@@craigneidelfair as someone who doesn’t do much on their channel I tend to be just fine using my 2015 MacBook Air but it only seems to be still good cuz it has Monterey
Couldn't agree more. I have a similar setup: 2017 27" Retina 5k iMac with 3TB Fusion drive; 64Gig memory. 2TB Flash drive. Extremely capable, gorgeous display, with all the benefits of MacOS, and none of the nonsense that comes with Windows. I paid $200 for the base system, upgraded the memory from 16 to 64, and added the flash drive. I rounded it out by adding a Dell 2k monitor for $75 installed vertically. For me it's an ideal low-cost workstation setup.
I still have my Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2017 with 4,2 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7, Radeon Pro 580 8 GB, 64 GB 2400 MHz DDR4. Still works flawlessly. Just can't get my self to upgrade yet to M2. Gonna wait until M3 comes out.
I couldn't agree with you more. Picked up a 2017 from OWC for about $599, inserted a 1gb OWC Aura Pro NVME and a 1 GB Samsung SSD for internal storage...upgraded the RAM...I wanted to install bootcamp, but the OWC Drive wouldn't allow it, so I got a copy of Windows Parallel and now Windows runs faster than installing it via Bootcamp...Good Machine and Great Video :).
I just ordered an i7 model with 16gb ram, 512gb ssd, 575 gpu for $300 from the university I work for. Can’t wait to pick it up next week, it’s my first Mac computer.
Couldnt agree more perfect, just got 27" 2017 model, cloned the OS to external 1TB ssd, booted up formated old 2TB HD, popped another 4TB External ssd USB 3 .2 for my storage, added 24gb ddr4 ram . Thing is flying.
Same page with him! I have 2009 27’ . And it’s just can do much for me, need to upgrade and I bought 2020 i5 27’ iMac. Top reason, is the model year and screen size. This more than enough to what I do.. video and photo editing the main purpose, with my experience with Mac will last 10+ year with out reformatting the machine..thank you for making this video..
Thanks for the feedback and for watching. Yes, the 2020 machines are great machines and are fine with 4K editing and just about anything. Good luck with everything.
I used my 2007 iMac for 10 years with no problem except for 4K editing when that became a thing and 256 GB storage got used up fast. I bought the 2017 iMac specked out. It should run great until 2027 or longer.
I love these computers. I bought a 2015 iMac i7-6700K, 2GB GPU, 500GB SSD, 32GB RAM for $1100 in 2020. Just recently upgraded my work set up for an M2 MBA, paired with a 34" widescreen 1440p display. The 5K iMacs were priced so well for their display value, it truly is hard to "go back" to a regular display.
Hi Craig, Thanks to you and this video, I’ve just bought this awesome machine with 32GB for 650€ which was preowned and purchased in 2019. Your video really made my day. ❤
Did the same, upgrade the ram to 32, and hard drive to SSD 1t for a total of $250. Converted it to only run and boot into Window10 and runs like a dream, though I do miss some of the various multi media programs on the Apple side. All about the screen, one of the best monitors on the market. RAM CRUCIAL 32GB (2X 16GB) and a Samsung Evo 870….you will need also a Mac adhesive screen kit to install screen again once SSD upgrade is done, RAM is simple slot behind stand. Once new hard drive is in boot from a Windows 10 USB installer, you will not require boot camp or any MacOS if you want a full conversion to PC. Note the hardware does not support Windows 11 unfortunately.
Subbed. Just picked up 2 x 2017 27” 5k iMacs with i5 3.4ghz, 32g Ram, 512gb SSD, each one was $699. Happy to get so many features at that price. Only concern is when updates stop but I didn’t have the budget at the moment to go newer and I needed 2 desktops. Thanks for the content and help in making the decision my man. 🤙🤙
Thanks for the feedback. Yes, that is really the only concern is the updates but for that price you got a great deal. You might look into something like Open Core to patch to the newest updates but that is an entirely different topic.
I am watching this on a 2017 27" iMac. The internal storage has been stripped out and a 512GB SSD from a Macbook Pro has been installed as the boot drive, a 2TB drive on SATA and an external Samsung SSD is hooked up to the thunderbolt port. It still absolutely flies for photo and even video editing.
I have one max with 40gigs running Ventura from an ssd and works flawlessly.The screen is 100 times better than anything you’ll see in bestbuy today except for the new iMac; however, I just can’t see the big difference on the quality of the displays. This is totally relevant in 2023 and for years to come 🤙🏼
It’s April 2024 and I have a 2019 27” iMac with a decent spec. Wanted to sell it and get Studio Display to use with my Mac Book Pro. After doing a bit of research, I gave up this idea - my iMac is pretty amazing.
Yes, I just my 2017 to do most of my editing now. Is it perfect - no ... but it's doing the job for now and I wouldn't really care if it was 40% faster etc. since that would only save me like 20 minutes a week.
Recently picked up a refurbed 27" 2017 with a PCIE 500gb internal SSD (about $520 (amazing condition)). Increased the ram to 40gb for another $35 for 32gb and couldn't be happier. Installed Sonoma using OCLP, and it screams.
Well, bought one a few years ago…. Opened up the case and replaced the internal disk by an nvme Samsung ssd and also added a sata 2 TByte ssd. Boots blazing fast now. While doing so upgraded the i5 cpu to an i7. Has been working perfectly since then. You forgot to mention : the sound coming out of this case is amazing :-)
I have a iMac 27" 5K (Mid-2017) Core i7 4,2 GHz - SSD 1 TB - 64GB and I bought it as ”refurbished” but it Came in a brand new condition with everything included. Bought it for about $1500 with taxes, shipping and the whole show and I looked at an iMac M2 with 16gig of Ram and here in Northern Europe, Scandinavia the price on that is $2032(at apple) so it’s a no brainer in my opinion I’m an “multi artist” and really OCD about how everything looks and I like everything from my tech, furniture, wife(don’t tell her that tho😂) and clothing to look graphically pleasing. There’s something about the new 24” iMacs I just don’t like design wise and it’s not a matter of the price difference but it’s a really nice advantage that the old is 5K, has the apple logo on it, nice subtle and timeless colors, timeless design, does not have those white bezels which I don’t totally hate but the 24” smaller size is pretty substantial to me at least. And there’s no easy way to use the M series IMacs as an external display. So let’s say when this 2017 gets too slow( which is going to take a good while) , then I’ll use it as an external display for maybe an Mac Studio or I’ve been designing and planning to build an Hackintosh. There’s so many cool case design now for every kinds of budgets. And there will not come a time in the near future where you’ll as stated will get this kind of display for the price. I’m deep into Apples ekosytem so everything in our home that can be Apple is. I’ve tried 3:rd party stuff from iphone cases to u name it and I always regret it and go back to apple. The resell value is a strong selling point also. People that excuse my language but been behind the stable or missing when brains where handed out, say that only snobs uses Apple and that you’ll get more computer for the money which may have been the case like 15-20 years ago but take the M1 MacBook Air for example. The base model at the time of release kicked every other brands in their arse for $999 so yeah! And I’ll end my “adhd” rant here with that propel should really follow this channel for real world information buy a humble guy that is not ruined n corrupted by YT fame. Luke Miani is another one. It’s sad to see that fake news and reviews is 80% of the tech channels. At the least those who make a stupid amount of money, having no morals left because the bag from some gambling company is more important that they’re own integrity and personal opinions. Disclaimer here, I’m not anyone that is jealous or bitter because someone sells their “soul” for money. My prayer is that people would educate the more younger generation more about what’s real and what is fake. Both in the world of Socials and IRL…… have a blessed day you all and once again respect and a big up for channels like this. Let’s see how long YT will let this comment stay considering we live in this woke, cancel culture dystopian reality where only some lives matter. TY if u read this far and If u agree give it a like and let us try to get this message up! ✌️
Thanks for the message. The 2017 iMac I use almost every day for 4K edits (I now have 48 GB Ram) and it works great. So yes, buying older equipment is fine and you don't need to buy newer stuff all the time - unless you run a CZcams Channel like me and then you need to buy more then you should :). Anyhow I do agree that too many CZcams channels are trying to get people to buy a $3,500 Vision Pro when most people can't afford that or should not waste money on that. I try and cover the new and old stuff all the time so keep it fresh. Thanks for watching.
I am upgrading my old AIO PC (which ran great until recently at 2.5 GHZ and 8GB RAM) for a 27" 2019 iMac with 64gb RAM. I expect it will run like a charm. I believe I'll get many years use and at 72 it may be the last computer that I'll buy! Older well maintained computers are a great buy.
I've always been on used Macs as my daily drivers. Especially if you have a basic knowledge of how to upgrade them and install MacOS, they make a great choice to save a lot of money and still get a great experience.
