Need Help to Upgrade Mid 2011 iMac

rake on 10/06/2020 - 10:53

Hi all,

Our mid 2011 imac that we had from new continues to work well most times but has started struggling more lately. We use it primarily for Web browsing and occasional work calls that include screen share.

Someone at work suggested to replace HD with SSD. Is that a straightforward swap? Can I just buy any SSD from the OzB deals and that would fit?

The machine has 2x2GB RAM that came with Mac. Would there be problem if I just as 2x 4GB ram in the remaining two slots? Total would then be 12GB. Not the usual 4Gb,8GB,16GB,32GB increments that one normally sees.

Any help would be appreciated

Computing

Comments

  • jimbobaus on 10/06/2020 - 10:59
    +1

    changing the HD to an SSD in an iMac is tricky, the screen needs to be removed (which requires magnets and a special kind of magic ;))
    If you wanted to upgrade Ram that is simple enough, but the HDD you would need to watch some videos on how to do it (i do not recommend doing it yourself) or take it to a mac centre (not an apple store) and get them to do the upgrade for you (they will move the data also)

    • MS Paint on 10/06/2020 - 11:06
      +1

      Thought was laptop. Sorry.

      • jimbobaus on 10/06/2020 - 11:09

        Oh is the 2011 the white one?

        • MS Paint on 10/06/2020 - 11:10

          I though it was macbook not imac. Disregard my sh1t.

    • rake on 10/06/2020 - 12:50

      Thanks mate, certainly sounds like it requires more skills and tools than I possess. I might give up on the HDD->SSD idea for now.

  • Caped Baldy on 10/06/2020 - 11:03
    +1

    Okay, I've actually helped do this on a late 2012 imac.

    You have two options for the HDD/SSD replacement. Take off the screen and replace it OR put an SSD in an enclosure/usb interface and connect via USB ports. There is a bit of work to clone the operating system or start fresh.

    RAM replacement is easy, take off back panel and tilt lever and pop ram in and out. Mix and matching the RAM will still work but you are better off buying the same ram.

    • MS Paint on 10/06/2020 - 11:08

      Though was laptop. Sorry.

    • rake on 10/06/2020 - 12:54

      Interesting about putting SSD in an enclosure and connecting via USB port.

      There are some videos on YouTube on these, will give this a go.

      • Caped Baldy on 10/06/2020 - 13:16

        The person I helped didn't want me to open up the display. I was concerned the usb2.0 interface would be slow but it's actually pretty quick.

        I tried setting something up with thunderbolt 2, it was a pain to find a hub and didn't ultimately work.

        Let me know if you have questions and how you go.

        • rake on 10/06/2020 - 14:47

          would you know if this would work with external portable SSD?

          • Caped Baldy on 10/06/2020 - 15:00
            +1

            @rake: Yes it would. I had an old 2.5" HDD drive enclosure (I shucked the drive for my PS4) and installed the SSD. This was more cost effective for me.

            Getting the external portable SSD is more convenient but more costly.

            Samsung have cashback for now on some SSD models, I'd recommend either a 500gb or 1TB Evo 860 (not QVO) and buying a sata to USB cable (https://www.msy.com.au/simplecom-sa201-usb-30-to-sata-extern…)
            Shopping express have a sale on Crucial SSDs, I'd recommend mx500 over the bx500. https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/543706

            I hope I haven't overwhelmed you… Let me know of more questions.

            • rake on 10/06/2020 - 15:26
              +1

              @Caped Baldy: Not overwhelming at the moment. Thanks for taking the time mate. Will reach out if I have any questions. Much appreciated!

              • rbrb on 10/06/2020 - 21:15
                +1

                @rake: I wouldn't recommend this as the 2011 only has USB 2.0 which caps at 480MBit/s. If you can get a FireWire 800 enclosure then that might work otherwise try to get an external thunderbolt drive but those can be pricey.

                If you are located in or around Melbourne then let me know. I am an ex-apple tech and do these SSD swaps on a regular basis and would be happy to chat.

                • rake on 10/06/2020 - 23:37

                  @rbrb: Thanks for the recommendations and the offer mate. I am based in Sydney, would have loved to work with you on this one.

          • phocus on 12/06/2020 - 15:18

            @rake: I did this with my 2015 imac. Wasnt hard and works great.

