hope it is though, because that would be one sexy card in there, amirite?
 
barr08 said:
You can't upgrade the iMac processor without voiding the warranty
Click to expand...

yeah, but so does taking the computer out of the box...

Most upgraders won't upgrade until a few years pass anyway. Not cost effective to swap for the hottest processor when you pay through the nose.
 
spork183 said:
yeah, but so does taking the computer out of the box...

Most upgraders won't upgrade until a few years pass anyway. Not cost effective to swap for the hottest processor when you pay through the nose.
Click to expand...

Point taken. Maybe I'll look into this in a few years.
 
Thanks for the replies.

So technically, if I buy a Mac Pro I can upgrade it as if it were a PC? (Of course only with OS X compatible things).

I like the iMac more for the form factor (and of course for the price), but I don't want to buy a desktop that serves almost the same as a laptop. I mean, I don't want to be changing it every 2-3 years because it has gotten old and I can't change the processor or video card.

As for the warranty, I don't expect to change anything in the first year. So no problem here.
What would happen if an Apple reseller changes the processor? Would the warranty be voided?
Is this the same case with the MB hard drive? I am planning to change the HD.

Roco,
 
Most processor sockets change every few years. The Socket in the iMac is changing shortly to Socket P, the Mac Pro's LGA771 socket has some longevity left but the Common Systems Interface will be moving into that market by 2008-09.

But the Mac Pro will be more easily upgraded over a longer period of time and the upgrade will have a more significant improvement, too.
 
I've been doing some research into the upgradeable GPU in the iMac, and sorry to say, it doesn't seem to be true. While Apple did technically use an MXM, they rearranged the pins a bit so that other graphics cards won't work. My guess is that Apple did this on purpose.

BTW, the the socket in the iMac would probably change to Socket P, sometime in the Spring. Not Socket B. If that was a typo, excuse me.
 
Core duo upgrade to core2duo upgrade

I have done alot of back ground reading on this upgrade

I want upgrade my 20ins 2Ghz T2500
to the Core 2 duo T7400 (2.16Ghz)

from what i understand the chipsets are there same on both New and old intel imacs
And they have the same processor socket
There should not be a problem with heat as the T2500 has a TDP 31W
and the T7400 is TDP 34watt

i sure that the imac will cope with the 3 watt difference

Im just asking for anything that could go wrong?
as i have not heard or scence the imac upgraded from Coreduo to core2duo

But on paper it looks good to me.

Please no dum dum answers like get a mac pro or you will kill your
warrenty.

really just want thumbs up or down on this one

Thankyou

Destecroix
 
What about for those of us handy with a soldering Iron. Any jumpers I can switch if I'm feeling a little risky?
 
Tarkovsky said:
What about for those of us handy with a soldering Iron. Any jumpers I can switch if I'm feeling a little risky?
Click to expand...

a LITTLE RISKY? 😱

I really think that they should make it more easy to upgrade. More people would be willing to buy Macs if this was possible. I know that it would never reach the point where you can change everything (like PC's), but even a little would be valuable.

I still have this doubt: would changing my MB hard drive void my warranty?😕
 
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