2011 iMac CPU Upgrade - will a Xeon work? Also how about a k2100m at the same time!
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- čas přidán 6. 07. 2024
- The core i7 2600 is too expensive, the core i7 2600s is too expensive, so that got me thinking - why not use a Sandy Bridge era Xeon that fits in the same socket?
In this video I drop a Xeon 1240 (v1 - lga 1155) into my 2011 27'' iMac and see how it performs. At the same time I also installed a k2100m to make my iMac a bit more of a screamer!
Past video covering flashing the video card and getting to Catalina: • 2011 iMac GPU Upgrade ...
Past video covering modifying the GPU heatsink in full detail:
• Upgrading the GPU in t...
In the end I have found that all the lga 1155 Sandy Bridge Xeons will work in a 27'' 2011 imac and any of the Xeons with a lower TDP should be good to go in a 21.5 2011 imac. That means the 1230, 1235, 1240, 1245, 1260L, 1270, 1275, 1280, 1290 are all fair game! I would recommend going for one with the hd3000 igpu just because I think the 'sleep bug' when upgrading to catalina on these older machines will come in to play - I discuss that in the video, hopefully it can be resolved.
My Patreon Link: / curtisgross
Bitcoin donations appreciated: 17aMzAJSTUdxW2UJrTiNZyVSCaWP3d6RHC - Věda a technologie
Wow. This video is a revelation. I have saved it and also subscribed to your channel.
I just picked up a dirt-cheap 2011, 27" iMac as a bedroom computer (main desktop is a Mac Pro) and although it's fine for a content (movies, music etc) computer, I am always tempted to tinker.
This is now my weekend project! Great work, man!
Thanks to your clear instructions I just managed to upgrade my old faithfull 27" 2011 to run a K610M and a xeon 1275. Flashing the bios of the GPU took a few attempts, but that had more to do with my ssh connection. Will install Catalina next. Cheers!
UPDATE. Imac runs on Catalina, with working brightness control, but needs to start from USB drive with open core. Haven't solved the sleep issue yet. Any help on these two things would be very welcome.
Thanks for sharing your experiences, I have found a lot of false information in forums, people who claimed that the i7 3770s worked on a 2011 imac, and others that there was a tdp sensor that blocked if the processor was superior to that supplied by Apple. Thanks to people like you who do real experiments, regards.
Thank you so much. Just installed the Xeon E3-1275. Works great. Much better performance. Runs a bit hotter and sleep is a problem, but not that big of one. Running Big Sur via Open Core. Fun project
This video is gold! Keep going! You have great ideas!
Thanks Ramón! Will do.
This is great, I've been trying to scope out a 2600s for a while now and they never go below £70 whereas these are like £45. Thanks again for the content!
Thank You for this video - I have 2 iMac 2011's which I plan to upgrade CPU, GPU & Disk your videos are a great help
That's some very good information, thanks for finding out for us!
Happy to help!
Heyyyy I saw you video too! Great video man!!! See you! Our old Mac community is growing!
sandy bridge cpu's are pretty solid even today. the i7 2600k is a legendary cpu, never knew about the xeon variants. this was a very informative video about those cpu's for me as well as how well an upgraded 2011 imac can perform :)
Exactly - the i7 / xeon lineup with quad core and hyperthreading can still handle the majority of tasks thrown at them today. 4k Video editing? Yup. Multi-tasking? Yup. Light gaming (depends quite a bit on the gpu of course...) yup!
Curtis Gross gotta love hyperthreading.
@@Lockkj - Yup! Im also pumped about the upcoming 'Apple Silicon' cpus in the future... oh man. I should do a video on those. 12 cores, low power... lot to like.
Curtis Gross hahaha yeah there’s a lot to nerd out for apple made ARMs. looking forward for your next video mate. really good quality content
@@Lockkj Thanks! its funny cause for the longest time I would just do these little projects but I was never recording anything. Finding it quite fun to just add in the process of recording and send it out to the world to help others who like to mess around with technology as well.
My dude! Hell yeah fuck yeah! I just picked up a 1260L for my 21.5 and it worked like a charm. literally the easiest/cheapest mod ive taken on so for. Thank you so much!
