Upgrade iMac or Sell and Buy new?

[questioner76]

I have a mid-2010 iMac, 8 gb RAM, 3.2 ghz i3 processor, 1 terabyte hard drive. The hard drive is really sucking wind and slowing my system down big time. I have long waits now opening iPhoto and the like. Thinking about upgrading to a large SSD. The price for a 960 gb one is about $1000. At this price point, I wonder if I should just sell it and buy a new iMac with Fusion.

I'm guessing I'll get between $900-1100 for it. A new 27" with Fusion will run roughly $2200, so the price difference isn't huge. What do folks think?

 

[Fireball Dragon]

I have a 2010 iMac as well, but got it with a 1 TB HDD + 256 GB SSD. I recently upgraded the RAM from 8 to 16 GB and it works great!

If you can, go for the SSD upgrade and boost the RAM.

It really depends on what you use the mac for as well.

 

[Robster3]

I have a mid-2010 iMac, 8 gb RAM, 3.2 ghz i3 processor, 1 terabyte hard drive. The hard drive is really sucking wind and slowing my system down big time. I have long waits now opening iPhoto and the like. Thinking about upgrading to a large SSD. The price for a 960 gb one is about $1000. At this price point, I wonder if I should just sell it and buy a new iMac with Fusion.

I'm guessing I'll get between $900-1100 for it. A new 27" with Fusion will run roughly $2200, so the price difference isn't huge. What do folks think?

I am trading/selling or giving away my late 09 27 i got in February 10. Nothing wrong with it just put 8gb more ram and apple replaced the HD.
I cant stand the HEAT anymore in my office.

I would sell and get new one.

 

[Brian Y]

16GB RAM - $50ish.
i7 CPU on eBay (get the right one though) - $200?
512GB 840 Pro - $500

The CPU is socketed, put the SSD where the ODD is (make sure you switch the HDD and ODD sata connections around so the SSD gets SATA 3), and the ram is an easy swap.

$750 ish (probably much less if you shop around) for a machine that is much more powerful than the new base 27s (providing you enjoy fiddling with it, that is ).

 

[flavr]

I have a mid-2010 iMac, 8 gb RAM, 3.2 ghz i3 processor, 1 terabyte hard drive. The hard drive is really sucking wind and slowing my system down big time. I have long waits now opening iPhoto and the like. Thinking about upgrading to a large SSD. The price for a 960 gb one is about $1000. At this price point, I wonder if I should just sell it and buy a new iMac with Fusion.

I'm guessing I'll get between $900-1100 for it. A new 27" with Fusion will run roughly $2200, so the price difference isn't huge. What do folks think?

So for the same cost out of pocket you can get the 2013 imac with updated MUCH FASTER i5, much cooler running, better screen, thunderbolt, updated video card...the list goes on and on...seems like a no-brainer to me, or am i missing something?

 

[questioner76]

I think it's a no brainer as well. I just have to go through the effort to sell my iMac. I've actually sold three Macbook Pros in the time I've had my iMac, but have never sold an iMac before. The benefit of an upgrade is that it's easier to sell the wifey on an upgrade versus buying a whole new machine even if they cost the same. She has a hard time believing it!

So for the same cost out of pocket you can get the 2013 imac with updated MUCH FASTER i5, much cooler running, better screen, thunderbolt, updated video card...the list goes on and on...seems like a no-brainer to me, or am i missing something?

 

[Drharrington]

Options

Funny how everyone on the board always says - buy a new one, spend that money. easy to say when it isnt your money. ha.

Have the same machine. You got several upgrade options. Priority should be SSD.

Adding a SSD will breath a lot of life back into it. I recently did the OWC kit and connected a new sata to the logic board - you have a spare. Then did a DIY fusion drive with the new 256 ssd. http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/DIYIM27SSD10/

Did it myself - all in ~ 250 bucks. Not easy but doable if you take you time.

They also will turnkey it for you.

http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/turnkey/iMac_2010_27

Other option - dump the optical and throw SSD in there. Easier install.

I'd add the SSD upgrade before you sell off and buy new. The model you have is great. Bottleneck is the drive and with that upgrade it will feel new.

 

[mrmarts]

I'am hanging on to my mid 2010 for another year until the 2014 model comes in. The 2010 machine is a great machine, however i cannot justify upgrading a machine which is becoming obsolete, I prefer to use that money on my new iMac.

 

[Johnf1285]

My vote is for a 2012 (or later) iMac.

I've tooled around in the 2009-2011 series iMac's, both 21.5" and 27" for upgrades and they're a pain. The likelihood of getting zero dust between the glass and the LCD is nearly impossible. And while the current gen has special tape that holds the screen in, it is way easier to get in and out of provided you have the correct tape for sealing it back up. No tools (for the most part), no glass panel, no nonsense.

Another reason is the extra performance. Sure upgrading is more cost friendly in some regards, but the leap from Clarkdale and the 5670 AMD GPU to Ivy Bridge and Kepler is gonna be huge depending upon your work load, etc. Of course Fusion or any sort of flash storage will really open up either machine. But I think you may be better off getting onto a 2012 iMac than mucking around with that 2010 model. This new redesign is legit. They consume less power, throw off less heat, and are easier to get inside of provided you have the correct tape (which will probably become more and more affordable down the line).

 

[Drharrington]

I'am hanging on to my mid 2010 for another year until the 2014 model comes in. The 2010 machine is a great machine, however i cannot justify upgrading a machine which is becoming obsolete, I prefer to use that money on my new iMac.

$250.00 won't get you very far with a new one....

----------

Never had a problem with dust. While I hear the new iMac screen may be easier in some respects -- hearing easy to break then the whole LCD is trashed... No thanks...

 

[Drharrington]

Also - check this out. GL with that.....

http://m.iclarified.com/entry/index.php?enid=15072