I bought a Late 2015 iMac 27, i5, 32 GB RAM, 1 TB HDD, Apple keyboard and mouse with charging cable a few days ago. For $200. I installed Monterey on an external SSD, plugged it into the iMac and I was ready to go. I sold my 2014 iMac 27, i7, 32 GB, 4 GB video, 500 GB SSD for $400 last year. There was a 2019 iMac 27 for $400 in my area last week but it was located an hour away. I actually wanted a Dell Ultrasharp U2720Q instead but they run $580 so I was watching for a 5k iMac for a lot less. I got the screen, speakers, microphone, videocamera for $200. I use this next to an M1 Max Studio with 3 4k monitors. I run my production on the Studio and all of my office stuff on the iMac. This iMac runs really cool too. I've found that some run hot and some run cool. I would have been fine with the 2017, 2019 or 2020 models for the right price. I could set up OCLP if I wanted to run Ventura but I don't need to. There's a 2017 i5 16 GB 2TB for sale in Boston for $475 and it's been sitting on the market for 9 days. My guess is that it sells for $400 Max. No warranty and you have to pick it up and test it but that's the way I like to buy and sell. I also have 2009 and 2010 iMacs. The 2010 iMac with i7, 32 GB RAM, 1 TB HDD cost me $100 a few years ago. I use it to watch videos in front of my spin bike. It's nice to have the old model as it has an infared remote control so I can change the volume or skip to the next video if I want to. The 2009 is a spare monitor as it has Target Display Mode.
Thanks for sharing and I have a ton of older Macs too and they all run great. I have a 2011 iMac, 2012 iMac, 2012 Mac mini, 2013 iMac and 2017 iMac. I got all the machines for very cheap and love to still use the older tech. Thanks for sharing and watching again.
I bought my 2017 5K new for $2,500AUD. I upgraded the RAM to 16 GB a few years ago. Yesterday I changed the internal Fusion Drive for an SSD using an IFIXIT kit. It took me 2 hours, including a coffee break. Went without a hitch. If a 70 year old like me can do it, anyone can. The performance now is cheese and chalk.
Thanks for the update and I'm glad the upgrade went well. Funny, I never heard the "cheese and chalk" before so not sure what it means but it's nice to learn something new.
@@craigneidel Thank you. There is 1 available on OWC that I am considering. My only issue is the cost of shipping to the Philippines, but I do believe it is still well worth it. I never thought about it from the perspective of the value of the screen. It makes so much sense…
Yes, but you just need to weight pros and cons etc. But they are still viable systems. I just did a video showing my Intel 2017 iMac vs. a M1 iMac using CapCut. You should watch that video.
thanks for your honest opinion! I not so long ago bought my first iMac and its the best computer I ever have! I bought an 27" iMac mid 2011! I did the upgrades( Rams and SSD) and now running Ventura works sooo good!
I bought imac 27” late 2015 i5 3,3ghz radeon 395 2tb fusion drive and 24gb ram. Im blown away as it’s my first imac and change from pc. Just amazing. I payed 400 for display and mouse 2 and keyboard. Only problem is os which is monterey.
found that I can run an ext SSD and buy a cheap iMac, and still get a super fast machine. I'll be using it for my music production. I'm on PC and have been since 1995.
I have a 2017 i7 iMac. I upgraded the Ram to 24 gb and even though it is my oldest computer, it has the most RAM. It runs Logic Pro 10.7 great, even using some plugins that choke everything else but my M1Pro Macbook Pro, such as Arturia Augmented Strings. I will really miss it when it is no longer viable, but now it does everything I need just fine.
I just bought a 2017 iMac 27 5k Retina display for only 300 dollars, the owner passed away and the person who inherited that iMac didn’t know anything about it, and he was asking for 500 on Facebook, I offered him 300 and took it without any hesitations…….I was very surprised with condition though it was almost as if someone bought and just never used it at all
Just got 2 of these free. One is the 2017 and the other is like 2012 or so. Guy wiped the units could not reinstall, put them on fb said he was done fooling with them. Both working now. Took me about 1hr.
I just bought one for video editing to replace my 2014 27" iMac that I'm currently using. First time buying a refurbished Apple computer. When I first bought my 2014, I thought they would come out with a 32 inch but unfortunately, they went the opposite route and downsized the screen. I hope they come out with another 27 inch.
I still have my late model 2015 27” IMac. Loaded with 32 gigs ram and runs Photoshop like a hot knife through butter. But Apple is not updating the OS anymore it seems. And Adobe is needing the latest OS for its Apps to run everything. So now I am looking at my first new computer since 2015. Maybe the base Mini for $599.
You can install Open Core Legacy Patcher on the Mac to run the newest versions of the OS but you would need to wipe the system - there are videos on that installing this on CZcams.
LOL. Watching this video on the I7 27" iMac that I bought myself for retirement in 2017. I upgraded memory and got the 3TB fusion drive to hold music sample libraries. Just ordered a M2 MacMini for music creation and will be using my iMac as an entertainment and communication system. Yes, a 32 in screen would be nice, but this looks so good. I'll just move it closer and keep using it. It will be used for all the things that I don't want to put on my decimated DAW.
If you open a couple of windows in chrome this thing starts to put on the ventilators and sounds like it wants to take off… have one here… but it’s loud when working. It has 32gb ram
I still have my 27 inch 2017 iMac and it still performs very good, but have to be honest. Really itching for a new one to come hopefully soon with Apple Silicon....
@@craigneidel I was tempted to get the 24 inch but after looking at it at the store, those 3 inches make a big difference for it to be my main display. so I’m holding out.
@@craigneidel hi Craig I still use my windows computer for sure for work and games and use the apple 27" iMac as my personal computer for emails, CZcams etc i have the 2 computers connected to a 50" oled 4k lg tv plus I'm in the apple eco system i first started with a iPad then the se watch and know a Apple TV 4K and the iPhone 13 Pro I like how they all talk to one another like I can air drop a photo to the iMac no cable needed , and emails sync to the phone.
Yes I have been comparing a 2.5k and a 5k 27 Imac to my HP Z820. I am running a 2014 one with 32gb of ram and opencore so I have latest OS and it works flawlessly and better than any 4k monitors or 4k tvs
I bought a iMac 5k in 2015. It is a late 2014 model. The SSD portion of the Fusion Drive died and is no longer visible in Disk Utility. What are my choices for building an affordable external thunderbolt drive?
I would just boot off an external SSD on one of the USB ports. You will get about 500 MB/s and it will actually appear much faster than then Fusion drive. There are videos out there on how to boot off external drives and I even have a few very old ones on my channel.
Enjoy your videos, this may be a off topic but still like to know your professional opinion if buying a 2013 is something that you would recommend. Because I saw this guy is selling a *New* never opened still in the box iMac 27 on eBay for $300, it has an i5-4570,8 Ram and hard drive. I know it's way outdated,. but it's New, do you see any potential here? Thanks ! Keep up the good work and educate us
Yeah, most likely not unless you have a reason for it. Also, never get one with a HDD since it will be so slow you won't be able to do much. SSDs only and then it's still getting up there. If it's all you can afford and want to fool around then maybe but not the best option if it's your first Mac. I would just get a M1 Mac mini for like $300.
Thanks for sharing. Yes, with that much ram they are very fast for almost every task. They are worth the money. I just like the 27" because of the 5K screen.
I am really tempted to buy one. The thing for me is I bought a new MacBook Pro 14" M1 Pro about a year ago, and its screen has ruined all other screens for me. I used to be able to use 1080p screens with no issue but after the Liquid Retina XDR of the Mac all these lesser screens are unusable. The studio display is too expensive for me and I can't afford it. So I am thinking buying one of these, using it as a media machine in my room, as the screen is pretty big and is the only screen of such a good quality for less than 1000$, and also it comes with a computer. So I can watch my Netflix and CZcams 4K HDR videos directly off it, and when I want to do more hardcore work in a bigger screen I am thinking of using something like luna fusion with my MacBook Pro to just use the iMac as an external screen.
Yes not a bad idea if you can get a good deal. I still use mine for editing but also for media consumption they are great. Just make sure it has an SSD or boot off external SSD. Mine also was updated to 24 gb ram.
@@craigneidel Thank you! I found one with a fusion 1TB for a bit less than 500 refurbished and with a 3 month warranty. Do you think that for basic tasks I will need to upgrade to an SSD? Basic tasks I mean CZcams Netflix etc and the occasional email response. For actual work I will just connect my MacBook to it with luna display.
I'm currently working on a 2017 3.4 ghz i5 27"iMac booted off an NVME external drive, pushing 64GB of RAM on Mojave OS. It would be a great computer for many more years to come if all I did was web browsing and light editing. Unfortunately, as a professional photographer who would benefit from the new features in Lightroom and Photoshop (both of which require updating my OS), my machine can't handle that. I know this, because a few months back I did update my OS, and although I could use the new LR and PS features, my machine bogged down so much I spent a day getting back to Mojave via Time Machine. Because of this, the next logical step for me is to go with a newer Mac, likely the M2 Pro Mini, coupled to the Studio Display (I agree, one you've experienced Apple 5k you can't go back;). I'll likely keep my 2017 iMac as a second computer running basic web browsers to check email, etc.
