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How can I make my Mac faster?
- Thread starter kiawill91
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Outside of buying fast hamsters and a SSD to run the OS externally, I can’t think of anything more practical.
Why didn’t you take a screen shot of your Mac, instead of taking pictures at such a bad angle?
Shift + Command + 4
Why didn’t you take a screen shot of your Mac, instead of taking pictures at such a bad angle?
Shift + Command + 4
Change internal HDD for an SSD. This is the only thing you can do to make it faster. But depending of your usage it might not worth it for a 9 years old computer.
This. I've done it on a half dozen iMacs (including 3 that have the tape rather than screws) and it makes an absolutely huge difference.
Here's the iFixit guide that works for the 2015-2017-2019 versions. Note: You don't have to have temp sensor attached to the drive as some people might claim. The iMac uses the drives' smart sensors to determine fan speed.
How to Add An SSD To The 27" iMac (Late 2015)
I was nervous buying the the late 2015 iMac 27" because there was such little information about it. I could only find a few videos specific to the...
www.ifixit.com
Unless you need to store lots of large files (like photos and video) on your Mac, you can probably do well with 256 or 512GB.
If they want to transfer all their files over, i would definitely recommend a 1TB SSD
Valid point if this machine wasn’t 9 years old. I would try and keep cost as low as possible. Otherwise, one might as well upgrade to a new Mac.
For sure put an SSD in it, it's a cheap and easy upgrade and will provide a more then noticeable boost in performance
Sorry accidental doublepost but a 1 TB SSD Samsung Drive is only $130, and even if it was more expensive, OP probably doesn't need much more power in his machine else he'd probably own a PC desktop already
For that 2011 iMac, unlike the 2015 thru 2019 iMacs, you will need a temp sensor, or better yet, just use macs fan control:
crystalidea.com
it will override the need for the Apple cable and use the sad’s smart sensor, which works perfectly. I used it for several years on my own ssd upgraded 2011 iMac.
Macs Fan Control - control fans on Apple computers, also on Windows via Boot Camp
Control fans on Apple computers, also on Windows via Boot Camp. Monitoring of fan speed and temperature sensors. Solve fan noise and overheating problems, iMac HDD replacement
crystalidea.com
it will override the need for the Apple cable and use the sad’s smart sensor, which works perfectly. I used it for several years on my own ssd upgraded 2011 iMac.
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Since you’re already using almost 500gb of data, 1tb would be my recommendation. A thunderbolt external SSD can be an option if you don’t want to crack the case to install one internally.
Hi guys,
It seems quite slow, I’ve updated it.
Anything I can buy to make it faster?
Thanks
You can buy a new Hackintosh PC, hook your iMac to it as monitor, and pretend it's a native iMac.
You new combination will take more spaces, but would be cheaper than a real iMac.
The minus point is it won't have the 5k resolution.
You couldn't even do that though. The 2011 iMac (unlike 2009-10) can only input video from Thunderbolt Macs.
There are add-in PCIe Thunderbolt cards that also have Displayport input(s) - with one of these, a PC can use Thunderbolt monitors and iMacs in TDM. They aren't cheap though.
Thank you, didn't know that, but yes anything Thunderbolt related is not cheap unfortunately!
You can put a 2.5" SATA SSD into it.
This is a modestly complex procedure, go to ifixit.com to see what's involved.
If you don't feel competent to do it yourself, a computer shop that knows Macs might do it.
This will speed it up some, but you must realize there are limitations as to "what you can get out of" an iMac that's now 9 years old.
If money's tight, put the SSD in.
If you can afford something new (or perhaps Apple-refurbished), it might be time to start shopping for a replacement.
This is a modestly complex procedure, go to ifixit.com to see what's involved.
If you don't feel competent to do it yourself, a computer shop that knows Macs might do it.
This will speed it up some, but you must realize there are limitations as to "what you can get out of" an iMac that's now 9 years old.
If money's tight, put the SSD in.
If you can afford something new (or perhaps Apple-refurbished), it might be time to start shopping for a replacement.
Except for the SSD replacement, OP can even try to:
- Replace the CPU with a core i7 (2600s, perhaps) (40$ top)
- Max out RAM capacity (replace the 2 x 2GB with 2 x 8GB) (60$ top)
- Replace the GPU with a flashed PC MXM card. (100$~200$ depending on the source)
But all of them would just be for a marginal improvement in daily use speed.
- Replace the CPU with a core i7 (2600s, perhaps) (40$ top)
- Max out RAM capacity (replace the 2 x 2GB with 2 x 8GB) (60$ top)
- Replace the GPU with a flashed PC MXM card. (100$~200$ depending on the source)
But all of them would just be for a marginal improvement in daily use speed.
There's already an i5-2400 in there, so the 2600 would only net HT and marginally (~10%) higher clock speeds.
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He already has 20GB, which is combined from 2x8GB and 2x2GB (I guess).
[automerge]1596504341[/automerge]
For 40$ or even cheaper, it's a nice try anyway, even with only 5% gain.
Just theory, not confirmed yet!
New mainboards nowadays do have Thunderbolt 3 support. (~299$)
Add an Apple's Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt adapter (~49$), and you may be output to iMac with Thunderbolt 2 port.
Anyone ever try that?
Total waste of moneyIMO, but if you want to, go for it. SSD and perhaps a new Metal-capable GPU are the things I'd look into.
The CPU is indeed not a too big improvement, depends on your usage profile whether it's worth it or not.
Performance especially in heavilly threaded scenario's can be up to 30% faster (i5-2500 vs i7-2600), but in day to day regular usage where the (virtual) extra HT cores are not used, such as browsing, watching video's etc you won't notice much difference at all.
Wouldn't call it a total waste of money (again, based on your usage), but bang for the bucks won't be very good...
SSD on the other hand, very big difference, the mid 2011 already has sata 3 (unlike the mid 2010 at sata 2), so you'll easily max out the regular 2.5" consumer SSD's.
External with thunderbolt works pretty much as fast (10 Gbps bidirectional on the mid 2011), but the TB enclosures are stupid expensive, unless you get a lucky hit on ebay or so...
Metal graphics card, unless you like to fiddle with reprogramming the vbios on the card you'll lose bootscreen, depending on which card you'll also lose brightness control, it's hit and miss on which cards work wel and which won't work at all.
You'll need all sorts of trickery to get mojave or catalina running on the machine, in short, as a hobby project, yup, by all means, but on a machine you rely on to be usable at all times, no way...
Performance especially in heavilly threaded scenario's can be up to 30% faster (i5-2500 vs i7-2600), but in day to day regular usage where the (virtual) extra HT cores are not used, such as browsing, watching video's etc you won't notice much difference at all.
Wouldn't call it a total waste of money (again, based on your usage), but bang for the bucks won't be very good...
SSD on the other hand, very big difference, the mid 2011 already has sata 3 (unlike the mid 2010 at sata 2), so you'll easily max out the regular 2.5" consumer SSD's.
External with thunderbolt works pretty much as fast (10 Gbps bidirectional on the mid 2011), but the TB enclosures are stupid expensive, unless you get a lucky hit on ebay or so...
Metal graphics card, unless you like to fiddle with reprogramming the vbios on the card you'll lose bootscreen, depending on which card you'll also lose brightness control, it's hit and miss on which cards work wel and which won't work at all.
You'll need all sorts of trickery to get mojave or catalina running on the machine, in short, as a hobby project, yup, by all means, but on a machine you rely on to be usable at all times, no way...