    • Sammy Boi on 11/06/2020 - 19:19

      These only have USB 2.0 he would be better off with an SSD that supports original thunderbolt

      • Caped Baldy on 11/06/2020 - 19:40

        I actually tried doing that first. It didn't work for me. Even though usb2.0 is slower, it was significantly faster than the dying internal hdd and would probably be faster than a fresh internal hdd

        • Sammy Boi on 11/06/2020 - 19:45

          Yeah I've definitely seen people do it with greatly improved boot times if he has a spare external SSD that supports USB it's worth a go but I wouldn't spend money doing it

          • Caped Baldy on 11/06/2020 - 19:47

            @Sammy Boi: I had a spare 120gb and portable drive enclosure from a shucked drive. They were really impressed with the improved speed so swapped it out to a 1TB 860 evo. Only $150 at the time which is a lot cheaper than a new device.

  • Okayy on 10/06/2020 - 11:34

    https://www.ifixit.com/Device/iMac_Intel take yourself forward from this link, it will be helpful.

    • rake on 10/06/2020 - 12:51

      This is good, tells me about the specific compatible parts. Cheers

  • atj on 10/06/2020 - 11:54
    +1

    I'd be wary of putting money into this machine. It's fiddly to get to the disk, and any RAM you put in probably won't be useful in a newer machine. You can use external disks, but the machine only has USB2 or Firewire which is a choice between a slow interface, and an obsolete interface (USB3 is backwards compatible, so if you did go down that path you could at least make use of the drive on a newer machine). It's also at the end of Apple's software support cycle. High Sierra's the last major OS update it'll get, and security updates will dry up any time now.

    • rake on 10/06/2020 - 12:55

      That is the other thing playing in my mind. Alternately, I was thinking of finding a Mac mini and using the imac as display. I missed on an HN deal last year on mac mini. Kept thinking too long. I love the iMac display (pretty much why I bought the iMac - the only Apple product I own)

      • atj on 10/06/2020 - 13:25

        A Mac mini's not a bad idea. Deals on them do pop up from time to time, eg: Computer's Now eBay had the EOL 128GB 2018 for ~$850 last week.

        You can use your iMac as a display (newer ones don't have that feature) but you'll need some adapters and cables, and to actually use it the iMac will need to boot up and have a keyboard attached from what I understand. You can read up on Target Display Mode here.

        • rake on 10/06/2020 - 14:48

          Thanks for that, I was struggling to remember what the mode is called. I will have to look into this and figure out what kind of adapters and cables are required. I was hoping it is just the thunderbolt cable. Also - if the current wireless mouse/keyboard will connect with mac mini.

    • Caped Baldy on 10/06/2020 - 15:03

      I've done the connection of the SSD via USB2.0. It works surprisingly well despite being half duplex. Obviously wouldn't be better than the internal sata but significantly better than the HDD boot drive.

      • atj on 10/06/2020 - 15:36

        Yeah I suppose the internal drive is probably 5400 RPM and with ten years on the clock at that. For lots of little random reads and writes, like starting up apps or browsing or the like, I could see a USB 2.0 connected SSD feeling faster.

  • blonky on 10/06/2020 - 11:58

    That model will only have USB2.0 so not much point running an external SSD; the screen isn't too hard to remove to access and replace the HDD with a SATA SSD but the process is a bit fiddly

    Bunnings sell strong suction cups for mounting hand towel holders / soap dishes to your bathroom wall to help pull the screen glass off

    I believe the HDD in there is 3.5" so you'll need 2.5" adaptor, but yes any 2.5" SATA SSD will work

    For ram, yes no problem just adding 8GB, to be honest 8GB will be plenty so even replacing the existing ram with the 2x 4GB (or 1 8GB) will be sufficient and then you won't need to worry about matching the ram; I'm not sure how picky macs are with different ram chips/speeds

    You can also do a fresh install once that's done using the built in OSX recovery, or set up a bootable OSX USB, otherwise clone your current data onto an external drive

    • rake on 10/06/2020 - 12:57

      Thanks mate. From reading something on it long time ago, I believe the RAM slots on these iMacs only support upto 4GB each. OR was it 16 GB overall? Cannot recall, but something to consider. Thanks