Nice. Yes if you use it for professional work it's worth it to upgrade not only for performance but also the OS updates and ability to run newest software. The 2020 iMacs I think are good for another few years for sure and even the 2017 will perform great for a few more as well. But in the end if you have the money and are buying new it's better to get the M-chip macs due to all the advantages in the end (besides no ability to upgrade ram which is the best reason for the 27" iMacs). Thanks for posting.
Nine months later, after Apple has just released its M3 24-inch iMac, updating the 2017 5k is looking better all the time. A friend bought the new M3 and for kicks I checked to see what trade-in value my 2017 has: "up to" $150. What a ripoff. OWC is still selling these for $700-$900, and they are worth all of that. A quick correction: note that while Apple says max RAM is 32gb, per OWC -- and the installation in my 2017 -- 64gb is actually possible. And today you can buy four sticks of 16gb RAM from OWC for a total of just $140. Check what Apple charges for RAM upgrades and join the ranks of those who buy earlier, easily upgraded Macs. And the 2017 could not be easier to upgrade, with that little door on the back of the computer exposing the RAM sticks. Pry out, pop in. If you are handy, upgrading the internal hybrid drive to an SSD is not difficult. Slicing open the case and sealing it back up with the double-sided tape that is widely available is actually easier than dealing with the earlier magnet-secured screens, believe it or not. I just bought a Crucial 2tb SSD on Amazon for all of $95 (!) and with $100 worth of parts (mounting sled, tape, slicing tool, temp sensor) the RAM and SSD upgrade runs maybe $350. And Craig is absolutely correct in arguing that the 5K screen is fabulous. My 2017 sits next to a trusty 30-inch Cinema Display, paired with a hugely upgraded Mac Pro, that I can't bear to use. Those big pixels might have been tolerable 10 years ago, but no longer.
Yes, the 2017 imacs are nice machines and I still use mine for sure. I have seen the 2020 27" also for around 1K and that is a great pickup right now if you can find it for about that cost. Thanks for posting.
Another good Video again there Craig, sure with 2017 iMacs coming down in price, easily upgradable and incomparable display. Whats not to like? Obviously the "Elephant in the room" is access and its nerve wracking taking the screen off and navigating past the Power Supply but then its plain sailing, pop an NVMe (with Sintech adapter) in there, an SSD as well if you like, as big as you choose, RAM's a breeze via the back door, i7 or an i9 CPU (apparently according to Luke Miani you can) and you'll have an awesome Machine. With OCLP (if there are any more (un)supported intel versions of OS after Ventura) you should be able to run them, "Windoze" 10 and 11 (usual Win11 caveats apply on unsupported Machines) are ridiculously easy to install with Bootcamp. Sure with the "Clock ticking" for intel Machines and MacOS you can have a really good machine for many years to come with little outlay and a little bit of nerve and patience, but at least if you get it right you'll only have to wrestle with the Screen once. 😉 
Thanks for sharing and all the info. I totally agree with what you said here. These are not for everybody for sure but I still think they are great deals especially for $550 now if you are into content viewing. The screen is what made me fall in love with the iMacs and I just want others to experience that for short term even if they need to sell these in a few years. Somebody will still buy them, somebody like you who knows how to upgrade them even after they are removed from OS updates. Thanks for watching.
I have 2 options and I'm really in doubt which one I should go for. The first is a Mac Mini M1 8gb 256gb SSD with all the stuff I'll need to buy like a mouse, keyboard, SSD, and 4k screen, which would result in the value of my second option. This other tempting option is an iMac 27, i5, 5K 32gb ram 4gb dedicated video with hybrid HD with sdd 1tb quad 3.5Ghz. Taking into account that I work with editing using Photoshop, After Effects, Premiere, and logic pro, what would be the best option for my case? Hugs from Brazil to you my friend!
Do you own the software? Do you subscribe to Adobe? If you're going to be using the latest software and aren't already invested in older software, it's time to move on to Apple silicone like the M1. I wouldn't buy an Intel based Apple as a first computer in 2023, not for professional use. If you already own the software that's native to Intel, there's no reason no to take advantage of some of the steep discounts right now and go with older tech. If you can't use old software and are subscribed for what's newer, you're going to need to buy a new computer in a few years to keep running that and you won't be saving any money if that happens.
Great video - Funny how this just comes up on my feed now after buying one and not before when I was trying to figure out if I should or not haha. It comes in the next couple of days and I am happy with my decision, especially after watching this. A glass of wine killed my 2012 MacBook Air and using an iPad since then just hasn’t been the same!
Thanks for the comment. Yes, they are nice if they have SSDs or you boot off an SSD like I do. The Fusion drives are ok but an SSD will really make these fly. Thanks again for watching and good luck.
@@craigneidel Thank you for the heads up. I will be checking out your vid on how to do that once I have played with it for a while. No doubt, I will go down the same route haha
Thanks for making this video and your insight. I was thinking about getting a an intel legacy Mac and looking at the iMac Pro 2017 ~$2000 XeonW 3.2ghz 2TB 128Gb. It would be good for some older music hardware I still have and maybe use it as dual-boot OS. Anyway, I hadn’t even considered the iMac 5K until seeing your video and some of prices seem too good to pass up. Anyway, we shall see.
Great video. I have a 4.2 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7 with 40GB and I was thinking of a new mini or even a mac studio. After watching this I will stay right where I am. I love the machine but was wondering about comparison to other macs.
I would stay there until you feel you are slowing down or the system is not as fast as you need it to be. You will know when that day comes but right now I think the 2017s can still hold up.
I have this iMac and was looking into an m2 laptop for portability and performance, but I recently looked online and turns out I could upgrade the ram from my current 16gb to 64gb for about 250.00 usd! That obviously is a lot cheaper that a new MacBook Pro. Beside any other upgrades, that alone is already a major leap for my workload.
People worried about support can just install windows or even Linux when the apple support is dropped lol, not even kidding, it will be a very viable computer for 10 years for basic tasks and gaming. Also it's a pretty decent color accurate screen for mac minis a with a good camera, mic and speakers, pretty good deal in my opinion.
I bought a 2019 in 2023.. refurb, $500.. I'd have a hard time finding a similar quality monitor for that price. No support for OS isn't the end of the world, I actually wanted this to run Mojave so that I could use some of my old 32bit software still... why subscribe to Adobe as a hobbyist when I can keep using CS4 with 2019 tech. Will be a useful computer to me, even without the latest OS, for at least another decade if it actually lasts that long (I have a lot of bricks). Great computer for anyone who just wants to surf the web or watch videos.. or anyone with a collection of older software that's still useful.
I agree with what you are saying and a 2019 27" for $500 is a very good deal. That 5K screen is worth many times that. Thanks for posting and good luck with everything.
Things change for sure. If you can find an incredible deal and it has an SSD and then you add more ram (you can upgrade ram on these) they can still be a great machine for everyday work. For a few hundred dollars I still think they are good values.
I'm sad to part ways with my iMac 5k 2017 towards the end of the year. This is another MAChine dream come true (since 2006; the first was a macbook pro, same year. I bought my first MAC, the great x10 grandpa MBP-rd m2012 few months after its release) even if I bought it 2nd hand. I have so many upgrade plans to do like the procie (yes, I'm that brave and I know what I' m doing) and ram. I am planning to buy an M2 or M1 14" MBP just to be mobile and I juggle time between taking care of my toddler and working. Wish me luck! :P
Yes, but I'm keeping mine for a bit more and still doing most of my 4K videos on it just fine. Good luck with the 14" and that will be a nice system. Good luck.
Still don’t understand why Apple broke the iMac line up by downsizing it to just 1 model and a basic M1 non-upgradable SOC. I have a still highly functional late 2015 iMac that still does everything i need (although it cannot use last OS version). At this point there’s still no alternative to the 27” iMac, unfortunately.
I think it came down to money and now they can sell the Monitor and computer. In any case I hope the 27" comes back but I'm not holding my breath on this.
I'm actually running it on a OWC enclosure with a Samsung QVO SSD which is only 2.5". Only get about 500 MB/s but still edited 600 4K videos on this so fast enough for sure. Anything faster will be even better.
Hello Craig, I'm coming up on age 70 with some memory cognition waining (wish I could update my RAM - HA!). and am clueless on all the lingo meaning. Bought new in 2011 imac desktop 21.5 screen, 2.5 GHz intel core i5 - Memory 16GB....I'll stop there. It's running the last update it can (High Sierra). It works flawlessly and absolutely love it , but am getting concerned about it's age and updates and running out of ram. Have thought about buying external SSD to open up more memory or looking at purchasing a new desktop that has all the old usb ports (don't want to spend money on updating everything I have that plugs in through usb, but assume you can buy an adapter). I use it like you are explaining here - basics and learning something new would be a challenge. Also concerned about software (MS Word/publisher, photo editing) that wouldn't transfer to a newer model. Can't afford buying updated software for newer computer. The 27" would be too big (I think) as my desk is not deep enough to move it back for viewing. Would think it would be like sitting 4 feet away from a 60" tv. With that said, does this 2017 come in a smaller screen? If not, does the 2017 have usb ports? Would be awesome to get a recommendation I could trust.