Alright, I got my K1100m and my 1275 on order. Thanks Curtis!
Enjoy it!
@@messing-with-computers I might have goofed: my 27" mid-2011 had a 6970M, which is larger than the card you show. Can I still use the same heatsink with the K1100M, which is smaller?
@@tphillippe - Yes, but you will want to do a bit of dremel work on the heatsink ;). I cover that in my older 765m installation video.
Scrolled through and saw this title and instantly showed my nerdiness with a subtle "ohhh, cool!" While I clicked on the thumbnail.
Basically how I find cool videos too!
Curtis Gross yes, but you can’t flex your nerd factor scrolling those other channels... Nah, better to make the how to video for us to nerd out!
@@johnbeezley4647 Very true - now to add some RGB to my iMac!
Curtis Gross awww, see there you go again! I already subscribed, but I’m gonna keep my eye out for that video! Nice flex, gotta give you that- RGB iMac FTW!
Fantastic video, interesting thoughts...
Glad you enjoyed it!
I upgraded successfully the processor and GPU my 21.5" mid-2011 iMac to Xeon E3-1275 and K610M. And til now...it looks very stable.
hi i'm thinking of upgrading my 21 inch imac, the k610m is better than the stock one?, i'm also thinking of upgrading to xeon 1240, thank you very much!
I also swiped out my Intel i5 for a Xeon E3-1275 but got a loop of Kernel Panics upon startup. I would get the Apple logo, the slider would go partially through and it would turn off and on and then a text displaying : "Your computer restarted because of a problem. Press a key or wait a few seconds to continue starting up". How can I get past this? I still have the original GPU in the 21.5 inch iMac (mid-2011).
Bob Bond which OSX is installed? Did you changed the gpu? You must be careful with the power consumption. I changed the CPU and gpu, turned off the optical drive and installed a SSD.
Carlos Fraile I’d suggest you to disconnect any device that could consume power such as optical drive and install a SSD.
Gerson Bernardo thank you very much! I already installed an SSD, I will follow your advice and disconnect the optical drive. but in your opinion, is the k610m worth it versus the hd6750m? Or better to install the k2100m?
Quadro K2100m works with Late 2009 iMac 21,5 Core 2 Duo?
Amazing to watch and very informative video, so much calm doing stuff :). I did bought K2100M for good price (~70usd) just waiting for arrival and searching for E3-1260L CPU. E3-1245 is much easier to get but I bet that 95W + 55W of K2100M TDP is to much for 21,5 inch model. Previously I plan to get to second SATA 6Gbps slot for SSD connectivity but as I stumble upon your videos GPU upgrade seems very sane to try. Thinking about swaping CPU in one go with GPU, I hope I can handle it :)
hi! did you install the 1245? works fine? cause i am reading some comments on this video from people that did not work, not booting
@ hello, I ended up with k610, 2100 was kinda faulty and I've also give up CPU swap after PSU caused backlight failure and additional costs...
@@SundayGeek_pl sorry to read that. Thx for the reply!
Hi. Dude, I can't believe your work, congratulations. I think you are the person who can help me with two things, the truth is very sad that in all the updates that I have tried for my computer they have not come out well, with the exception of the SSD, that one came out well. I bought an i7 3770 to change my i7 2600 in a iMac 2011 27", but nothing happened, or everything happened, the screen stays black and after a few seconds the fans are accelerated to the maximum, in the board only the first two leds that indicate a hardware failure light up, after several attempts the device didn't want to turn on, as if it was trying but it didn't take off. With the GPU was the same, I bought a NVDIA GTX 770M 3GB for me change the AMD Radeon HD 6970M 1GB, same, at first sounds the typical noise of boot in an iMac, but the screen stays black and after a few seconds the fans are accelerated to the maximum and absolutely nothing happens, I installed Windows 10 to test if in this OS if it worked and nothing, either. The i7 3770 processor has 77 TDP much less than the 95 TDP of the i7 2600, both are LGA 1155, with the GPUs there should be no problem either, both have the same TDP, the only difference is that the GPU is green, the ones I have seen installed are blue, I do not know what the difference is. What should I do? should I flash the GPU? how do I do it? What am I doing wrong? I checked again and again and everything was well connected. What should I do with the i7? I appreciate your help, thank you very much. Greetings from Cali, Colombia.
