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Is it possible to upgrade an iMac 27-inch, Late 2009?

  • 05-12-2014 8:59pm
    #1
    mzungu
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,309 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    Evening folks,

    Mac novice here with a question as regards the late 2009 iMac. I have noticed it is quite slow when running programs like After Effects as I use plugins that drain a lot of the computer. Is it possible to upgrade the graphics card? I know Apple only allow a RAM upgrade , but would they upgrade a graphics card if I brought it into a store?

    I do intend on upgrading the RAM to 16GB, does anybody know of a reliable site to buy it off thats competitively priced?
    Specs :
    Processor 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
    Memory 4 GB 1067 MHz DDR3
    Graphics ATI Radeon HD 4670 256 MB

    Many thanks in advance :)


Comments

  • #2
    Sad Professor
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,693 CMod ✭✭✭✭Sad Professor


    It’s possible to replace the GPU in many iMacs, though not an easy job, and Apple won’t do it for you.

    In addition to maxing out the RAM (try Crucial), consider replacing the HDD with an SSD.


  • #3
    mzungu
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,309 Mod ✭✭✭✭mzungu


    Sad Professor wrote: »
    It’s possible to replace the GPU in many iMacs, though not an easy job, and Apple won’t do it for you.

    In addition to maxing out the RAM (try Crucial), consider replacing the HDD with an SSD.

    Thank you for the reply. Just had a look at Crucial there and can see the offers for the RAM and SSD. The RAM looks handy enough to install on YouTube videos, but is SSD a job for a professional to install? Baring in mind I would not trust myself opening up the iMac to install a new SSD!:D

    I assume since it came up with no graphics card upgrades, that its a risky manoeuvre to go messing with it? I was not even sure id need a graphics card, would the one that came with the iMac suffice for work on video production software do you think? Sorry for all the questions, I'm a bit out of my depth when things get uber technical!!


  • #4
    Greentree_uk
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,023 ✭✭✭Greentree_uk


    it's an LGA 1156 socket, so any CPU that is better would work. quick search revels only the 2.8 i7 that originally shipped, http://www.amazon.co.uk/Intel-Processor-Core-LGA1156-Socket/dp/B002KQ5KE8/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1417816960&sr=8-8&keywords=lga+1156 perhaps you could pick on up on eBay cheap.


  • #5
    Greentree_uk
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,023 ✭✭✭Greentree_uk


    sorry, my mistake 775 socket. info here http://www.everymac.com/systems/by_capability/mac-processor-upgrade-sockets.html


  • #6
    mzungu
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,309 Mod ✭✭✭✭mzungu


    sugarman wrote: »
    Sounds like the older socket 775 to me with the core 2 duo
    Greentree_uk wrote: »
    sorry, my mistake 775 socket. info here http://www.everymac.com/systems/by_capability/mac-processor-upgrade-sockets.html

    Cheers for the input, but I'm a complete novice...ive no idea what any of that means! :D


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  • #7
    Greentree_uk
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,023 ✭✭✭Greentree_uk


    it means cpu not worth upgrading. model is limited.


  • #8
    mzungu
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,309 Mod ✭✭✭✭mzungu


    Greentree_uk wrote: »
    it means cpu not worth upgrading. model is limited.

    Ah ok, thats a shame. Works fine in every other department so hopefully ill have it a few more years yet before getting a new one. I assume the RAM upgrade would still be a good thing though to get through the next few years?


  • #9
    Beaner1
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 819 ✭✭✭Beaner1


    mzungu wrote: »
    Ah ok, thats a shame. Works fine in every other department so hopefully ill have it a few more years yet before getting a new one. I assume the RAM upgrade would still be a good thing though to get through the next few years?

    It won't make much of a difference.


  • #10
    TerrorFirmer
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29,930 ✭✭✭✭TerrorFirmer


    An SSD will make a huge difference. Other than that you're fairly limited. More ram to 6 or 8GB may help if you're running a considerably large amount of programs at once.


  • #11
    mzungu
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,309 Mod ✭✭✭✭mzungu


    Beaner1 wrote: »
    It won't make much of a difference.
    TerrorFirmer wrote: »
    An SSD will make a huge difference. Other than that you're fairly limited. More ram to 6 or 8GB may help if you're running a considerably large amount of programs at once.

    Thanks guys. Just one final question, would I need to get a Mac Store employee / tech specialist to upgrade to the SSD drive for me? If they were to do this, would that mean id loose all the programs on my current internal hard drive, or could I just transfer the applications over to the new SSD and run them from there without having to reinstall all the programs once again?


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