Thanks for the post. Yes, the iMacs came in 21.5" also which are a bit smaller. Just make sure you get an SSD (not spinning HDD) as that is what will make the system fast. Also 16 GB of ram if you can swing that. The usb ports should be included on the 21.5". I'm not sure the best place to get them right now but you should be able to find them refurbished around. I have not used this site for a while but here is one link - eshop.macsales.com/configure-my-mac/imac#screen-size:21-5-inch
if i were to purchase one of these it would be solely for my office. not my home office, just thought i'd make that clear. the most intense tasks this computer would do is playing 4k youtube videos and getting on zoom calls. so something tells me this computer is capable of more than what i need and would suit me well. I just cant fathom purchasing a 24 inch imac, 27 inches is the minimum screen size for me. Of course i would love to have a pro display xdr but lets be real here that would be one of the worst low level financial mistakes i could make. that 6,000 could go towards my education, it could go towards debt, it could even kick off a small business. that being said, im excited to see wha the rest of the video has to say im only 3 minutes in so far
Thanks for sharing the info and yes the computer can do that as long as it has an SSD or if you boot off an external SSD. The issue is more with trying to get updates for the OS past Ventura but it should still get patching for a while. Thanks again.
What is your opinion on the current methods to force windows 11 on intel macs? I have a 2017 27inch 5k i5 imac. I really only use it to play games, so is 10 cool in your opinion please.
@craigneidel there are several youtubers with videos showing how to get windows 11 on a imac disabling the tpm and secure boot requirements. I wanted to know what your thought were on that? And if doing that is worth it for someone that just uses thier computer to play games. Or can I just keep windows 10 until.............
Can you share what additions you purchased to get it to run fast. The names and brands. I am not tech saavy and I bought this computer in 2017 and haven't been able to use it since I didn't know how to upgrade the drive and storage.
You can use something like a samsung T9 or T7 if you don't want to build an external SSD to boot off of. If not I would just go with a Samsung 2.5 inch drive (Samsung Evo) and then I used the OWC Mercury Elite Pro mini - eshop.macsales.com/shop/owc-mercury-elite-pro-mini/usb-c for the enclosure. I did this a while ago so there could be better options but that is kind of what I did.
I have a 2011 iMac that no longer work properly since last year because the latest OS that can be upgraded is High Sierra. I can’t install the latest Safari or other browsers. A lot of websites are not functioning properly because of this. More than likely Apple will discontinue support for the iMac 2017 and will not allow OS upgrade within the next couple years.
Yes, for sure but it just depends on how much you will spend on the 2017 27" iMac. It should be a good system for a few more years and then drop off but if you can get it for $700 or $600 then it's a great system with the incredible 5K screen. And you are only spending about $100 a year because you can sell it in 3 years for about $300 and somebody will Patch it with to a higher OS or put linux on it. Thanks for sharing.
The macOS does not run at 5k at all! Take into account, the OS is programmed in 2,5k only! 5k is never used until you switch your entire system to 5k. But then, everything is displayed too tiny, as there is NO support for 5k built into macOS.
It still shows photos and videos in 5K and rescales the text but there is a massive difference in the screen. Trust me, I have tested hundreds and nothing compares to the 5K imac or Studio display except for maybe Apple's 6K screen. So it's not 2.5K.
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It's how I see it, why buy a modern piece of tech when most old tech still runs fine and can just be upgraded
Yes with my channel I need to buy more modern tech but if I didn't have my channel I would for sure still be running older macs
@@craigneidelfair as someone who doesn’t do much on their channel I tend to be just fine using my 2015 MacBook Air but it only seems to be still good cuz it has Monterey
@@Hammersmith4602 yes the newer mac's a much better but some can get by with older models for sure.
Couldn't agree more. I have a similar setup: 2017 27" Retina 5k iMac with 3TB Fusion drive; 64Gig memory. 2TB Flash drive. Extremely capable, gorgeous display, with all the benefits of MacOS, and none of the nonsense that comes with Windows. I paid $200 for the base system, upgraded the memory from 16 to 64, and added the flash drive. I rounded it out by adding a Dell 2k monitor for $75 installed vertically. For me it's an ideal low-cost workstation setup.
Thanks for sharing and that is a great deal at only $200. With 64 GB and a SSD storage that must be pretty fast. Congrats on paying less for sure.
And you can have real windows on it and add a egpu to actually beat the apple machines in many areas.
Cheaper than.a 5k studio display.
I really enjoy your videos on older Mac computers. They're still viable machines after just a little upgrading and they don't break the bank.
Thanks Bryan. Yes, they still work great and if not for the OS updates they would last at least another 6 years.
Wrong!.. the older ones suck!
I still have my Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2017 with 4,2 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7, Radeon Pro 580 8 GB, 64 GB 2400 MHz DDR4. Still works flawlessly. Just can't get my self to upgrade yet to M2. Gonna wait until M3 comes out.
Yes, I have my 2017 27" also and use it for most of my video edits. I love the thing and hope they come out with a 27 or 32" in the future.
I couldn't agree with you more. Picked up a 2017 from OWC for about $599, inserted a 1gb OWC Aura Pro NVME and a 1 GB Samsung SSD for internal storage...upgraded the RAM...I wanted to install bootcamp, but the OWC Drive wouldn't allow it, so I got a copy of Windows Parallel and now Windows runs faster than installing it via Bootcamp...Good Machine and Great Video :).
Thanks for sharing. Yes owc is a great place to pick up hardware and I have never had any issues.
I just ordered an i7 model with 16gb ram, 512gb ssd, 575 gpu for $300 from the university I work for. Can’t wait to pick it up next week, it’s my first Mac computer.
Good luck with everything and with the SSD that should be a nice system for sure.
This guy nailed the price prediction. I just paid $375 in 2024. He is good!
Nice deal and thanks for watching.
Couldnt agree more perfect, just got 27" 2017 model, cloned the OS to external 1TB ssd, booted up formated old 2TB HD, popped another 4TB External ssd USB 3 .2 for my storage, added 24gb ddr4 ram . Thing is flying.
Nice, yes they are nice for the money right now and the screen can't be beat.
Same page with him! I have 2009 27’ . And it’s just can do much for me, need to upgrade and I bought 2020 i5 27’ iMac. Top reason, is the model year and screen size. This more than enough to what I do.. video and photo editing the main purpose, with my experience with Mac will last 10+ year with out reformatting the machine..thank you for making this video..
Thanks for the feedback and for watching. Yes, the 2020 machines are great machines and are fine with 4K editing and just about anything. Good luck with everything.
I use a 2013 iMac that was loaded at the time as my computer at work.. still runs like brand new.
Yes, they are nice machines for sure as long as they have SSDs.
I used my 2007 iMac for 10 years with no problem except for 4K editing when that became a thing and 256 GB storage got used up fast. I bought the 2017 iMac specked out. It should run great until 2027 or longer.
I love these computers. I bought a 2015 iMac i7-6700K, 2GB GPU, 500GB SSD, 32GB RAM for $1100 in 2020. Just recently upgraded my work set up for an M2 MBA, paired with a 34" widescreen 1440p display. The 5K iMacs were priced so well for their display value, it truly is hard to "go back" to a regular display.
Yes, nothing really compares to the 5K screens once you get used to them. So it's basically a Studio Display or a downgrade.
I bought this Mac on offer up for 100 dollars absolutely love this Mac
Yes for 100 that's a steal.
Hi Craig, Thanks to you and this video, I’ve just bought this awesome machine with 32GB for 650€ which was preowned and purchased in 2019. Your video really made my day. ❤
Thanks for watching and nice comment.
@@craigneidelthank you, you are right, think I will pay a little bit more for something newer that has SSD and 5k. Thanks again.
I absolutely love my 2015 iMac - 27 inch 5k, 32 GB RAM, 3 TB Fusion Drive.
They are nice systems for sure.
Did the same, upgrade the ram to 32, and hard drive to SSD 1t for a total of $250. Converted it to only run and boot into Window10 and runs like a dream, though I do miss some of the various multi media programs on the Apple side. All about the screen, one of the best monitors on the market. RAM CRUCIAL 32GB (2X 16GB) and a Samsung Evo 870….you will need also a Mac adhesive screen kit to install screen again once SSD upgrade is done, RAM is simple slot behind stand. Once new hard drive is in boot from a Windows 10 USB installer, you will not require boot camp or any MacOS if you want a full conversion to PC. Note the hardware does not support Windows 11 unfortunately.
Thanks for sharing all the details for others to see and good luck with everything.
Subbed. Just picked up 2 x 2017 27” 5k iMacs with i5 3.4ghz, 32g Ram, 512gb SSD, each one was $699. Happy to get so many features at that price. Only concern is when updates stop but I didn’t have the budget at the moment to go newer and I needed 2 desktops. Thanks for the content and help in making the decision my man. 🤙🤙
Thanks for the feedback. Yes, that is really the only concern is the updates but for that price you got a great deal. You might look into something like Open Core to patch to the newest updates but that is an entirely different topic.