Jose - the i7 3770 is just different enough that it might be causing your issues. Go back to the 2600 and you should see more success with the video card. I don't think the 3xxx series of CPU has had a lot of success on these macs.
I have a Xeon E3-1290 running for months and commpletly satisfied how fast the system still is. Its good to control the temperature by MacFanControl because this CPU has a 56°C max Tcase. Sleep works fine till after one one month then i had the same issues, but i dont care
This is some awesome info!! I’m getting ready to pull the trigger on a k2100m. I’m curious to know if I should get one that was out of a certain machine? Ready on there it seems like some of the cards can be hit and miss.
Also, being and nVidia card, I’m guessing updating to Big Sur is not an option?
Thanks for any help if you see this comment and thanks for putting out the videos!
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AWESOME
I just installed xeon 1240 which is a 80w chip on my 2011 21.5 and it works. I am using 2 drives in the system as SSHD 2.5TB, if i plugged a third drive ssd, the computer would not boot, I was getting 3 beep code. It would only boot with 1 ram stick lol . I am using 24 GB of RAM using all ram slots. So currently, everything is working fine. I think all the wattage is probably maxed out.
Thanks for the very informative video.
I wonder what happens to the temperature and cooling of the processor after upgrade?
I have an iMac 27" mid 2011, and I also got an Intel i7 2600k which I plan to install (95w) .. Is that a good idea?
Thanks in advance ..
is it worth upgrading a mid 2011 imac 21.5 cpu from i5 to i7? i fee like it is worth upgrading to a metal gpu, for use of mojave and also the ram, and changing from hd to ssd. But will i be getting that much more performance out of an i7?
Hey Curtis thanks for the inspiration, I took the plunge and bought a E3-1275 as well as a K4100M. put them both in and flashed the bios for the GPU using a combination of Xander/nikey22. During the flashing, i saw that linux picked up the processor correctly, but now when I get into Mac OS it is still showing as i5, any clues as to why and how to get around it? PS Mac recognizes the GPU as expected. your help is appreciated.
Thanks for the good video.
When replacing the video card, is there any way to use it by simply replacing the video card, not complicated?
I only use High Sierra.
I can't work on the heat sink.
I can't even work with flash.
The iMac 2011 is 27 inches.
6970 Graphics card has a problem and I try to replace
I'm worried that the 6970 is expensive and I don't know when it will break.
Is the k2100m no problem?
Hi Curtis, thx for the detailed steps for upgrading a mid 2011 ☺️, I tried to install Catalina on the original setup and this already worked, Mojave didn’t work due to the wrong colors. Therefore I put in a E1275 Xeon, I hoped to use the build in HD3000 iGPU but how activate this option? I know MBP where you can choose the GPU, is there a way to use this iGPU ? Does it make sense to keep the ODD, while building up a FusionDrive? Thx for advice 🙏🏻
You explain things well, thank you for sharing with us!
Hi.
Thanks to your video, I successfully upgraded the imac mid2011 21' to gtx765m. Thank you.
But the problem is that I can't see the bright conroll and boot screen, but there's no problem with using it.
But I'm using the sierra now and I want to upgrade to mojave, but I can't upgrade it with my knowledge because I can't see the bootscreen.
Is there a way to upgrade to mojave without bootscreen? Or can I show bootscreen?
Hey Chris, I am trying to up grade my 27" 2011 Imac. I got the E3-1270 cpu and the graphic card you recommended in the other video of yours. I did the cutout for the gpu like you recommended. Installed everything with the connections in the right place. However, when I go to boot it up. It just sound like it wants to boot but never does. It makes a sound like it is turning but that is it. Do you have any suggestions?