      • blonky on 10/06/2020 - 13:19

        Wiki says Apple officially specifies max 16GB (so 4x 4gb) but users have successfully run 32GB (4x 8gb)

  • cjbowden on 10/06/2020 - 12:12
    +2

    I did exactly this to my 2011 iMac a few years back, and it has extended the life. Best upgrade I ever did.It is tricky however.
    The existing drive has a temperature sensor, so if you simply replace the drive with an SSD, you will get constant errors from the system about the temperature.
    There is a inline connector you can buy that basically replicates the temp sensor, so you just need to find that part.
    Install was a little tricky, but people sell small kits with everything you need for the upgrade (the right screwdriver, the suction cups etc) along with instructions.
    I am pretty experienced with maintaining hw, but went with the kit anyway for simplicity.

    As I said, a little tricky, but absolutely worth it.

    • rake on 10/06/2020 - 12:50

      Thanks mate, do you have any link of such kits? Did you upgrade the RAM too?

      • Sammy Boi on 11/06/2020 - 19:22

        OWC makes a thermal sensor have a look at the iFixit Australia website

  • holdenmg on 10/06/2020 - 12:43

    Your profile says you are in Sydney.
    http://www.microseconds.com.au/ are in Ultimo.
    Maybe see what they quote you for a RAM/SSD/OS Combo Upgrade?

    • rake on 10/06/2020 - 12:50
      +1

      Will certainly give that a go, ta!

  • Randxyz123 on 10/06/2020 - 13:08
    +1

    +1 to getting someone else to do the upgrade for a iMac! It is tricky to remove the glass.

    Upgrading ram to 16GB and a SSD should give it a bit more life.

    The other thing to consider is, it is about 9 years old. It’s had a good life. Clearly served you well.

    Maybe it is time to look at upgrading the entire thing. You say you love the screen, well the new ones are even better. JB always has 10-15% off. It is also tax time so you can deduct most of it since you use it for work.

    Note: Your idea above about buying a Mac mini and using it as a screen is unlikely to work well. It isn’t easy to convert them to just a monitor if it even is possible.

    • blonky on 10/06/2020 - 13:25
      +1

      Target Display Mode

      Older IMacs have this function which allows the DisplayPort to be used as an input and it effectively becomes a monitor

      Does require the iMac to be running which is a bit power wasteful but it does work

      • rake on 10/06/2020 - 14:49

        Yup - something I definitely remember reading about and thiking of that being an upgradeable measure in the future if need be.

    • rake on 10/06/2020 - 14:51
      +1

      It has indeed served me well. I had actually purchased it in India. Brought it over to Australia when I moved 3 years later and it has moved 3 houses with me. This thing is made well and just keeps going!

      If I were in the market, I would definitely consider getting an iMac again. The only problem I have with it is that Mac does not support Visio or Project (both needed for work). I could install Windows - but something I would only attempt with the new Mac and not this one.

      • neophytte on 10/06/2020 - 23:26
        +1

        You could try Crossover - if you can use the Visio 2010 version and Microsoft Project 2007 …

        • rake on 10/06/2020 - 23:36

          Thanks. Wasn't aware of this one.

          We use the O365 versions, I believe they are the latest ones.

          • Randxyz123 on 11/06/2020 - 16:15

            @rake: O365 has online versions of Visio and Project. They’re a bit rubbish but might work?

            I would really suggest you look into a new iMac. WWDC is next week I think and it’s likely new design iMacs will be revealed so there will be bargains on the old model.

            I would not suggest the target display mode and a Mac mini. If you want a Mac mini, get a new monitor then you can plug your presumably work supplied laptop in to work on project/Visio.

            Once you get a new Mac it is quite easy to run parallels and run windows applications without needing the rest of windows itself there.

            • rake on 11/06/2020 - 16:21

              @Randxyz123: Thanks @knick007

              I am definitely now leaning towards a new Mac or new Mac mini plus monitor combo. Work stuff is on an surface pro and I was also given a dock that makes it work with monitor. So a good monitor should service dual purpose.

              Only reason to get imac is a neater desk and also not having to carry mywprk surface pro home.

              And the Web versions are not the same. Some heavy visio or project work can be very frustrating on browsers. They are okay for making single edit here or there but not drafting A3 size diagrams or 1000+ line project files.