@@craigneidel thx bro 😎
Thanks.
@@craigneidel so there’s a way to path any security after the 2 or 3 years after they stop
@@Demonslayer63559 it will patch the older os for a while. Then after that you would need to use something like open core patches
Picked one up for $350 the other day. What a deal.
As long as they come with an SSD they are a good value at that cost.
Just got one from a local auction. £160. The screen is phenomenal. Not quite got the grunt for gaming but as a general workhorse, it's fantastic.
Yes, if it has a SSD and 16 GB they are quite fast. No mac is that great for gaming though.
I am watching this on a 2017 27" iMac. The internal storage has been stripped out and a 512GB SSD from a Macbook Pro has been installed as the boot drive, a 2TB drive on SATA and an external Samsung SSD is hooked up to the thunderbolt port. It still absolutely flies for photo and even video editing.
Yes, I use mine for most of my video editing and love it. They are incredible for the age and still work for anything you can throw at it.
found one on market place for $500. i’ve been wanting a mac since i was little, i’m picking it up when i get off work! thank you for your video!!
Thanks for comment. What kind of drive does it have.
Bought one of these and installed Zorin Linux. It works great! Performance in unreal.
They are great for Linux. Good luck with everything and thanks for watching.
I have one max with 40gigs running Ventura from an ssd and works flawlessly.The screen is 100 times better than anything you’ll see in bestbuy today except for the new iMac; however, I just can’t see the big difference on the quality of the displays. This is totally relevant in 2023 and for years to come 🤙🏼
Yes, these are still nice computers and work perfect for most users. The screens are great at 5K too. Thanks.
It’s April 2024 and I have a 2019 27” iMac with a decent spec. Wanted to sell it and get Studio Display to use with my Mac Book Pro. After doing a bit of research, I gave up this idea - my iMac is pretty amazing.
Yes, I just my 2017 to do most of my editing now. Is it perfect - no ... but it's doing the job for now and I wouldn't really care if it was 40% faster etc. since that would only save me like 20 minutes a week.
Recently picked up a refurbed 27" 2017 with a PCIE 500gb internal SSD (about $520 (amazing condition)). Increased the ram to 40gb for another $35 for 32gb and couldn't be happier. Installed Sonoma using OCLP, and it screams.
Nice deal. Yes, if they have and SSD they are still quick for the age. I love my 2017.
Where did you find 32gb ram for $35?
Ebay...used but working perfectly.@@ObjectiveTruthAdvocate
Nice.
Well, bought one a few years ago…. Opened up the case and replaced the internal disk by an nvme Samsung ssd and also added a sata 2 TByte ssd. Boots blazing fast now. While doing so upgraded the i5 cpu to an i7. Has been working perfectly since then. You forgot to mention : the sound coming out of this case is amazing :-)
Yes sound is great too. Thanks for watching
I got 2013 still working like a charm with no issues I just updated it to the latest OS. I like this shape more than the new design
They are great little machines for sure. Good luck with everything.
I listened to you and bought one. 4.2ghjz and 16GB with 500GB SSD. (I have no clue what that all means), except for the16 ram.
Ok, good luck with everything.
Excellent vid!
Still worth it today (sonoma OS), 32GB , 512gb ssd, 27" 5k display? $370.
Thanks. Yes for that price for sure.
i will be 33yo ... but still prefers older design on iMAC. Love the silver color and chin!
Yeah I like my 2017 iMac the best. 5k screen is still great.
I have a iMac 27" 5K (Mid-2017) Core i7 4,2 GHz - SSD 1 TB - 64GB and I bought it as ”refurbished” but it Came in a brand new condition with everything included. Bought it for about $1500 with taxes, shipping and the whole show and I looked at an iMac M2 with 16gig of Ram and here in Northern Europe, Scandinavia the price on that is $2032(at apple) so it’s a no brainer in my opinion I’m an “multi artist” and really OCD about how everything looks and I like everything from my tech, furniture, wife(don’t tell her that tho😂) and clothing to look graphically pleasing. There’s something about the new 24” iMacs I just don’t like design wise and it’s not a matter of the price difference but it’s a really nice advantage that the old is 5K, has the apple logo on it, nice subtle and timeless colors, timeless design, does not have those white bezels which I don’t totally hate but the 24” smaller size is pretty substantial to me at least. And there’s no easy way to use the M series IMacs as an external display. So let’s say when this 2017 gets too slow( which is going to take a good while) , then I’ll use it as an external display for maybe an Mac Studio or I’ve been designing and planning to build an Hackintosh. There’s so many cool case design now for every kinds of budgets. And there will not come a time in the near future where you’ll as stated will get this kind of display for the price. I’m deep into Apples ekosytem so everything in our home that can be Apple is. I’ve tried 3:rd party stuff from iphone cases to u name it and I always regret it and go back to apple. The resell value is a strong selling point also. People that excuse my language but been behind the stable or missing when brains where handed out, say that only snobs uses Apple and that you’ll get more computer for the money which may have been the case like 15-20 years ago but take the M1 MacBook Air for example. The base model at the time of release kicked every other brands in their arse for $999 so yeah! And I’ll end my “adhd” rant here with that propel should really follow this channel for real world information buy a humble guy that is not ruined n corrupted by YT fame. Luke Miani is another one. It’s sad to see that fake news and reviews is 80% of the tech channels. At the least those who make a stupid amount of money, having no morals left because the bag from some gambling company is more important that they’re own integrity and personal opinions. Disclaimer here, I’m not anyone that is jealous or bitter because someone sells their “soul” for money. My prayer is that people would educate the more younger generation more about what’s real and what is fake. Both in the world of Socials and IRL…… have a blessed day you all and once again respect and a big up for channels like this. Let’s see how long YT will let this comment stay considering we live in this woke, cancel culture dystopian reality where only some lives matter. TY if u read this far and If u agree give it a like and let us try to get this message up! ✌️
Thanks for the message. The 2017 iMac I use almost every day for 4K edits (I now have 48 GB Ram) and it works great. So yes, buying older equipment is fine and you don't need to buy newer stuff all the time - unless you run a CZcams Channel like me and then you need to buy more then you should :). Anyhow I do agree that too many CZcams channels are trying to get people to buy a $3,500 Vision Pro when most people can't afford that or should not waste money on that. I try and cover the new and old stuff all the time so keep it fresh. Thanks for watching.
Preach!
I *love* those 5K screens.
Two days ago I bought a 2019 27" i5 with 16 gb and a 512 gb ssd. For $400.
That is a very good deal and well worth the price for sure. Enjoy.
Where did you find this? Ebay?
I am upgrading my old AIO PC (which ran great until recently at 2.5 GHZ and 8GB RAM) for a 27" 2019 iMac with 64gb RAM. I expect it will run like a charm. I believe I'll get many years use and at 72 it may be the last computer that I'll buy! Older well maintained computers are a great buy.
Yes, that is a nice system for sure and it should last for a while. Good luck with everything.
I've always been on used Macs as my daily drivers. Especially if you have a basic knowledge of how to upgrade them and install MacOS, they make a great choice to save a lot of money and still get a great experience.
For sure and thanks for sharing and watching. I like older iMacs and wish they come out with new 27 inch iMac that's not the pro
I bought a Late 2015 iMac 27, i5, 32 GB RAM, 1 TB HDD, Apple keyboard and mouse with charging cable a few days ago. For $200. I installed Monterey on an external SSD, plugged it into the iMac and I was ready to go. I sold my 2014 iMac 27, i7, 32 GB, 4 GB video, 500 GB SSD for $400 last year. There was a 2019 iMac 27 for $400 in my area last week but it was located an hour away. I actually wanted a Dell Ultrasharp U2720Q instead but they run $580 so I was watching for a 5k iMac for a lot less. I got the screen, speakers, microphone, videocamera for $200. I use this next to an M1 Max Studio with 3 4k monitors. I run my production on the Studio and all of my office stuff on the iMac. This iMac runs really cool too. I've found that some run hot and some run cool. I would have been fine with the 2017, 2019 or 2020 models for the right price. I could set up OCLP if I wanted to run Ventura but I don't need to. There's a 2017 i5 16 GB 2TB for sale in Boston for $475 and it's been sitting on the market for 9 days. My guess is that it sells for $400 Max. No warranty and you have to pick it up and test it but that's the way I like to buy and sell.
I also have 2009 and 2010 iMacs. The 2010 iMac with i7, 32 GB RAM, 1 TB HDD cost me $100 a few years ago. I use it to watch videos in front of my spin bike. It's nice to have the old model as it has an infared remote control so I can change the volume or skip to the next video if I want to. The 2009 is a spare monitor as it has Target Display Mode.
Thanks for sharing and I have a ton of older Macs too and they all run great. I have a 2011 iMac, 2012 iMac, 2012 Mac mini, 2013 iMac and 2017 iMac. I got all the machines for very cheap and love to still use the older tech. Thanks for sharing and watching again.