Mid-2011 27" upgrading from i5 CPU:
i7-2600k works but won't wake from sleep
i7-2600 works great
i7-2600s will probably work but is for 21.5"
Xeon's are just i7's with RAM ECC support from what I can gather so there's no advantage installing a Xeon over a 2600 other than cost but then you get the wake-from-sleep issue
Very Nice! I have a 2011 21.5 iMac. It's the i5-2400s variant. I had to ghetto rig the failed GPU by oven-ing it to life and somehow it works. I was thinking about putting a similar GPU and CPU into my iMac with my tinkering money. To your knowledge, will you lose the ability to have a second monitor? Keep in mind, I only have one thunderbolt port . I heard that may be an issue. I'm also thinking about going for 1260L vs the current 2400s. It isn't too big of a jump but 4c/8t vs 4c/4t might be a bit nice . It's about $35. Cheers
I have i big issue and i hope u can help me , i'v repleced my card with a k2100m ( iMac 2011 21.5") but when i try to turn it on , it goes into a sort of bootloop . Black screen and start sound avery 8 seconds.. is there any way to fix it?
OWC makes a little temperature sensor for a few bucks that you put on the SATA line to keep the HD fans from spinning up with an SSD.
it is a scam
I bought and installed the OWC cable a few years ago when I upgraded to ssd. It works great. (You can also go with software fan control, but the sensor just works.) I also was able to get a kit from OWC to install a second drive in my 2011 iMac 27. The 2011 has an extra plug on the motherboard available, so all you need is the cable -- besides all the time of pulling everything out of the machine to get at the back of the motherboard, of course -- but totally worth it!
I did all of this on my 21.5" mid 2011 iMac and all I get is a a gray wipe image with a message saying I need to restart my computer. idk what it is, could it be the cpu, gpu or something else? My Mac is pretty useless right about now.
Interesting stuff Mr Gross, did you ever get round to trying the Xeon with IGPU in a 2011 ?. Also, Whats happening with you, nearly a year since you posted a video.
Hello Curtis, I just installed the Xeon E-3 1245 cpu and my imac boot but no chimes, no screen, and the fans are screeming. On you video at 18:00 mins in you say the cpu's from 1220 to 1290 will work I need HELP
Hi, I had upgraded my 21.5 iMac 2011 to Xeon E3 1270, but I was having issues with Thunderbolt port, it wouldn’t recognize devices, only worked as external display (mDP).
Could you please check yours?
Does it run fine or just me?
I have tried Thunderbolt docking station, and also another Mac as Target Disk Mode or ethernet bridge. None of them detected.
Sidebar question regarding GPUs, would you opt for the GTX765m, the K2100m or the K4100m for you 2011 27 inch iMac
hey buddy, thanks for your videos they are very well done. Any reason why a NVIDIA Quadro K3100M won't work?
Hi,
how do you get a boot screen on imac after inserting the Xeon which has no GPU and the k2100 can't be seen because it doesn't have the correct VBIOS yet?
I installed the exact cpu you mentioned. the 1245 in a 2011 27" imac and the comp will not power on. I only get the 1st led light on the logic board. reseated it . same thing. replaced the cpu with the stock cpu and the computer starts as normal. is it possible the card is bad ? or that my computer could not supply enough power ? once again 2011 27" iMac , dont know what other issue I could have
I have a mid 2011. What's the strongest Xeon I can upgrade to? Since you wrote all lga 1155 sandy bridge works is it possible to upgrade to an 6 or 8 core xeon? Like the E5-4620 ?
Is there a work around the i7-2600 when turning it on? Given it has integrated graphics seems the only workaround solution is PRAM boot/startup???
Hi, I am gonna choose a CPU for upgrade my Imac 12.1, mid 2011, I swa this very nice comparison using Xeon E3-1240, did you also do a test with 1220 and/or 1280? Do you know if they are compatible, for the GPU I choosed k2100m, thank you
I have already upgrade my 2011 21.5in i5 to a wx4150 and replaced the internal hard disk with an SSD, it runs great! Would it be possible to upgrade the CPU to a Xeon E3-1270 or would I run in to power and TDP constraints or would there be too much power draw and the temps be too high for workstation and gaming use? I don't need sleep. I plan to just have the screen turn off after 10 minutes of inactivity and power off at night.
Thanks in advance!