  • Sweet3st on 10/06/2020 - 14:43

    I was thinking of doing just this with my 2011 iMac but decided I couldn’t justify given it’s age. Hard drive was replaced free by Apple in 2014 and was still running reliably but slow. Died a couple of weeks ago, probably the logic board, can’t even use as display as it won’t boot up ☹️ I have replaced with 2018 Mac Mini + 2nd hand 27” Thunderbolt monitor, around $1600 all up including portable drive. So I would recommend buying the Mac Mini instead and using the iMac as display. A bit more future proofing and much less hassle. Umart had recently for $999.

    • rake on 10/06/2020 - 14:55

      Thanks for the advice.

      I looked up Umart and found this . Would you know if the Thunderbolt out from that Mac mini connect with iMac Mid2011.

      Also - did the wireless mouse/keyboard from iMac work with Mac mini?

  • Sweet3st on 10/06/2020 - 15:49
    +1

    No you’ll need an adapter. My iMac had Thunderbolt 1, the Thunderbolt monitor I bought has T2, and the Mac Mini has T3. I think you can also use a Mini DisplayPort connector. As someone said the Mini popped up on eBay recently for $899. For this you get a fast computer with the latest OS.

    • rake on 10/06/2020 - 16:06

      Thanks. I believe iMac Mid 2011 is T1. Thunderbolt had the added advantage of using imac for speaker too. Will see if there is an adapter for this.

  • Collies80 on 10/06/2020 - 20:34
    +2

    I actually did this myself. The iMac works really well for what I use it for and macOS hasn't let me down yet. You'd be surprised to hear this but I found the glass really easy to take off myself with a toilet plunger and guitar picks. the iMac runs 16gb ram now with a 480gb ssd. SATA ssd is plug and play

    • rake on 10/06/2020 - 23:38
      +1

      Woa, toilet plunger of all things! I wouldn't say I would dare to attempt that..

      • Collies80 on 11/06/2020 - 08:30

        definitely not a conventional pc building tool. But it covered enough of the glass to pull it of the magnets in one motion to not stress flex the panel

  • LukeOliver on 11/06/2020 - 08:27
    +3

    This is my daily driver for work from home - 2011, 256GB SSD, 12GB RAM - Bootcamp with Windows 10, Office 365, Visio et al.
    It's extremely functional and has been like this for a year or so.

    The internal installation of an SSD is not for the faint of heart, as other responders have noted. There's three delicate ribbon cables that require particular care.
    Toilet plunger would certainly work for getting the glass panel that covers the screen off; I used regular suction cups similar to the iFixit guide here: https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iMac+Intel+27-Inch+EMC+2429+Opt…
    You'd need to make your own judgement of the expertise required, double the time recommendation, and have small forceps or similar for super-positioning the screen mounting screws on reassembly. LOL. Correct tools essential.

    You'll want an SSD, and something like this to mount it in https://www.newegg.com/riitop-127its-for-laptop-optical-drive-bay/p/35G-0009-00016?Description=2.5%22%20optical%20drive%20adapter&cm_re=2.5%22_optical_drive_adapter--9SIA6V84043511--Product

    I found the upgrade extremely rewarding, but note that it wasn't the only computer on my desk so I wasn't particularly reliant on it working or not.

    iMac Target Display Mode (Command-F2) works on this model, you'll need an appropriate cable (or two in my case - 2018 iMac - 2011 iMac).

    A Firewire drive caddy, with the appropriate cable also works really well. That said, I struggled to find a single cable online (fortunate that I have loads of legacy stuff around).
    https://www.newegg.com/bytecc-hd7-limited/p/N82E16817145105?cm_sp=SearchSuccess--INFOCARD--Firewire+drive+enclosure--17-145-105--4&Description=Firewire+drive+enclosure

    Definitely try an external USB SSD first and see if that meets your expectation. Life's fairly simple if it does ;-)
    Here's an $85 ready to go trial unit for you https://www.umart.com.au/ADATA-256GB-SD700-Rugged-External-U…

    Enjoy!

    • rake on 11/06/2020 - 16:27

      That inspires me to work towards it. It is something I and in mind when I asked the question.. SSD plus RAM upgrade. But after hearing the work required (which I am not comfortable doing) and estimated cost required to spend on an old machine.. I'm reconsidering the whole thing.