I bought my 2017 5K new for $2,500AUD. I upgraded the RAM to 16 GB a few years ago. Yesterday I changed the internal Fusion Drive for an SSD using an IFIXIT kit. It took me 2 hours, including a coffee break. Went without a hitch. If a 70 year old like me can do it, anyone can. The performance now is cheese and chalk.
Thanks for the update and I'm glad the upgrade went well. Funny, I never heard the "cheese and chalk" before so not sure what it means but it's nice to learn something new.
This is exactly what I needed to hear… I’m buying one
Good luck with everything. Get one with full SSD.
@@craigneidel Thank you. There is 1 available on OWC that I am considering. My only issue is the cost of shipping to the Philippines, but I do believe it is still well worth it. I never thought about it from the perspective of the value of the screen. It makes so much sense…
Yes, but you just need to weight pros and cons etc. But they are still viable systems. I just did a video showing my Intel 2017 iMac vs. a M1 iMac using CapCut. You should watch that video.
thanks for your honest opinion! I not so long ago bought my first iMac and its the best computer I ever have! I bought an 27" iMac mid 2011! I did the upgrades( Rams and SSD) and now running Ventura works sooo good!
Yes, those are great systems for sure. Thanks for watching and the comment.
I didn’t know a 2011 iMac still runs Ventura. Are you kidding
You can run it with something like Open Core Patcher - works with older Macs.@@_blackbillgates5087
I bought imac 27” late 2015 i5 3,3ghz radeon 395 2tb fusion drive and 24gb ram. Im blown away as it’s my first imac and change from pc. Just amazing. I payed 400 for display and mouse 2 and keyboard. Only problem is os which is monterey.
Yes, for the price they are great and the only issues are the older OS. Thanks for watching.
found that I can run an ext SSD and buy a cheap iMac, and still get a super fast machine.
I'll be using it for my music production.
I'm on PC and have been since 1995.
For sure I have a bunch of videos on my channel about booting off an external SSD.
@@craigneidelI'll look for those, thank you.
@@synthoelectro thanks
@@craigneidel welcome
I have a 2017 i7 iMac. I upgraded the Ram to 24 gb and even though it is my oldest computer, it has the most RAM. It runs Logic Pro 10.7 great, even using some plugins that choke everything else but my M1Pro Macbook Pro, such as Arturia Augmented Strings. I will really miss it when it is no longer viable, but now it does everything I need just fine.
Yes, the 2017 is great and I run all of my edits on this and I have also upgraded ram to 48 GB now.
I just bought a 2017 iMac 27 5k Retina display for only 300 dollars, the owner passed away and the person who inherited that iMac didn’t know anything about it, and he was asking for 500 on Facebook, I offered him 300 and took it without any hesitations…….I was very surprised with condition though it was almost as if someone bought and just never used it at all
Nice and thanks for sharing. If it doesn't have an SSD I would boot off an SSD for extra speed. Thanks.
Just bought an iMac 27” -2020, i7 3,8GHz, 8GB Radeon. Like new, only used around 10h according to the seller, I gave 1250$.👍
Add some ram to it, it's easy. Good luck with everything.
@@craigneidelThere is 64GB all ready, the graphic memory is 8GB.
@@martincarlberg9671 you should be all set then...
Just got 2 of these free. One is the 2017 and the other is like 2012 or so. Guy wiped the units could not reinstall, put them on fb said he was done fooling with them. Both working now. Took me about 1hr.
Thanks for watching and sharing. If they don't have SSDs then boot off external SSD and they will be much quicker.
I just bought one for video editing to replace my 2014 27" iMac that I'm currently using. First time buying a refurbished Apple computer. When I first bought my 2014, I thought they would come out with a 32 inch but unfortunately, they went the opposite route and downsized the screen. I hope they come out with another 27 inch.
Yes, I'm not sure any 27" iMacs will ever come out but I'm hoping too. Thanks for watching.
I still have my late model 2015 27” IMac. Loaded with 32 gigs ram and runs Photoshop like a hot knife through butter. But Apple is not updating the OS anymore it seems. And Adobe is needing the latest OS for its Apps to run everything. So now I am looking at my first new computer since 2015. Maybe the base Mini for $599.
You can install Open Core Legacy Patcher on the Mac to run the newest versions of the OS but you would need to wipe the system - there are videos on that installing this on CZcams.
I'm viewing this on this exact machine. It's still great. I can't see myself wanting to get rid of that display.
Yes, they are the best screen to this day.
Agree with you. iMac 2017 - 2020 is the best overall iMac's for now.
Yes they are great systems for sure
LOL. Watching this video on the I7 27" iMac that I bought myself for retirement in 2017. I upgraded memory and got the 3TB fusion drive to hold music sample libraries. Just ordered a M2 MacMini for music creation and will be using my iMac as an entertainment and communication system. Yes, a 32 in screen would be nice, but this looks so good. I'll just move it closer and keep using it. It will be used for all the things that I don't want to put on my decimated DAW.
They are nice for sure. Thanks for watching.
Perfect timing! You convinced me to get one instead of a monitor for my M1 Air. Many thanks!
Make sure it has sad and they still work great
I am already going to buy the iMac 27 inch
The 2020s are at a good price now.
If you open a couple of windows in chrome this thing starts to put on the ventilators and sounds like it wants to take off… have one here… but it’s loud when working. It has 32gb ram
Mine doesn't do that at all and I even use it for 4K edits. At that point the fans turn on but during normal use it's silent normally with 48 GB ram.
I still have my 27 inch 2017 iMac and it still performs very good, but have to be honest. Really itching for a new one to come hopefully soon with Apple Silicon....
Yeah but I have 24 inch iMac and still use the Intel one more. I love both but maybe wait for M2 or m3 upgrade and hopefully price stays same
@@craigneidel I was tempted to get the 24 inch but after looking at it at the store, those 3 inches make a big difference for it to be my main display. so I’m holding out.
@@MichaelBordenaro you get used to it but I like 27 too so hope a cheaper version comes later.
the 27" iMac is a great computer apple has the best operating system it beats my windows computer hands down.
They are nice for sure. I still use a PC from time to time but I use MacOS about 90% for sure.
@@craigneidel hi Craig I still use my windows computer for sure for work and games and use the apple 27" iMac as my personal computer for emails, CZcams etc i have the 2 computers connected to a 50" oled 4k lg tv plus I'm in the apple eco system i first started with a iPad then the se watch and know a Apple TV 4K and the iPhone 13 Pro I like how they all talk to one another like I can air drop a photo to the iMac no cable needed , and emails sync to the phone.
Thanks for sharing and good luck with everything. I like your setup.
@@craigneidel thank you Craig.
Thanks.
Yes I have been comparing a 2.5k and a 5k 27 Imac to my HP Z820. I am running a 2014 one with 32gb of ram and opencore so I have latest OS and it works flawlessly and better than any 4k monitors or 4k tvs
Yes, they are great machines for sure and it's my favorite. I sure hope Apple brings back the 27" as it's the perfect size.
I bought a iMac 5k in 2015. It is a late 2014 model.
The SSD portion of the Fusion Drive died and is no longer visible in Disk Utility.
What are my choices for building an affordable external thunderbolt drive?
I would just boot off an external SSD on one of the USB ports. You will get about 500 MB/s and it will actually appear much faster than then Fusion drive. There are videos out there on how to boot off external drives and I even have a few very old ones on my channel.
@@craigneidel Thanks. I have a Samsung 870 EVO that I can use. Would there be any advantage to connecting to the thunderbolt port instead of USB?
I would just go with the fastest port you have but the USB works fine also. But if you have one already you can use that.@@gregorycollins3096
Enjoy your videos, this may be a off topic but still like to know your professional opinion if buying a 2013 is something that you would recommend. Because I saw this guy is selling a *New* never opened still in the box iMac 27 on eBay for $300, it has an i5-4570,8 Ram and hard drive. I know it's way outdated,. but it's New, do you see any potential here? Thanks ! Keep up the good work and educate us
Yeah, most likely not unless you have a reason for it. Also, never get one with a HDD since it will be so slow you won't be able to do much. SSDs only and then it's still getting up there. If it's all you can afford and want to fool around then maybe but not the best option if it's your first Mac. I would just get a M1 Mac mini for like $300.
I ripped out the guts and converted my 2014 iMac to a 5K main display for my M1. Couldn’t be happier. Runs on 12VDC.
Nice, I think Luke Miani did something like that on his chanel.
This would be an upgrade for me, because I am still on 2015 iMac i5 27. I agree 💯 that most people will never need to buy the latest and the greatest.
They are nice for sure. The only issue is the OS updates. Beyond that they are still perfect as far as performance.
I have the 4k 21.5 2017 that ive upgraded with 32gb ram and i7 processor, was a lot cheaper then buying an m1 currently and is awesome for what i need
Thanks for sharing. Yes, with that much ram they are very fast for almost every task. They are worth the money. I just like the 27" because of the 5K screen.
