How Easy is it to Upgrade an iMac's Hardware?

[nostrum]

Has anyone upgraded the components on their iMac, like the Hardrive, graphics card? Is it easy to do?

In terms of ease of upgradeability is a Powermac a better bet?

 

[Eidorian]

Has anyone upgraded the components on their iMac, like the Hardrive, graphics card? Is it easy to do?

In terms of ease of upgradeability is a Powermac a better bet?

Which iMac do you want to know about? You can easily do the RAM an all models. In the Revision A/B iMac G5's the optical and hard drives were easy as well. The later iSight G5 (Revision C) and Intels are a nightmare on the inside for the average user. If you want a machine that's easy to upgrade go with the Power Mac. You can't upgrade the video on an iMac.

 

[MRU]

Yeah the new imacs need profession dissasembly to upgrade the inner components.

But on the same token the prospect of upgrading to a memron, adding a massive internal HD at the end of the year, and simply pay your apple repair center to do the fitting of components is attractive to me.

 

[nostrum]

Thanks, thats what I needed to know. I was thinking about the latest versions.

If I buy a machine I want to know that I can keep it as up to date as I can, as easily as I can. The Power Mac looked like it was the easiest to upgrade.

 

[Eraserhead]

You can't upgrade the graphics card though...

 

[StealthRider]

But on the same token the prospect of upgrading to a memron...

That's "Merom"...🙂

 

[CanadaRAM]

Thanks, thats what I needed to know. I was thinking about the latest versions.

If I buy a machine I want to know that I can keep it as up to date as I can, as easily as I can. The Power Mac looked like it was the easiest to upgrade.

Trying to keep a machine up to date, with the exception of RAM, is a fools game. Either the parts aren't replaceable (CPU, graphics card) or they are more expensive than the marginal improvement is worth.

Instead, count on adding disk storage with external Firewire or networked drives *better from a backup point of view anyway* and plan on replacing the entire machine when you outgrow it *because by then you will want to use software that requires new CPUs, new OS and or new graphics cards anyway*

 

[~Shard~]

If upgradeability is very important to you, then yes, the PowerMac is your better bet. Many people also do not want to be tied down to the built-in monitor of the iMac either. If the monitor fails, but the hardware is fine, you're SOL. If the monitor is fine but the hardware craps out, you're SOL. If you want to buy a new Mac but would ideally like to keep that nice perfectly-working iMac monitor for it, you're SOL. 😎

 

[nostrum]

Trying to keep a machine up to date, with the exception of RAM, is a fools game. Either the parts aren't replaceable (CPU, graphics card) or they are more expensive than the marginal improvement is worth.

Instead, count on adding disk storage with external Firewire or networked drives *better from a backup point of view anyway* and plan on replacing the entire machine when you outgrow it *because by then you will want to use software that requires new CPUs, new OS and or new graphics cards anyway*

I'll have to disagree with you there, I recently upgraded my PC, motherboard and processor for less than £150/$255. I kept all the other parts. I've got a virtually new machine. It may not be bleeding edge but its twice as fast as my old one and does the job I need it to do. I didn't have to buy a ne machine.

With a Mac you get the impression that if you want to upgrade you have to buy a new machine. For most of us its not a realistic option because of the cost. But I guess thats what Apple needs us to do as it is a hardware company after all.

 

[Eidorian]

The resale value of your Mac also needs to be taken into account. With the slower release cycles it's common to sell your machine and only need $200-400 more for a new one.