Hi, I have a late 2012 21,5 iMac and now I get to that point when I feel my computer unusable sometimes. Spinning beachballs and bouncing icons on the dock for 5-10 seconds (it takes more than 30 second to launch PS)... I clean installed Yosemite and currently I am using El Capitan Public Beta, but it's still very slow in app launching. So I started thinking about upgrading my Mac. The processor and RAM are fine but the 1TB HDD isn't the latest technology. Do you think an SSD upgrade can solve all of the problems or should I sell my Mac and get a completely new one? If the SSD'd work, whick one? PCI-e or Sata 3? And I also read about a fan issue with iMacs and I don't know if a fan control app can help. (Sorry if my English isn't the best)
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iMac SSD upgrade
- Thread starter Oli180
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Your 2012 iMac could be operating as it was when new, if you ran a hdd cleanup, defrag and delete temp files. Software-updates and upgrades get conflicts with other updates and upgrades and competitive apps that cause slow reactions. Take it to the Mac store and have them clean it up. Unless you are wanting a newer faster iMac. Or do the work yourself, if you have the time and expertise.
Best of success
Yes, a SATA3 SSD such as the Samsung 850 EVO or Intel 730 would improve your situation greatly.
Here's a guide:
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iMac+Intel+21.5-Inch+EMC+2544+Hard+Drive+Replacement/16729
Here's a guide:
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iMac+Intel+21.5-Inch+EMC+2544+Hard+Drive+Replacement/16729
Thank you for the quick a answers. I really don't want to buy a new iMac so the SSD upgrade seems to be the better option. But is that enough? I mean if I get an SSD and I still have to wait for spinning beachballs, it would be a waste of money and and then I have to buy a new mac. And do you have any experience with fan control softwares? Do they work as easily as the built-in after installation?
I would fully expect all the beachballs to go away after upgrading to an SSD.
I use an app called SMC Fan Control that I use to increase the speed of my iMac's single fan when my CPU/GPU gets overly warm. Has worked well for years with numerous versions of OS X
You don't have to open up the iMac to get the benefit of an SSD.
You can connect one externally, and make it your boot drive.
With a 2012 iMac, I believe you have the options of connecting either via thunderbolt or with USB3. Either way will yield speeds that are about the same.
USB3 is much cheaper.
If you get an external USB3 drive (or enclosure), make sure that it supports "UASP" (USB attached SCSI protocol). This is necessary to get the full speed of USB3.
You can connect one externally, and make it your boot drive.
With a 2012 iMac, I believe you have the options of connecting either via thunderbolt or with USB3. Either way will yield speeds that are about the same.
USB3 is much cheaper.
If you get an external USB3 drive (or enclosure), make sure that it supports "UASP" (USB attached SCSI protocol). This is necessary to get the full speed of USB3.
Thanks. I'm going to buy a Samsung 840 Pro (I can get it $50 cheaper than the 850 Evo). Now I read that TRIM works again in 10.10.4 but not with every SSDs. So do you recommend to do that forcetrim in the terminal? And I have to use a software which can control the fan speed. Which is the best or the one you recommend? Some people commented somewhere those apps didnt work for them and they had to reset something. So is this whole SSD upgrade risky or you can fix all these problems and you can use your mac like a new one directly from Apple?
This might sound more harsh than intended but you have successfully replicated Apple's marketing concept….
And: Why do you think that installing newer OS versions will help with speed? I expect quite the contrary… that's why my 2010 iMac is still in 10.7… make a bootcamp partition and install Windows XP on it… your eyes will pop out, you've never thought your old machine would be capable of such speed… ;-O
You're right, older versions of OS X (Mountain Lion) worked pretty well if I compare it to Yosemite, but it was still much slower than I expected when I used it 1-2 months ago. The reason why I am using 10.11 isn't the Apple's marketing. I installed it a few days ago to see the new functions and the performance (some reviews say the metal could speed up yor mac a little bit), but it's not any slower or faster than 10.10. Unfortunately I get used to some new features of Mavericks/Yosemite and I don't want to go back to 10.8 and older, so an SSD upgrade is the only way how I can make a big impact on performance.
I have a 2011 iMac 27" and I had the same symptoms. I installed a 500GB Sandisk Evo SSD and my iMac is awesomely fast. I kept the 1 TB hard drive and use it for additional storage.
Are you sure? Beacuse I asked a few mac services and none of them gave me a 100% sure answer. When I asked them about the fan they said they use fancontrol apps... So I think they don't really know about this specific model.
Yes, the late 2012 21.5" is the same chasis as the 2013. It's a 2.5" hard drive with only power and data going to the drive. Take a look at the iFixit HDD upgrade guide listed above and you'll see - no thermal sensor cable. The 2011 is entirely different so don't go by that.
Thank you for all the helpul answers. Now I've decided to buy an SSD and it will probably work without any fan issues, so the only question is the TRIM. Did you enable TRIM with 10.10.4 or 10.11 Public Beta? Some websites say most of the Samsung and Crucial SSDs have a problem with treating TRIM and they remove not the right data. Do you have any experience with these SSDs (I found a 840 Pro for a very reasonable price)? Or does TRIM even help?
I can't speak to TRIM and OSX as I've been using Win10 via Bootcamp. I have the 850 EVO which has been great so far. I have the 500GB which usually goes for $170 or so.
Also, if you're going to do the internal SSD swap make sure to get the little plastic cutter along with the adhesive strips - it really helps. Also, read the adhesive strip guide on iFixit as well.
Also, if you're going to do the internal SSD swap make sure to get the little plastic cutter along with the adhesive strips - it really helps. Also, read the adhesive strip guide on iFixit as well.
Undortunately, in Hungary the 850 Evo costs about $240 but I can get a 840 Pro for $190 (which is 300 usually in other shops). I am not sure if Windows works well with a trim-enabled 850 then it works with OS X as well, so I am still waitimg for someone with a better knowladge.
Yes, there isn't any cables and thermal sensor, but those original HDDs have a firmware which controls the fan and if you replace it with an SSD (which doesn't have that firmware) then you need a sofware. Or this firmware thing isn't a problem with late 2012 21.5 iMacs?
If that's the case I haven't seen it yet with my 2013. Whisper quiet with a Samsung SSD. I assume the late 2012 would be the same situation but maybe someone can chime in that has performed a swap on that model.
Thank you. So the fan will probably work. Have you enabled TRIM? If you haven't, have you noticed some slow down?
I have not enabled TRIM, although I'm using Windows 10 so I'm not sure if it's enabled by default. No slowdowns so far.
I recently threw an SSD into my parents 2007 iMac that was essentially dead, it now runs super snappy on yosemite, although i do not dare use an heavy applications on its 2gb of ram ha. A bit unsuitable but the SSD was out of a dead 2012 Macbook Pro Retina (and an adapter) and the old iMacs had a thermal sensor externally that i just reattached. SSD upgrades are one of the best things you can do in my opinion.