I am really tempted to buy one. The thing for me is I bought a new MacBook Pro 14" M1 Pro about a year ago, and its screen has ruined all other screens for me. I used to be able to use 1080p screens with no issue but after the Liquid Retina XDR of the Mac all these lesser screens are unusable. The studio display is too expensive for me and I can't afford it. So I am thinking buying one of these, using it as a media machine in my room, as the screen is pretty big and is the only screen of such a good quality for less than 1000$, and also it comes with a computer. So I can watch my Netflix and CZcams 4K HDR videos directly off it, and when I want to do more hardcore work in a bigger screen I am thinking of using something like luna fusion with my MacBook Pro to just use the iMac as an external screen.
Yes not a bad idea if you can get a good deal. I still use mine for editing but also for media consumption they are great. Just make sure it has an SSD or boot off external SSD. Mine also was updated to 24 gb ram.
@@craigneidel Thank you! I found one with a fusion 1TB for a bit less than 500 refurbished and with a 3 month warranty. Do you think that for basic tasks I will need to upgrade to an SSD? Basic tasks I mean CZcams Netflix etc and the occasional email response.
For actual work I will just connect my MacBook to it with luna display.
You can see if the fusion is fast enough or just boot off external SSD and I have videos on how to do that also. It works great.
I'm currently working on a 2017 3.4 ghz i5 27"iMac booted off an NVME external drive, pushing 64GB of RAM on Mojave OS. It would be a great computer for many more years to come if all I did was web browsing and light editing. Unfortunately, as a professional photographer who would benefit from the new features in Lightroom and Photoshop (both of which require updating my OS), my machine can't handle that. I know this, because a few months back I did update my OS, and although I could use the new LR and PS features, my machine bogged down so much I spent a day getting back to Mojave via Time Machine. Because of this, the next logical step for me is to go with a newer Mac, likely the M2 Pro Mini, coupled to the Studio Display (I agree, one you've experienced Apple 5k you can't go back;). I'll likely keep my 2017 iMac as a second computer running basic web browsers to check email, etc.
Nice. Yes if you use it for professional work it's worth it to upgrade not only for performance but also the OS updates and ability to run newest software. The 2020 iMacs I think are good for another few years for sure and even the 2017 will perform great for a few more as well. But in the end if you have the money and are buying new it's better to get the M-chip macs due to all the advantages in the end (besides no ability to upgrade ram which is the best reason for the 27" iMacs). Thanks for posting.
SSD is the secret! These machines are amazing for everything except high end 3D.
SSD and some ram and you are good to go for sure. I edit 4K videos on mine.
Is there a reliable work around for using 2017 iMac as a monitor for a Mac Studio? Great job on this video!
Not really except Luna display. I might do video on it in next few months. Thanks for watching.
Nine months later, after Apple has just released its M3 24-inch iMac, updating the 2017 5k is looking better all the time. A friend bought the new M3 and for kicks I checked to see what trade-in value my 2017 has: "up to" $150. What a ripoff. OWC is still selling these for $700-$900, and they are worth all of that. A quick correction: note that while Apple says max RAM is 32gb, per OWC -- and the installation in my 2017 -- 64gb is actually possible. And today you can buy four sticks of 16gb RAM from OWC for a total of just $140. Check what Apple charges for RAM upgrades and join the ranks of those who buy earlier, easily upgraded Macs. And the 2017 could not be easier to upgrade, with that little door on the back of the computer exposing the RAM sticks. Pry out, pop in.
If you are handy, upgrading the internal hybrid drive to an SSD is not difficult. Slicing open the case and sealing it back up with the double-sided tape that is widely available is actually easier than dealing with the earlier magnet-secured screens, believe it or not. I just bought a Crucial 2tb SSD on Amazon for all of $95 (!) and with $100 worth of parts (mounting sled, tape, slicing tool, temp sensor) the RAM and SSD upgrade runs maybe $350. And Craig is absolutely correct in arguing that the 5K screen is fabulous. My 2017 sits next to a trusty 30-inch Cinema Display, paired with a hugely upgraded Mac Pro, that I can't bear to use. Those big pixels might have been tolerable 10 years ago, but no longer.
Yes, the 2017 imacs are nice machines and I still use mine for sure. I have seen the 2020 27" also for around 1K and that is a great pickup right now if you can find it for about that cost. Thanks for posting.
Just got one for 350 local on fcbk marketplace with 500gb sad and 570 and it’s flawless. Love the screen!
Nice and enjoy. Screen is great
I bought it in August 2022! Gonna add memory
Memory and make sure it boots from SSD or boot off external SSD. They run great after that.
I have it with Sonoma installed. It just works fine
Thanks for info. They are great machines.
Thanks great video Ulrich
Thanks for watching and the feedback.
Another good Video again there Craig, sure with 2017 iMacs coming down in price, easily upgradable and incomparable display. Whats not to like?
Obviously the "Elephant in the room" is access and its nerve wracking taking the screen off and navigating past the Power Supply but then its plain sailing, pop an NVMe (with Sintech adapter) in there, an SSD as well if you like, as big as you choose, RAM's a breeze via the back door, i7 or an i9 CPU (apparently according to Luke Miani you can) and you'll have an awesome Machine.
With OCLP (if there are any more (un)supported intel versions of OS after Ventura) you should be able to run them, "Windoze" 10 and 11 (usual Win11 caveats apply on unsupported Machines) are ridiculously easy to install with Bootcamp. Sure with the "Clock ticking" for intel Machines and MacOS you can have a really good machine for many years to come with little outlay and a little bit of nerve and patience, but at least if you get it right you'll only have to wrestle with the Screen once. 😉

Thanks for sharing and all the info. I totally agree with what you said here. These are not for everybody for sure but I still think they are great deals especially for $550 now if you are into content viewing. The screen is what made me fall in love with the iMacs and I just want others to experience that for short term even if they need to sell these in a few years. Somebody will still buy them, somebody like you who knows how to upgrade them even after they are removed from OS updates. Thanks for watching.
I have 2 options and I'm really in doubt which one I should go for. The first is a Mac Mini M1 8gb 256gb SSD with all the stuff I'll need to buy like a mouse, keyboard, SSD, and 4k screen, which would result in the value of my second option. This other tempting option is an iMac 27, i5, 5K 32gb ram 4gb dedicated video with hybrid HD with sdd 1tb quad 3.5Ghz. Taking into account that I work with editing using Photoshop, After Effects, Premiere, and logic pro, what would be the best option for my case? Hugs from Brazil to you my friend!
What is the year of the iMac? Thanks.
Do you own the software? Do you subscribe to Adobe? If you're going to be using the latest software and aren't already invested in older software, it's time to move on to Apple silicone like the M1. I wouldn't buy an Intel based Apple as a first computer in 2023, not for professional use. If you already own the software that's native to Intel, there's no reason no to take advantage of some of the steep discounts right now and go with older tech. If you can't use old software and are subscribed for what's newer, you're going to need to buy a new computer in a few years to keep running that and you won't be saving any money if that happens.
what did you choose?
Webcam on my 2017 27" iMac is not good enough for video calls. What is best way to improve the picture quality?
I use it for video calls all the time. Best way to improve it is by maybe setting up lighting so you have lights on you when talking. That does help.
Great video - Funny how this just comes up on my feed now after buying one and not before when I was trying to figure out if I should or not haha. It comes in the next couple of days and I am happy with my decision, especially after watching this. A glass of wine killed my 2012 MacBook Air and using an iPad since then just hasn’t been the same!
Thanks for the comment. Yes, they are nice if they have SSDs or you boot off an SSD like I do. The Fusion drives are ok but an SSD will really make these fly. Thanks again for watching and good luck.
@@craigneidel Thank you for the heads up. I will be checking out your vid on how to do that once I have played with it for a while. No doubt, I will go down the same route haha
Came with a 2TB fusion which means it has 128GB SSD... impressed with standard speed at the mo! @@craigneidel
Good luck with everything.
Thanks for making this video and your insight. I was thinking about getting a an intel legacy Mac and looking at the iMac Pro 2017 ~$2000 XeonW 3.2ghz 2TB 128Gb. It would be good for some older music hardware I still have and maybe use it as dual-boot OS. Anyway, I hadn’t even considered the iMac 5K until seeing your video and some of prices seem too good to pass up. Anyway, we shall see.
I have seen the 2020 model 27 inch for around 999 on sale at times. That would be good option also.
I bought it 2 weeks ago, and installed sonoma
Nice, as long as it has an SSD and you increase the ram they are very quick for what they are.
and I ordered 16 GB RAM, in sum 24 RAM should be enough.
Yes, for sure.
Great video. I have a 4.2 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7 with 40GB and I was thinking of a new mini or even a mac studio. After watching this I will stay right where I am. I love the machine but was wondering about comparison to other macs.
I would stay there until you feel you are slowing down or the system is not as fast as you need it to be. You will know when that day comes but right now I think the 2017s can still hold up.
Thank you for the video, it´s really clarifying! but do you think the same logic applies to the 2017 21.5 inch 4K 256gb I5 Imac?
Maybe but depends on cost. The 27 inch screen is also huge advantage since it's basically the studio displays.