      This is not urgent so gives me time to think it through..

  • NigelPearson on 11/06/2020 - 08:52

    I wouldn't waste any money on it, because soon you might not be able to install newer browsers and OS.

    I'm still using an iMac 5,1 – Core Duo, 2006? – and it is becoming frustrating. The OS is stuck at 10.6.8, and the latest Safari & Chrome I can install won't work on many web pages. Your model is newer, and might have a few years' life left in it, but it is a gamble.

    If you already have an SSD, use it externally via FireWire or USB and see if it makes a difference?
    If so, give the internal upgrade a go.

  • MontyMacaw on 11/06/2020 - 08:58
    +2

    Hardware upgrades aside which may help, how long has it been since you had a clean install of Mac OS if at all? I can promise you that if you have generations of upgrades and old software that you no longer use that a new install of everything will give you the best performance improvement. It’s relatively easy and with a time machine backup that you use only to save your data you can transfer the stuff you need back to the fresh OS installed machine relatively easily. DO NOT DO A TIME MACHINE REINSTALL OR YOU WILL KEEP ALL THE PROBLEMS YOU ARE TRYING TO FIX. There are guides online how to do it. Make sure you check the hard drive with disc utility first of course. No point in reinstalling on a hard drive that is not up to it. When you do the fresh install you will need to reformat the hard drive as well to give maximum benefit. I have done this to several machines and it has blown everybody away with the performance increase. After all of this you should do regular maintenance to maintain your performance like clearing cookies from your web browser regularly and other maintenance. Cleanmymac X is what I use. You can buy a subscription or find a free to use version on a torrent site but if you use the latter make sure you turn off external connections in your firewall settings for the program. There are deep clean features and there is a smart clean feature that keeps most issues in check. Mostly you just use the smart clean feature say once a week along with clearing your history and cookies. I guarantee extra speed that will surprise the hell out of you and your family. I’m also assuming you are running anti virus software. I use Avast free version and MalwareBytes free version. I would do this before spending a cent on hardware upgrades. Also shut down all programs and browser tabs that are not in use as they will steal CPU and Ram performance. Then I might add ram as the next step. Only replace the hard drive if it’s faulty. SSD is likely to have some issues in an older model unless you use an external one as your main drive but I doubt that’s necessary for the things you say you do with the machine.

    • Karfaffel on 11/06/2020 - 14:08
      +1

      Some good advice here and some very bad advice.
      Clean install and manual transfer of files may help and is good practice from time to time especially with a system that has been upgraded for many years without doing this.

      The bad advice…
      Don't run any software that promises to make your Mac run faster or "clean" it. That stuff is mostly useless and sometimes even harmful. Anyone that recommends running anti virus on a Mac is not someone I'd take any advice from.

      • MontyMacaw on 12/06/2020 - 00:05

        I’ve used this particular piece of software for several years. If you use it properly it does what it says. Just because this TYPE of software has been overhyped by other brands doesn’t mean they don’t work. This one is basically a collection of tools you could do yourself if you knew how like DNS flush and so on. Most people don’t know how to do a lot of simple things that keep their machine humming along. This package has a great collection of these things which you can use or not by selecting the option. Otherwise I’d agree with you. But that’s just my experience talking. What would I know having done it for so long with good results and lots of wows from friends and family I have helped and in every case put off upgrading what they thought was a dying computer?

        And why would running anti virus on a Mac be bad advice?? It’s essential these days unless you never go online or put data from other sources on your machine which this poster wants to do. No disrespect but this works well for me and the people I have helped. I wouldn’t waste Mine or anybody’s time trying to help if it didn’t.

        • atj on 12/06/2020 - 19:21

          like DNS flush

          That's a strange example given Macs don't have a persistent DNS cache.

          And why would running anti virus on a Mac be bad advice??

          Antivirus software in general is invasive and slow by its nature, and on the Mac it's often poorly maintained which can lead to stability issues. It's also of limited utility because of the OS's builtin protections against malware.