Hi there,
I have a question , I do Have IMAC27 2011 I upgrade the CPU from Intel 3.4 i7 sandy bridge 2600 To 3.5 i7 sandy bridge 2700K, run very good and fast only issue its sleep mode and I did not know what you talking about quick sync , Can you please Explain it to me and is there way I can keep CPU 3.5 and solve the issue with Sleep mode ?
i have problems making the upgrade, because when i try to put the RAM only support 16gb (i have 32gb with the original proccesor Intel I5) can you help me please? thanks!!!!
Hey Curtis, will a e3-1275 work without sleep issues? Got a k5100m working perfectly not long ago :)
Do you have experience with MBP? I have a 15” with Core 2 Duo amd been dreaming to find a smashed newer Mac and swap the whole guts inside… but you know if CPU/GPU can be upgraded?
I have an iMac late 2009, which came with an core i7-860, will a Xeon x34xx will work on it? How to check that?
In theory I could also do it with an E3-1370 v2? 🤔
Hey can this cpu put on a 21.5?. I was wondering if it works since the Power supply wattage is lower. I have a 21.5 mid 2011 I was thinking on max it up with a gtx 770m, ssd drive, and better gpu. Remove the optical drive I have already 16gb ram I can always upgrade that later. Any suggestions.
Hey Curtis...... Do you think this would work in a 2010 or 2013 iMacs? Because I'm looking to do it!!!
Hi Curt,
Thanks for the video its really informative. Im in the dilemma right now choosing xeon e3 1275 vs e3 1275 v2. Do you see any problem it may occur if i choose e3 1275 v2. thanks ...
The v2 won’t work - ivy bridge architecture :/
Does the CPU properly report in About This Mac? Does it show up as "Quad core Intel Xeon E3" ?
Hi there, just FYI... I just used a Xeon E3-1260L in my 2011 21.5" iMac. 4C/8T 2.4-3.3ghz and only 45w !
Great content.
I think my conclusion is to look for a used M1.
hello, i realy like your video, i have IMAC 2010 27" (11,3) with i5 2.8Ghz. i wonder if i can upgrade to XEON 1245, i see on ebay that the price is good, i like to read your opinion, for your help thanks
Hey Curtis, Been watching your stuff for a bit now! A Xeon 1275 Sandy Bridge has just come up for cheap online...
Just curious, as this has the iGPU, does this mean I won't get the hibernation/ sleep issues?
Is there really a huge difference in performance between the Xeon 1275 and the i7 2600? From what I've looked up, it's quite minimal.
Also, I wanted to change out the Graphics card, I'm not too fussed on price, but I want a powerful one. If money is not an issue, which would you suggest from the Mac Rumours list is the best option? I would like Brightness and a boot screen. Can you recommend both a 4GB one and an 8GB option?
Big Thank You for your Videos from the UK!
Adam
You will run into sleep issues with any Xeon from what I have found and read about. The big difference between the i7 and Xeon is.... price! So if you have the $$ - go for the i7.
@@messing-with-computers Upgraded to an i7 & a K2100m, I actually got the i7 for just £40 and then sold the original i5 for £30 so only a £10 upgrade! - I managed to get a K5100M for cheap which I'll try out soon - Also planning a custom fan system to increase the amount of air up from the bottom of the iMac 27 to see if that helps cooling/performance. I have been having issues trying to power the fans internally through the extra SATA on the board so I may fit an external 9v socket somewhere with an on/off switch, will keep you posted if you want :) Thanks for the videos and advice, has been a big help!
Target display mode works with this gpu in high sierra in your imac?
Hi, Curtis. Procesador Intel Xeon v2 E3-1240 E3 1240v2 E3 1240 v2 3,4 GHz Quad-Core, 8M 69W LGA 1155, would this model be compatible?
I have the sleep problem also with a i7-2600k in my imac 2011 27". Whats a good and easy card to outperform the AMD 6970m 2GB i actually have built in? But Thanks a lot you brought much more light into that issue. I have a plan to install the Xeon 1290 because there isnt any use of the iGPU really as long a graphics card exists.
I would go for the k4100m - it will stomp on the 6970m and has the best Bios updates from the mac rumors forum
what about imac 27 10,1 late 2009 wich CPU can be upgraded?
