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Teardown of New iMac Reveals Upgradable Processors, RAM (macrumors.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the all-in-one dept.

According to an iFixit teardown, Apple's new 4K 21.5-inch iMac has both removable RAM and a Kaby Lake processor that's not soldered onto the logic board. Whereas the previous models had soldered memory modules, the new iMac's memory sit in two removable SO-DIMM slots. MacRumors reports: iFixit made the discovery by disassembling Apple's $1,299 mid-range 3.0GHz stock option, which includes 8GB of 2400MHz DDR4 memory, a Radeon Pro 555 graphics card with 2GB of VRAM, and a 1TB 5400-RPM hard drive. After slicing through the adhesive that secures the 4K display to the iMac's housing and removing the power supply, hard drive, and fan, iFixit discovered that the memory modules aren't soldered onto the logic board like previous models, but instead sit in two removable SO-DIMM slots. Similarly, after detaching the heatsink and removing the warranty voiding stickers on the backside of the logic board, iFixit found that the Intel SR32W Core i5-7400 Kaby Lake processor sits in a standard LGA 1151 CPU socket, making it possible to replace or upgrade the CPU without a reflow station.

13 of 205 comments (clear)

  1. I suppose that's an improvement, but... by Solandri · · Score: 5, Informative

    Having to slice the adhesive securing the screen to the housing, remove the power supply, hard drive, and fan, and tilt out the logic board to swap memory modules isn't exactly user-friendly. It still gets only a 3/10 for repair-ability.

    1. Re:I suppose that's an improvement, but... by tlhIngan · · Score: 5, Informative

      yeah apple just didn't bother yet with soldering the components yet since they don't have market data about demand so it's easier for now.. and you have to break the glue anyways, making it a no no for most users.

      they might start doing that for cost cutting without telling anyone though once the new line is up to speed in production.

      Well, the processor is easy. Intel doesn't sell BGA parts yet. Apple's only one customer of Intel and they're only able to buy what Intel can supply. Most likely what Intel can supply immediately in the quantities Apple wants at the price they want precludes BGA parts and soldering.

      Apple did the math - Intel can custom produce the CPUs for Apple, but likely the demand is such that Intel doesn't really want to (everyone is waiting for Kaby Lake processors, so when Intel started providing them in quantity, Apple became like everyone else) so quoted Apple the "if you really want it, we can do it" price. Or they can take what Intel is making right now and supplying everyone, with the benefit that it's no longer a custom order and Apple can buy what they need, at the expense of making it socketed. Or in other words, it's cheaper socketed right now because Intel is providing them in quantities to everyone in that format.

    2. Re: I suppose that's an improvement, but... by _merlin · · Score: 3, Informative

      So you've forgotten iMacs where you could just flip open the plastic door and replace the RAM, with no tools and no consumable, and no chance of fucking up the process of cutting the display out?

    3. Re: I suppose that's an improvement, but... by _merlin · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I'm not saying they should use obsolete components, just that they should allow components to be replaced. With your analogy, I can replace the battery, spark plugs, injectors, ignition units and ECUs on my car pretty easily. I don't need to cut the bonnet open and glue it shut when I'm done.

  2. Upgrade process by psy · · Score: 5, Insightful

    1) Buy lower end system
    2) Upgrade using cheaper 3rd party components
    3) ???
    4) Error 53

  3. Re: Response from Slashdot readers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    You aren't wrong, but here's the thing. When apple merely stops doing something insidious that most computer makers never do and never have done, that's not a plus for apple. That's one less negative at best. At BEST. I work as a video editor and I won't be paying for one of these. PCs are just more competitive. Companies have bottom lines and that's really the hard fact they can't solve.

  4. Re: Really $1300 for a slug ? by FunkSoulBrother · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Looks nice. Which 4K monitor did you get in this build?

  5. No by Khyber · · Score: 3, Insightful

    "removing the warranty voiding stickers on the backside of the logic board"

    We've got case law that explicitly forbids this. Quit spreading this fucking rumor.

    --
    Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
  6. Re:Really $1300 for a slug ? by Anubis+IV · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Why does theirs cost more? Off the top of my head?
    - They include a 4K IPS monitor
    - They weren't able to get a nerd to build it for free on his own time
    - They warranty their work for a year
    - They provide telephone, email, and in-person customer support
    - They have fixed costs for scaling their operation so they can do more than one at a time
    - They need a profit margin to stay in business

    All-in-all, that's a pretty good deal for the $400 or so that you've said they're charging over you.

    All of which is to say, you can build one-offs for cheaper than the big players if you're willing to work for free, disclaim any responsibility for problems, and keep no inventory on hand. They don't get to do those things if that want to stay in business.

  7. Re: Response from Slashdot readers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I work as a video editor and I won't be paying for one of these. PCs are just more competitive. Companies have bottom lines and that's really the hard fact they can't solve.

    The cost of the computer is a trivial expense in professional video editing. Less than 1% of the annual cost. So your company should simply be choosing is the best equipment, whatever it is.

  8. Re: 5400 RPM? by geekmux · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Yup, as predicted, there's a comment whining about Apple's significant upgrades to the iMac line. Grow up, kiddies.

    Enough with the childish references. Finding 5400RPM spinning rust in 2017 Apple hardware is like buying a million dollar home and finding vinyl flooring. There is simply no other excuse other than being very cheap. I also wouldn't call 8GB worth of memory a 2017 "wow" factor either.

    The actual significant event here was finding that Apple managed to get help for their solder addiction to revert back to the old way of building hardware. One hell of an "upgrade" path.

    And everyone should be thankful Apple did this, for I can assure you the amount of obscene profit Apple was demonstrating with a sealed-box design full of solder was moving to become the standard for every other maker of hardware.

    Now let's hope they continue to downgrade their laptops.

  9. Re: 5400 RPM? by stealth_finger · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If you want to replace the hard drive, you're certainly able to do so.

    After slicing through the adhesive that secures the 4K display to the iMac's housing and removing the power supply, hard drive, and fan... Similarly, after detaching the heatsink and removing the warranty voiding stickers on the backside of the logic board... making it possible to replace or upgrade the CPU ...

    So you basically have to deconstruct the whole thing and lose any kind of warranty, but it is technically possible I suppose.

    --
    Wanna buy a shirt?
    https://www.redbubble.com/people/stealthfinger/shop?asc=u
  10. Re: 5400 RPM? by Blaskowicz · · Score: 3, Informative

    If that's the problem, you can wipe the OS and install a linux distro, then the 5400 rpm HDD will be fast enough. Even with things bloating up (GTK3 instead of GTK2, etc.) it's stayed reasonable and this kind of hard drive does above 100 MB/s.