          • MontyMacaw on 13/06/2020 - 08:51

            @atj: The belief that Macs don’t need anti virus software is imho a dated concept. A better statement could be that because Mac OS has superior anti virus protections than PC’s experienced and knowledgeable users can get away without it if they keep their OS up to date. In reality my experience is that the vast majority of Mac owners today are not experienced users of the OS. The customer base has exploded exponentially to what it used to be and because of this they are more vulnerable to being tricked into installing malware. I have cleaned many a Mac up with multiple issues such as this and am constantly being asked to help others who find their Macs being very slow. Then once having fixed their problems the owners have been wowed by the improvement of performance. So yes I agree with your premise to some degree in the world of experienced owners but in the real world of people that just want to use their computer without having to do any regular maintenance then anti virus and anti malware software is the way to go. Of course all computer manufacturers make a lot of money from people upgrading their computers more often so having users not keeping their systems clean and running to their maximum capability is good for business. But the fact that Mac OS has such a high level of anti virus protection backs up my view that the OS needs protection. Updates to the OS are frequent but can never stop inexperienced users from harm. I say better to have piece of mind that your computer if infected, will most likely find and destroy malicious software is better than worrying that you may or may not have an infected computer. Weekly scans by anti virus and anti malware software gives the average user the confidence that they can hop on the keyboard anytime and enjoy the experience. Just like their daily commute in their well maintained car does. FYI I do not make any money out of helping people with the computer issues. I am merely a Good Samaritan that likes helping people in need of it and have been doing so for decades. I’ve lost count of the free dinners I’ve had when going to somebody’s house to “speed up” their computer both Mac and PC and have the waistline to prove it :p

            • atj on 13/06/2020 - 11:02

              @MontyMacaw:

              The belief that Macs don’t need anti virus software is imho a dated concept.

              I think pretty much the opposite. It's 2020, piracy and associated behaviours are more niche than ever. Collaboration is often as not done with cloud based software instead of copying files around. The main vector most people will get attacked by is advertisements prompting people to download and install malware. User education's obviously the best defence there, but for software mitigations, antivirus is likely as effective as xprotect et al for that attack vector.

              Weekly scans by anti virus and anti malware software gives the average user the confidence that they can hop on the keyboard anytime and enjoy the experience.

              Weekly scans make little sense. If you are going to install antivirus software it's presumably because you're in an unusually vulnerable position (regularly exchanging payload prone files with untrustworthy parties) in which case you'll have it actively scanning all I/O (and be paying the associated performance hit).

              For most users having a decent backup strategy is sufficient.

              • MontyMacaw on 13/06/2020 - 14:28

                @atj: “The main vector most people will get attacked by is advertisements prompting people to download and install malware.”

                Your words not mine. I rest my case.

                • atj on 13/06/2020 - 14:55
                  +1

                  @MontyMacaw: If you think that supports your point you either didn’t read the remainder of the paragraph, or do not understand the threat model. That or perhaps you don’t understand how antivirus software works.

    • rake on 11/06/2020 - 16:31

      Thanks for the suggestion. Clean install is not something that crossed my mind, but makes sense. I do have scheduled time machine backups to restore data. Don't have a lot of applications to transfer anyway.

      I don't prefer using cleaner apps as they can do damage that can't be fixed. Whether it be Mac or Windows. Iam instead careful and generally vigilant of how I use computer and not install unnecessary stuff.

      • MontyMacaw on 12/06/2020 - 00:25

        The clean install came to me originally from the Genius Bar staff when my machine wasn’t doing what I wanted and they couldn’t find any fault. I didn’t think it was an issue with Macs but I knew of it on PC’s. Turns out they are both the same in this respect. A clean install will improve performance on almost any device if it is slowing down - even phones.

  • lew380 on 11/06/2020 - 09:48

    Not easily upgradeable, designed to be a throw away. An option is to build your own pc or get a prebuilt. From your workload anything will do, even a $300-$400 hundred pc will be fine.

    Also means in the future parts are upgradable, basically anything is possible with a conventional pc

    That's an option anyway, I used to be an apple guy but way overpriced and like your experiencing, a pain to deal with! What's the point?

    • Ozpit on 11/06/2020 - 11:12

      This^. I think OP is too sentimentally attached to this old iMac and perishes the thought of chucking it when it’s been so reliable/faithful over the years. Wanting to spend money on it to keep it ‘alive’ is understandable, but not rational. Realistically, it’s like patching up an old, dying horse to try and flog the last bit of life out it. My recommendation would be to upgrade to a more recent s/h Mac, or better still, as lew380 says, a s/h PC.

