I just got a 2010 27" iMac super cheap and I'm upgrading it as a fun project. I was wondering if anyone has any insight into the benefits of upgrading the processor. It currently has the 2.8Ghz quad core i5 760 processor and I was considering upgrading it to the 2.93Ghz quad core i7 870 processor. The main attraction to me is the i7 having 8 threads compared to the i5s 4 threads but I'm not sure how much difference it will really make in practical use. The iMac won't be my main computer or anything but if I can get a noticeable boost out of the i7 it would be worth it to upgrade.
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2010 27" iMac i5 vs i7?
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Similar threads regarding some other iMacs - my late 2013 for instance - indicate that the difference is not that significant in benchmarks, about 20% or so. Like you, I have considered this CPU upgrade as well but have come to the conclusion that it isn’t worth the bother nor expense unless you can get the i7 very cheaply. I certainly can’t.
You’ll get dramatically better and noticeable performance improvements with memory and SSD upgrades.
Go for the core i7 any way. It's just 30$ for a 2nd CPU, doesn't worth your time of consideration.
I upgraded the RAM and SSD and it runs well. As Duc Hieu mentioned, the processor is pretty cheap. I was mostly considering whether it would be worth the time and effort. I decided to pull the trigger and order the i7, it'll be a fun afternoon changing it if nothing else.
If you can acquire the i7 cheaply then definitely go for it - 20% is still a useful boost in performance. But I have found the i7 (specifically the i7-4770 in the 2013) is not cheap at all - they'll run you at least $100-150 on eBay.
Please tell me where you are acquiring these i7's at $30 - I would definitely upgrade mine too at that cost.
Please tell me where you are acquiring these i7's at $30 - I would definitely upgrade mine too at that cost.
iMacs 27" mid-2010 are equipped with core i7-870 or 880, not the expensive core i7-4770.
core i7-880s are rare and expensive, but core i7-870 can be purchased cheaply and easily.
I bought mine from Aliexpress.
@kirkster501 I guess it really depends on the processor. I paid about $35, shipped, from Aliexpress. I'm going to put the i5 it currently has on eBay too and see if it sells. If the 2013 processors are so expensive maybe your current one is worth something to negate a good chunk of the cost of a 4770?
Bought it not for the performance boost, but for the aesthetic appearance when opening the 'About this Mac" window....
And the childish successful feeling that I've upgraded the CPU myself...