What is the permonce difference 2.93 i7 that’s 8 cores right hw much is the exon better?
What about imac 2010 21,5? What do you think if I get some xeon lga 1156?
Hello, question will a Xeon E3 1240 V2 also work?
Hi Curtis, great video. I'm upgrade CPU to Xeon E3 1275 with iGPU +k2100M + running Catalina via Opencore, but also have issues with "sleep" state, so I think it's Xeon issue. but it's not big issue for me, also Quick Sync didn't work I tried add kexts (take it from MacRumors) but it's not help, do you have any idea for solve this issue?
btw "about iMac" see Xeon E3 1275 like Core i5, but other apps provide correct info
Love your videos, I have one year older 2010 21.5 inch, EMC 2389 leaning towards a Xeon-L3426 with a GTX 765M or a K2100M any thoughts?
Def go for the k2100m, the brightness fix is worth it.
Dear Curtis, would a I7 3770K ivy bridge also work?
Hey man. Awesome work. I have tried the same. Am driving a 765m
And tried to installing a 1245 today but now the Mac won’t boot. Do you maybe have a solution 🤣👍
Is it possible to put a higher wattage psu in these machines?
Are there any gotchas? I'm planning on upgrading to a 1290 and GPU upgrade.
I had k1000m from a box of scraps given to me and a 2010 27 inch that bought as a parts machine. I have the k1000m installed and it seems to be working but the fps on the benchmarks are bad are no better. any advice on the gpu?
You flash a new vbios on that k1000? I think that can help. There is a vbios listed for the card here: forums.macrumors.com/threads/2011-imac-graphics-card-upgrade.1596614/. The k1000m isn't so much of a powerhouse though.
Hi from Korea! my iMac is mid 2011 27" emc2429 a1312 i5 2.7ghz, can upgrade with xeon E3-1240 v2
3.4GHz/4C/69W LGA1155
Or xeon e3-1240 v3 3.4ghz, wich one i can use? Tnx a lot
Stay away from the v2 - those are too new and will not work at this time. Go for the “v1” or simply the ones without the “v#”
great work :) in 2022 the i7 could be found really cheap.
Can a Xeon with iGPU be used without the old AMD graphics?
Hi Curtis, I NEED YOU HELP ME.... I have a iMac a1311 mid 2010 and I'm trying upgrade the CPU with a Xeon x3470 that's the same i7 860, 870 and 880. I installed it but the screen was black and don't start. What is the problem and Why I can resolve? Thank you, I'll really grateful for that.
Hey German - I sadly don't have a mid 2010 to test on to see what would be the problem :/
Thank you for the informative video. cool, if it's possible use integrated GPU and disable to MXM GPU , iMac can be working?thanks!
I am also interested in this possibility. I feel like it should be possible as some macs did not have dGPU (some mac mini). But the devil will be in the detail....
How hard would it be to get the K5100 to work with the zeon processors? Also, so your saying that the V1 or no number chips will work and the v2 or newer won't?
v1 processors are 'sandy bridge' like the 2500 / 2600. The v2 are 'ivy bridge' like the 3770 - which wont work. As for the k5100, it might work, but the power draw is getting at the upper end. I think the k4100 is a safer bet.
Nice one! Thank you :)
Can amd FirePro M6100 be used for imac 27 2011?
I haven't heard of the m6100 working. I would guess 'not worth it' as a short answer.
So, if you were to install one of the low power cpus like the 1260L, could you also install DDR3L ram as well? Would you get power savings off of the configuration, or would it just run the chip/ram at standard voltages? Asking b/c the 1260L is pretty cheap at the moment, and I'm thinking about running mine 24/7 as a vmware server while using the screen (mid-2011 27) in TDM
You wouldn’t need to use low power memory - it should work in your computer, but it might not run at the lower voltages. I’d just get the chip and whatever version of the memory is the cheapest.
