The new iMac 4K 21.5″ has both RAM and CPU replaceable

A few days ago, we could have seen a new step towards a more open Apple. It has listened to most of the requests from iOS and macOS users, as well as deserved speed bump for most of the Mac range and anticipated the new iMac Pro.

We’ll talk about this latest beast at the end of the year when it comes to trading; Meanwhile, we look at updates for ” normal ” iMacs. One of the major criticisms of Cupertino’s all-in-ones, and more generally Macs, has been the growing non-expandable, widening more and more modules. Only exceptions were made by storage units.

A first step back to this policy had already taken place since 2014 on the 27-inch 5K model, where Apple opted to offer a comfortable compartment accessible to users to increase or replace RAM.

However, this privilege has not been granted to his younger brother, 4K, who has maintained welded benches like the other non-Retina iMac. The model launched Monday, tells a different story, which emerges from the usual and punctual iFixit.

During disassembly, they could find that the logic board has a housing with two classic SO-DIMM counters, so technically replaceable, though not with the same ease as the 27 ” model.

But there is better. By teardown, they removed the dissipation components over the processor, being in a big surprise: the Kaby Lake CPU is not soldered, but installed on sockets as in any desktop computer. In fact, this choice could have been simply dictated by a practical obligation for Apple, as Intel has not yet released the seventh generation Core welded configurations.

Any further benefit derived from this move is to be considered as a bonus. Again based on these considerations, we can also give the socket’s presence well even on the 5K 27″ and 21.5″ non-Retina.

This change would open, at least on paper, any updates from the Core i5 to the optional Core i7 even after purchase, getting the new processor in a separate location. Considering how the operation is not in the reach of everyone, it is difficult to think that Apple has taken the trouble of inserting firmware-level checks to reject the installed drive.

The future is more complicated: it is said that both the next Coffee Lake and Cannonlake architectures will keep the socket LGA 1151 as the current one, but it is unreliable and it will be necessary to see whether the use of such CPUs will be supported with pre-existing chipsets (The previous one has been given by Kaby Lake, being compatible not only with its 200 series but also with Skylake 100) and whether the firmware does not have incompatibility due to the generational leap.

Regardless of the technical issues to be verified, this is in any case very interesting news for future iMac 4K buyers, especially if with good manual skills. As emphasized by iFixit, repairability is always at a fairly critical level, requiring dedicated tools and in some cases replacing specific parts being reassembled. Additionally, it is good to remember that these DIY interventions will invalidate your computer warranty.