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2011 27" iMac Possible upgrades

rctneil

rctneil

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 29, 2013
192
100
Hey,

I have a 2011 27" iMac with 3.4Ghz i7 and 12Gb Ram.

What possible upgrades could be done to it? I was thinking of getting an SSD and fitting it internally.

I've grabbed an older OCZ Vertex 2 120Gb SSD and connected it externally via USB2 and done a fresh install of Yosemite and it seems a lot smoother but havn't really installed anything groundbreaking yet. This is only a test and not permanent.

Any ideas?
 
rctneil said:
Hey,

I have a 2011 27" iMac with 3.4Ghz i7 and 12Gb Ram.

What possible upgrades could be done to it? I was thinking of getting an SSD and fitting it internally.

I've grabbed an older OCZ Vertex 2 120Gb SSD and connected it externally via USB2 and done a fresh install of Yosemite and it seems a lot smoother but havn't really installed anything groundbreaking yet. This is only a test and not permanent.

Any ideas?
Click to expand...

Yeah, put that SSD inside so it's hooked up directly via SATA; you'll notice a big difference.

I'm running a Corsair 120GB SSD in my 21.5" 2010 iMac, and it still runs great: quiet, cool, and fast. No way I'm ever going back to hard drives, not even Fusion.
 
2011 27" iMac Possible upgrades

I wanted to give the ssd a go which is why I used usb. I also want to purchase a bigger drive. Any suggestions on 500gb ssds? Will there be any problems with installing it internally?

I do have two Usb connected storage drives externally. Both 3tb so the internal one will mainly just be for applications.
 
Installation isn't too hard on our iMac design: pull the screen off with suction cups and you're off and running. When you go to put it back on, clean everything really thoroughly to ensure dust doesn't get trapped between the screen and glass. Other than that, be slow and methodical and use the guide on iFixit; they're the best.

If you put the SSD in place of the stock hard drive, you'll need to short the thermal connector so the fans don't blow full blast. Or, get fan control software so you can control fan speed independent of drive temp.


As for advice on what SSD to buy? I've trusted Newegg reviews on most anything I've bought from them and never been disappointed.
 
toddzrx said:
Installation isn't too hard on our iMac design: pull the screen off with suction cups and you're off and running. When you go to put it back on, clean everything really thoroughly to ensure dust doesn't get trapped between the screen and glass. Other than that, be slow and methodical and use the guide on iFixit; they're the best.

If you put the SSD in place of the stock hard drive, you'll need to short the thermal connector so the fans don't blow full blast. Or, get fan control software so you can control fan speed independent of drive temp.


As for advice on what SSD to buy? I've trusted Newegg reviews on most anything I've bought from them and never been disappointed.
Click to expand...

How do you short the thermal connector?
 
rctneil said:
How do you short the thermal connector?
Click to expand...

From what I understand, the thermal connector is female and only uses 2 slots, so you just short them with a wire and tape it.

rctneil said:
If I purchased this dual drive kit: https://www.ifixit.com/Apple-Parts/iMac-Intel-27-Inch-Mid-2011-Dual-Hard-Drive-Kit/IF174-002-1

Will this allow me to install a 2.5 SSD as my main drive and keep the standard 1Tb drive as spare storage? Is the current 1Tb drive 3.5 or 2.5?

Also, If I wanted the SSD as the main drive would I plug the SSD where the 1Tb drive is now or not?

Thanks,
Neil
Click to expand...

Yes, that's what the kit is for: install an additional drive of your choice. The stock drive is a 3.5. You don't need to put the SSD where the stock drive is now; just make the SSD the boot drive after you put OS X, apps, and whatever else you want, on it.

So, no need to remove the stock drive. You could even make your own Fusion Drive if you want:

http://www.macworld.com/article/2014011/how-to-make-your-own-fusion-drive.html
 
A better idea than shorting the thermal sensor is to use OWC's replacement thermal sensor. It will allow the iMac to run normally and increase the fans if necessary. You can use either drive as the boot drive if you leave the original HDD installed. If the original is left in place, you wouldn't need the thermal sensor form OWC (of course).

I installed a 480 GB Crucial M500 SSD using the extra SATA connector. I used OWC's SSD installation Video to perform this.

I left the original HDD installed, so I didn't need the thermal sensor.

Take your time, DON't rush, and be very gentle. You'll love the results.
 
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