@@messing-with-computers Yeah, 1260L is at $35, so may pick one up. 3L ram is cheaper atm. Graphics cards are $$ now though
hellow whats abaout the xeon E3-1220. thanks
i also got the 1240 after a lot of research! payed US$25! still dont know if i wanna upgrade the gpu lol
My 2011 had bad HD sensor cable and fan would max at 6000. I used Macs Fan Control widget/app to force HD fan to low speed. (HD came DOA anyways)
Yeah, I am using Macs Fan Control right now until my new cable shows up!
@@messing-with-computers Not planning an upgrade soon, but evidently the fan sensor for my HDD is wacked out and I was using SMC fan control which did nothing for the noise issue. Just now installed Macs Fan Control and it *ROCKS!!* I can now custom tailor fan speeds, and my machine runs cool *AND* quiet after putting up with the fan noise for almost 2 years now!😁👍👍 (2010 iMac 27" btw..)
@@danw1955 Love it. Macs Fan Control is pretty amazing overall. Only bad thing is that it doesn't start until you log in - which means pre-login your machine will be screaming those fans ;)
@@messing-with-computers LOL! I can relate.. not an issue for me, as I rarely ever log out (except for system updates, etc.) I can now hear a ticking noise coming from my kitchen cabinet that I never heard before, because the fans were so loud. Maybe I should go see what that is?🤣
Just curious, so a small question. Why not an i9?
Is necessary vbios if i only use Linux in iMac?
The sleep issue could be due to the br2032 battery being at end of life?
no, it is related to the slightly different microcode in Xeon CPUs
k2100 is external monitor available?
Benefits between the Xeon & i7 ....?
I've heard that just some expecific iMac models, can be upgraded on de Cpu, the ones 21.5, o came in with the i5 2400s cant be upgraded, only the one o came in with an i5 2500s can be upgraded, can some one confirm that theory for me? I really dont know
I cant think of any reason why you couldn't upgrade the 2400s. Same socket as the 2500 / 2600!
@@messing-with-computers thanks for the explanation 🙌
I have a late 2009 27" Imac with i5 750 processor, do you recommend a Xeon compatible chip or i7 860 like the original for an update?
Overall the i5 and i7 are going to perform pretty similar today. The GPU will hold you back the most in any older mac.
@@messing-with-computers Hello Curtis, tsk for reply, yeah! I have this machine about 2 years, the graphics card I do a bake (4850m) working with some glitches, always when it power on show a error message, press OK and works very well during the day. I saw in some site the i7 have some advantages with 4 logic /8 thrd. My i5 have only 4 logic/thrd about 50% in bench scores... For me its a low cost to upgrade to i7 or xeon that ages.
But you totally right, graphics is the best upgrade to do! I saw some upgrades like 770m(3gb) or 765m(2gb), K2100m (2gb)... I will search for some like this. Thanks again! See you!
what cpu fit for 27 inche ?
Have you consider to add a new wireless card? I have an 2011 iMac and it will be awesome to have AirDrop and that stuff.
Ill look around to see what is compatible, the wireless card looks super easy to replace...
@@messing-with-computers Um... that Wireless card has it's own set of issues. Predictably there is a thread devoted to it on Mac Rumours forum (Not nearly as long as the GPU thread thankfully!). There is a private firm who sell their own specially designed card for the 2011 imac but its fairly pricey. A lot less hassle to install though...
@@Rendell001 Yeah, that is what I am finding. I did buy all the components and plan to do it, just need time.
@@messing-with-computers Btw, I was wondering if there was something that would give a cumulative benchmark score for a 2011 iMac that had been extensively upgraded? So that would show the difference in performance from a stock model versus one that had 32gb of ram, new CPU, SSD and new graphics card.
I've just completed the SSD upgrade and have been impressed with the responsiveness in general. Looking forward to maxing out the ram in the next few weeks before I think of tackling the next stages!
@@Rendell001 - Some tools give a overall score that is similar like Geekbench 4 / 5. I like to run Heaven / Valley benchmarks as well as Geekbench.
I'd like to get the 1275, I've noticed it says v2 on eBay but it also says 1155, is that the correct one?
No, the v2 is ivy bridge. You want the v1 or no number. Sandy bridge. You can double confirm by doing a search on intels website (I usually just google the chip and then select the intel link)
@@messing-with-computers thanks! www.ebay.com/itm/293651907049 should work for sure than right?