      • rake on 11/06/2020 - 16:40

        I think I might be slightly more attached to it that I would admit. This mac and my Nikon gear is really the only stuff I have from my 10 years younger self. I cannot chuck it and I know I will find some use for it even if I get a new thing altogether.

        Can I ask what s/h stands for?

        • Ozpit on 12/06/2020 - 09:01
          +2

          s/h = second hand.
          I get attached to old possessions too. My house is full of sentimentalized clutter that is now of no practical use. I’m good at giving advice, but not so good at applying it to myself. But once I part with an unrealistically sentimental object, I quickly forget about it and move on.

          • rake on 12/06/2020 - 11:41
            +2

            @Ozpit: Same here. Both - my wife and I - have lot of such unwanted stuff that we can get ourselves to throw away.

            We have allowed each other to get rid of some things without consulting. This way we never know what's gone. And most of the times it's only when those things are in plain sight is when you remember you even have them.

    • rake on 11/06/2020 - 16:36
      +1

      Sadly true.. Would go down the AIO path if I go with non Mac. There is greater value going down the tower path for sure.

      I think I paid $1700 for the imac and its going well in its 10th year. All OS upgrades have been free all this while. For my purpose and requirements it did more than I hoped for.

      • lew380 on 11/06/2020 - 22:48

        I build a new pc every 2 years or so, I like having the latest and greatest and enjoy the process of designing a new build for power, silence or form factor, whatever I feel like in the moment!

        I'm sure my first pc built in 2012 is somewhere out there, still chugging along with a few upgrades. I wouldn't say a mac is any more reliable, they share the same parts, it's just the operating system and something that you like having around, you can't go wrong with either! I'm a sentimental person, but a shiny and fast pc always wins me over very quickly!

  • thwarted on 11/06/2020 - 16:49
    +1

    About 5 years ago on my late 2009 iMac, I swapped out 4GB RAM for 8GB (simple) and bought an 500GB SSD kit with tools, then replaced the optical drive with the SSD leaving the HDD in place (fiddly but not at all difficult). It revitalised the machine and its only in the last year or so that I've noticed slowdown, particularly with spreadsheets. I considered getting a mac mini and using the screen, but it was going to be problematic with my model iMac, (maybe yours is ok, but I'd definitely test it first with a laptop). Also I wasn't super impressed with the mac mini specs. I nearly upgraded to a new iMac about 6 months ago, but decided to wait until the next iteration. Glad I did because it looks like there will be new models announced in 17 days at the June Apple event (thinner bezel, SSD only in lieu of fusion drive, and some other improvements). The config I'm looking at will be quite expensive ($4k+) but if it lasts as long as the one I have (which will still function well as a TV screen/browser/email etc) it will be a good investment.

    • rake on 11/06/2020 - 17:06
      +1

      Agreed. It's good value if it lasts as long as that.

  • Sammy Boi on 11/06/2020 - 19:16

    I have multiple mid 2011 iMacs if you need any advice.

    I would suggest 8 GB of ram minimum.

    Load times for certain things and boot times will be incredibly faster with an SSD but that will not really improve the overall experience in my opinion and for the average user it's probably quite difficult as the screen needs to be removed.

    For now I would upgrade the RAM at least double the capacity. in this day and age it should be pretty cheap for this system I would probably just go straight to 16 4×4 GB sticks

    • nickxau on 12/06/2020 - 16:13

      Do you know if the mid 2011 iMac will take a 1TB Crucial MX500 SDD?

      Also, can I use 1600MHz RAM if the Apple recommended specs for this machine is 1333MHz or use slower RAM for that matter?

      • Sammy Boi on 12/06/2020 - 18:03
        +1

        That's a great hard drive choice and will definitely work.

        As for the ram speed I would suggest 16 GB 4x4 1333 MHz DDR3 that's exactly what I'm running on the machine I'm typing on right now.

        I believe 1600 MHz is backwards compatible and will work and pass all tests though it will clock down to 1333 so unless the ram is cheaper I would go with 1333 MHz DDR3 but please double check this as it's only something I've discovered from research.

        I don't know if it's possible but I would never attempt to go below the standard frequency

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