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Chidorin

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 27, 2017
43
6
is it LGA 1151 or LGA 1151v2 ? 7700k seems to be the last cpu on LGA 1151, next coffeelake said to be on LGA 1151v2. Then what's the reason behind non-soldered cpu?
 
Didn't realize Skylake and Kaby Lake use the same socket. Would be interesting to see someone try to upgrade a 27" Late 2015 iMac to Kaby Lake, just as the 2007 Core 2 Duo iMac can be upgraded to a newer architecture to run MacOS Sierra.

But, seeing as I have to go all the way back to the 2007 models to cite an example of this being possible, it usually isn't. If you already have the maximum CPU it will take, then you already have the maximum CPU it will take.

That doesn't mean Apple should solder the CPU (just as some iMacs being BTO with 64 GB RAM doesn't make it time to solder the RAM either), as most can be upgraded to the 7700K later on, and, having a socketed 7700K can still be useful if the CPU or logic board fails.
 
EFI support only for accredited CPUs for specified model/year, not possible upgrade to newer model
 
In an older iMac (mid 2007/Aluminum model,) I successfully upgraded the CPU to a newer-generation one that is on the same socket, with the same chipset support. But the OS reports it wrong. It is a Core 2 Duo T9500 2.6 GHz. Running Windows, it reports correctly. Running a low-level CPU detect utility, it detects correctly. But the "About This Mac" window claims it is "700 MHz Intel Core 2 Duo". It obviously works at full speed, though, as it can play 1080p videos just fine (something a 700 MHz CPU wouldn't be able to do.) And Handbrake compresses videos at the same speed in Windows as Mac OS. People have also upgraded various generations of tower Mac Pro to one-generation-newer-same-socket CPUs, including upgrading the original 2006 model to quad-core CPUs.

So, if the chipset has support, and it's the same socket, it should work.

The big thing to note is that current rumors are that Coffee Lake will require new chipsets. So I couldn't count on the current models supporting that particular upgrade.
 
In an older iMac (mid 2007/Aluminum model,) I successfully upgraded the CPU to a newer-generation one that is on the same socket, with the same chipset support. But the OS reports it wrong. It is a Core 2 Duo T9500 2.6 GHz. Running Windows, it reports correctly. Running a low-level CPU detect utility, it detects correctly. But the "About This Mac" window claims it is "700 MHz Intel Core 2 Duo". It obviously works at full speed, though, as it can play 1080p videos just fine (something a 700 MHz CPU wouldn't be able to do.) And Handbrake compresses videos at the same speed in Windows as Mac OS. People have also upgraded various generations of tower Mac Pro to one-generation-newer-same-socket CPUs, including upgrading the original 2006 model to quad-core CPUs.

So, if the chipset has support, and it's the same socket, it should work.

The big thing to note is that current rumors are that Coffee Lake will require new chipsets. So I couldn't count on the current models supporting that particular upgrade.

2007 it's a very old model, so it's not excellent example
iMac isn't PC, EFI it's predefined by Apple to support for compatible CPU, if CPU cannot be recognised by EFI, computer wouldn't start, even this can be happen with GPU (older iMacs have a MXM slot so possibility of GPU upgrade but often doesn't work)

example iMac 27" Retina Late 2015 can only support 3 models of CPU: i5-6500 , i5-6600 and i7-6700K because EFI in this model is designed to working only with these 3 models of CPU
 
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wish we have a silent update in August/September with coffelake :rolleyes:
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I believe at the time of development, Soldered on Kaby Lake processors weren't an option
 
Interesting question about upgrading late 2015 imac to a Kaby Lake 7700k . Theoretically It shoud work a since the socket is the same but also i tried to use once 4770 instead of 4771 on a late 2013 but the imac wouldnt even start.
so it might not ....
But it would be great if someone could actually try it.
 
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