21" iMac with bad GPU

[glenthompson]

I've been using my wife's old 2011 21.5" iMac in my workshop just for looking up stuff when needed. It has started exhibiting GPU problems. Lots of pixelations all over the screen. Seems to happen more when first turned on but will happen after using awhile. In some cases the machine will lock up and require a reboot. Surprisingly, when the screen saver activates the pixies go away and the screen is perfectly clear.

Any hope for it? Anything to do except replace the GPU and/or logo board? Both look to be more expensive than it's worth.

 

[Berenod]

Standard problem with that series (both 21 en 27", 2010/2011).
Taking the machine apart, removing the gpu, and baking in in the oven might give you anywhere between a few weeks to many months of extra life.

Google is you friend!

ð bake gpu imac 2011 - Google Search

www.google.com

I run such a "baked" gpu in my 2011 iMac, going strong for 7 or 8 months now since the bake.
Your mileage may vary though...

New ones are extremely hard to find and expensive, pretty much all of them you see for sale on ebay are mostly baked cards...

 

[glenthompson]

Standard problem with that series (both 21 en 27", 2010/2011).
Taking the machine apart, removing the gpu, and baking in in the oven might give you anywhere between a few weeks to many months of extra life.

Google is you friend!

ð bake gpu imac 2011 - Google Search

www.google.com

I run such a "baked" gpu in my 2011 iMac, going strong for 7 or 8 months now since the bake.
Your mileage may vary though...

New ones are extremely hard to find and expensive, pretty much all of them you see for sale on ebay are mostly baked cards...

Do you have a 21 or 27"? Looks like the 27" GPU removal is a lot less involved than the 21.5". They crammed stuff tighter together in the smaller display. Not sure if I'm up to getting it out without screwing up something.

 

[Berenod]

Yes, indeed a 27".
Although that one is also pretty involved getting the gpu out....
Never done a 21", so can't really compare...

 

[CooperBox]

Standard problem with that series (both 21 en 27", 2010/2011).
Taking the machine apart, removing the gpu, and baking in in the oven might give you anywhere between a few weeks to many months of extra life.

Google is you friend!

ð bake gpu imac 2011 - Google Search

www.google.com

I run such a "baked" gpu in my 2011 iMac, going strong for 7 or 8 months now since the bake.
Your mileage may vary though...

New ones are extremely hard to find and expensive, pretty much all of them you see for sale on ebay are mostly baked cards...

By taking extra special care during a 'bake reflow' and a few additional tweaks & changes, it's possible to prolong the life by far more than weeks or months as I've proved HERE.
I'd certainly recommend removing the optical drive and the original HDD and replacing the latter with an SSD; both actions will ensure the iMac runs cooler (removing the HDD) and improve internal cooling airflow (removing ODD).

 

[Fishrrman]

OP:
"Any hope for it? Anything to do except replace the GPU and/or logo board? Both look to be more expensive than it's worth."

Yes... any fix that you spend $$$ on will be "more expensive than it's worth".

Perhaps it's time to hunt up something used, but "more recent", hopefully for not much money...

 

[Bodhitree]

Hmm my mother is going to replace a 2011 21” iMac soon, she’s never had any gpu problems but was offered a paltry 30 euros trade-in by Apple. Perhaps it’s worth more as spare parts…

 

[Nguyen Duc Hieu]

Hmm my mother is going to replace a 2011 21” iMac soon, she’s never had any gpu problems but was offered a paltry 30 euros trade-in by Apple. Perhaps it’s worth more as spare parts…

The aluminum case only can be sold at 50$...

 

[Bodhitree]

The aluminum case only can be sold at 50$...

That’s funny. There’s probably 300 euros in parts there, those GPUs tend to go for about 170 euros around here. I’ll have to ask her whether she thinks its worthwhile, she can be a bit funny about these things.

 

[Berenod]

That’s funny. There’s probably 300 euros in parts there, those GPUs tend to go for about 170 euros around here. I’ll have to ask her whether she thinks its worthwhile, she can be a bit funny about these things.

Carefull, they tend to "ask" 170€, doesn't mean they sell for that money.

Still, when you get only 30€ trade in for it, I'd rather hang on to it (or even buy it for 30€).
A 2011iMac (2nd gen i3/5/7) still has some pretty good useability in todays world!
Just stick an SSD inside which is fairly easy to do on the "magnetic" glass frontpanel models.

Only drawback I would say is that you're stuck at High Sierra, which is basically unsupported by Apple.

Just found out the hard way that the nincompoops at Microsoft only want to install their software on Macs running one of the latest 3 OS versions, so today that's Big sur, Catalina or Mojave, and Mojave is going to get dropped very soon now.

 

[CooperBox]

OP:
"Any hope for it? Anything to do except replace the GPU and/or logo board? Both look to be more expensive than it's worth."

Yes... any fix that you spend $$$ on will be "more expensive than it's worth".

Perhaps it's time to hunt up something used, but "more recent", hopefully for not much money...

Your replies are usually spot-on, but I disagree with you here.
I've just checked on a local site where there are dozens of private sales for an iMac of the same spec, and I've taken the average price of 14 similar iMacs, all fully functional and in good condition. In the calculation I avoided those where the asking price was 400euros or more (agreed that many prices are exaggerated and would rarely sell for the asking price), one with 12Gb memory being listed at 680euros ($US771) which we know is crazy!
The average of the 14 2011 21” iMac's was 291euros (US$330). Obviously some may sell for their asking price and some less, but the average would appear a reasonable ball-park figure.
Given that it costs just a handfull of dollars to perform a 'bake reflow' - the cost of a spudger and good quality thermal paste (I highly recommend CS Labs K5/K4 Pro), plus 20-40euros for an SSD, say max of 60uros (US$68).
So given the above estimation, a fix costing max US$68 for an iMac which arguably could sell for up to US$330 is imho not more expensive than it's worth.
In some parts of the world the value of a similar spec iMac may be greater, and conversely for those in the U.S. there may be hundreds waiting to be gifted/dumped out on street corners.....