I have this iMac and was looking into an m2 laptop for portability and performance, but I recently looked online and turns out I could upgrade the ram from my current 16gb to 64gb for about 250.00 usd! That obviously is a lot cheaper that a new MacBook Pro. Beside any other upgrades, that alone is already a major leap for my workload.
The cpu won't be as fast but if the system does what you need it to do then why upgrade until you need to.
maybe I just don't know much about computers. I have one and feel like its too slow, had it since 2017
Does it have SSD... That is key
People worried about support can just install windows or even Linux when the apple support is dropped lol, not even kidding, it will be a very viable computer for 10 years for basic tasks and gaming.
Also it's a pretty decent color accurate screen for mac minis a with a good camera, mic and speakers, pretty good deal in my opinion.
I agree and the screen makes it worth the cost for sure. Thanks for watching and sharing that info.
I bought a 2019 in 2023.. refurb, $500.. I'd have a hard time finding a similar quality monitor for that price. No support for OS isn't the end of the world, I actually wanted this to run Mojave so that I could use some of my old 32bit software still... why subscribe to Adobe as a hobbyist when I can keep using CS4 with 2019 tech. Will be a useful computer to me, even without the latest OS, for at least another decade if it actually lasts that long (I have a lot of bricks). Great computer for anyone who just wants to surf the web or watch videos.. or anyone with a collection of older software that's still useful.
I agree with what you are saying and a 2019 27" for $500 is a very good deal. That 5K screen is worth many times that. Thanks for posting and good luck with everything.
Now it’s 2024 has anything changed or should I still buy one if I come across one
Things change for sure. If you can find an incredible deal and it has an SSD and then you add more ram (you can upgrade ram on these) they can still be a great machine for everyday work. For a few hundred dollars I still think they are good values.
i just got one for free! really enjoy it!
Free is even better. Thanks
thanks for the video, right now I have a 2013 21.5" and it is very slow so I'm looking for a 27" mostly I use mine for photos (I use lightroom)
Boot off an external SSD on the 2013 if it doesn't have an SSD inside. It will make it way faster.
That's a cool light you got there "C", where dya get it from?
I think I got it from Amazon a while back but don't see it on there any longer. I'll let you know if I can track it down.
I'm sad to part ways with my iMac 5k 2017 towards the end of the year. This is another MAChine dream come true (since 2006; the first was a macbook pro, same year. I bought my first MAC, the great x10 grandpa MBP-rd m2012 few months after its release) even if I bought it 2nd hand. I have so many upgrade plans to do like the procie (yes, I'm that brave and I know what I' m doing) and ram. I am planning to buy an M2 or M1 14" MBP just to be mobile and I juggle time between taking care of my toddler and working. Wish me luck! :P
Yes, but I'm keeping mine for a bit more and still doing most of my 4K videos on it just fine. Good luck with the 14" and that will be a nice system. Good luck.
@@craigneidel do you have any problem with fans throttling with any of your apps?
Not really to be honest. Even with 4K editing it might ramp up here and there but not a crazy amount.
Still don’t understand why Apple broke the iMac line up by downsizing it to just 1 model and a basic M1 non-upgradable SOC. I have a still highly functional late 2015 iMac that still does everything i need (although it cannot use last OS version). At this point there’s still no alternative to the 27” iMac, unfortunately.
I think it came down to money and now they can sell the Monitor and computer. In any case I hope the 27" comes back but I'm not holding my breath on this.
Thanks!
Thank you for watching the channel.
Which external hard drive are you running?
I'm actually running it on a OWC enclosure with a Samsung QVO SSD which is only 2.5". Only get about 500 MB/s but still edited 600 4K videos on this so fast enough for sure. Anything faster will be even better.
Can you upgrade iMac 2017 to 5k screen and what upgrades would I need to enhance my CZcams editing
I'm not sure what you are asking? 2017 27" is a 5K screen.
Great pc🙌🔥
They are nice systems for sure.
Hello Craig, I'm coming up on age 70 with some memory cognition waining (wish I could update my RAM - HA!). and am clueless on all the lingo meaning. Bought new in 2011 imac desktop 21.5 screen, 2.5 GHz intel core i5 - Memory 16GB....I'll stop there. It's running the last update it can (High Sierra). It works flawlessly and absolutely love it , but am getting concerned about it's age and updates and running out of ram. Have thought about buying external SSD to open up more memory or looking at purchasing a new desktop that has all the old usb ports (don't want to spend money on updating everything I have that plugs in through usb, but assume you can buy an adapter). I use it like you are explaining here - basics and learning something new would be a challenge. Also concerned about software (MS Word/publisher, photo editing) that wouldn't transfer to a newer model. Can't afford buying updated software for newer computer. The 27" would be too big (I think) as my desk is not deep enough to move it back for viewing. Would think it would be like sitting 4 feet away from a 60" tv.
With that said, does this 2017 come in a smaller screen? If not, does the 2017 have usb ports? Would be awesome to get a recommendation I could trust.
Thanks for the post. Yes, the iMacs came in 21.5" also which are a bit smaller. Just make sure you get an SSD (not spinning HDD) as that is what will make the system fast. Also 16 GB of ram if you can swing that. The usb ports should be included on the 21.5". I'm not sure the best place to get them right now but you should be able to find them refurbished around. I have not used this site for a while but here is one link - eshop.macsales.com/configure-my-mac/imac#screen-size:21-5-inch
if i were to purchase one of these it would be solely for my office. not my home office, just thought i'd make that clear. the most intense tasks this computer would do is playing 4k youtube videos and getting on zoom calls. so something tells me this computer is capable of more than what i need and would suit me well. I just cant fathom purchasing a 24 inch imac, 27 inches is the minimum screen size for me. Of course i would love to have a pro display xdr but lets be real here that would be one of the worst low level financial mistakes i could make. that 6,000 could go towards my education, it could go towards debt, it could even kick off a small business. that being said, im excited to see wha the rest of the video has to say im only 3 minutes in so far
Thanks for sharing the info and yes the computer can do that as long as it has an SSD or if you boot off an external SSD. The issue is more with trying to get updates for the OS past Ventura but it should still get patching for a while. Thanks again.
Is this a good choice for making Music? Recording and making Beats?
🙏
I think so but make sure SSD and 16 gb ram.
What is your opinion on the current methods to force windows 11 on intel macs? I have a 2017 27inch 5k i5 imac. I really only use it to play games, so is 10 cool in your opinion please.
I'm not exactly sure what you are asking but something like Parallels is a good product to get Window on a Mac.
@craigneidel there are several youtubers with videos showing how to get windows 11 on a imac disabling the tpm and secure boot requirements. I wanted to know what your thought were on that? And if doing that is worth it for someone that just uses thier computer to play games. Or can I just keep windows 10 until.............
I have not really heard of that and think something like Parallels is the best way for Windows on the Mac.
Can you share what additions you purchased to get it to run fast. The names and brands. I am not tech saavy and I bought this computer in 2017 and haven't been able to use it since I didn't know how to upgrade the drive and storage.
You can use something like a samsung T9 or T7 if you don't want to build an external SSD to boot off of. If not I would just go with a Samsung 2.5 inch drive (Samsung Evo) and then I used the OWC Mercury Elite Pro mini - eshop.macsales.com/shop/owc-mercury-elite-pro-mini/usb-c for the enclosure. I did this a while ago so there could be better options but that is kind of what I did.
my dad brought imac 5k retina like above 4 year ago
I love the older iMacs for sure.
Not if you do production.. 30+mins vs 3 minutes for a loaded video…go with an M3 max for a few more dollars!
Of course if your job is video production buy m chips Mac's.
@@craigneidel Regardless this is a GREAT VIDEO!! A horrible shame that-SO FAR no more 27’s only 24’s!
@@IPULCOLUMBIA I still use my 27 every dat.
Apple just phased out the 2017 imac for future os updates. Still a great machine and more than capable
You can still get updates just not the newest versions (after Ventura). I think security updates will be like 3 years.
I have a 2011 iMac that no longer work properly since last year because the latest OS that can be upgraded is High Sierra. I can’t install the latest Safari or other browsers. A lot of websites are not functioning properly because of this. More than likely Apple will discontinue support for the iMac 2017 and will not allow OS upgrade within the next couple years.
Yes, for sure but it just depends on how much you will spend on the 2017 27" iMac. It should be a good system for a few more years and then drop off but if you can get it for $700 or $600 then it's a great system with the incredible 5K screen. And you are only spending about $100 a year because you can sell it in 3 years for about $300 and somebody will Patch it with to a higher OS or put linux on it. Thanks for sharing.
The macOS does not run at 5k at all! Take into account, the OS is programmed in 2,5k only! 5k is never used until you switch your entire system to 5k. But then, everything is displayed too tiny, as there is NO support for 5k built into macOS.
It still shows photos and videos in 5K and rescales the text but there is a massive difference in the screen. Trust me, I have tested hundreds and nothing compares to the 5K imac or Studio display except for maybe Apple's 6K screen. So it's not 2.5K.