I have tried to upgrade my 2011 21,5 with Intel Core i7-2600 and a k2100m, only the CPU upgrade works. With the k2100m I have a blackscreen and I had to return to the old GPU. Any idea of whats happening? do you need to do any configuration before installing the GPU or it's just plug and play?
You need to flash it with vbios in order to work with an apple computer
@@R0xTr0mb0I know that, so I need to flash it in another computer? I thought before flashing I only won't be able to see the boot menu but I would have image on the screen
@@marcoscano6445 yes it has to be flashed with a spi programmer
Will a i9 work in these iMacs
Please please a video to get the patch on the gpu, I’m waiting for the board and I would like to see how to make it.
WLKGOD - You want a quick video on how to use the USB method to flash the gpu?
Curtis Gross yeah, that would be really cool! :)
Boom: czcams.com/video/sn5K2SKXrJg/video.html
Curtis Gross Curtis one more curiosity: I can not put the new graphics card on the iMac and install the Mac OS in my drive without flashing the GPU? Or it’s possible?
@@walkinggod It is possible to install the GPU without flashing if you are on high sierra or later already. It does make it harder since you will not have a boot screen if something goes wrong...but it is possible (I did that method in my oldest upgrade video with the gtx 765m)
Awesome video as always!
Wonder if you'd be interested to try and video documenting the process of upgrading the 2011 iMacs' bluetooth to version 4.0, as per this thread since it look simple yet somehow confusing.
forums.macrumors.com/threads/imac-mid-2011-bluetooth-4-0-internal-upgrade.1780242/
(I'm guessing that you might be following the thread for awhile too..)
Cheers!
I will consider it - I read through the docs and most of it sounds like... cutting cords and soldering. Which seems like something I would do ;)
@@messing-with-computers Great! Can’t wait to see how you gonna tackle this project, adding few more years & features to these reliable beasts.. (other than going the expensive OSXWifi route)
Good luck!
I have just installed the same graphic card as you and flashed it successfully. Everything is working fine but HWMonitor.app reads 129°C! on GPU and around it. How is your GPU temperature reading??? Great video btw! Keep them coming.
Hmm. 129F would be ok. But mine runs idle around 40-50C. Check that the plate is making good contact with the gpu die! Maybe some grinding of the heat sink to help.
@@messing-with-computers That would be 264.2F, way too high. But this might be an error cause I have tried running Mac Fan Control at all fans full speed and the temperature is fixed to 129°C. The GPU Heatsink says 45°C (113F) so I'm not that worried. Ohh and the
@@k0gen My guess is that the sensor on the GPU assembly may be unplugged.
@@messing-with-computers Ahhh please don't make me disassemble it again :D I consider making a CPU upgrade I'll check it then - thanks!
I have i big issue and i hope u can help me , i'v repleced my card with a k2100m ( iMac 2011 21.5") but when i try to turn it on , it goes into a sort of bootloop . Black screen and start sound avery 8 seconds.. is there any way to fix it?
There’s a E3 1270v2 (Ivy Bridge) 1155 Socket. You think it would work?
Ivy Bridge... I’m not sure I’d take the risk. I have only heard one passing story of a “maybe” of an ivy bridge chip working.
Curtis Gross interesting. Well, I bought an E3 1270 on eBay but unfortunately, it was an E3 1270v2. I was unable to get it to work and the seller does not accept returns, so you can have it for research purposes.
The only catch is if you can help me diagnosis my WX7100 AMD GPU without using a dremel heatsink grind. Anyway, I know this is weird but I’m kinda loss on the installation of the WX7100. If this is something you’re interested in, what’s the best way to contact you?
@@SorrowNinja - id say post a new thread on the macrumors forum and link it here. Lets debug that thing as a group! Also you could just resell that chip?
Curtis Gross yeah. There’s a 2011 CPU upgrade megathread on MacRumors for trying to get Ivy Bridge. It’s true I can resell it, but I think this chip could bridge the gap for us iMac users and I am far to inexperienced to get it to work on my own.
Either way, I atleast thank you for the videos you put up. Especially the upgrading your 2011 vids