Here's why this $400 iMac is one of the best ever!

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  • Опубликовано: 6 дек 2018
  • This iMac costs $400, and for Apple enthusiasts who like to tinker with their tech, it's pretty cool... Thanks to Skillshare for sponsoring today's video, check them out: skl.sh/LukeMiani-4. The first 500 people who sign up with this link will get 2 free months of Skillshare Premium!
    If you want to upgrade your RAM, check out this kit: amzn.to/2E5CvRT
    This 2011 27" iMac can be had for as around $400 or less, and offer pretty good performance for the money, as well as a lot of upgradeability for those who like to work on and upgrade their tech, all in a nice form factor! Let me know down below if you have one of these screamers, and what upgrades you've done!
    Follow me on Twitter: / lukemiani
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    #Screamer #iMacenstein
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Комментарии • 1,1 тыс.

  • @amberredfield
    @amberredfield 4 года назад +23

    Wow, I’ve had my mid-2011 27” since 2012 and only knew about the RAM (which I did a few years back). My iMac still runs like a champ. But I cans it believe I JUST found out it has a magnetic glass screen! Time to boost it up even more. Great video!!

  • @stewartseidel9165
    @stewartseidel9165 5 лет назад +189

    Here's a long story about how I got a 2011 iMac to work after the video card had failed.
    I bought a 2010 27 inch iMac with an i3 CPU about a year and a half ago at a reasonably good price on Craigslist, intending to add an SSD and upgrade the CPU to an i7. I went to a local place that has all sorts of used computer parts for sale, looking for an i7 CPU. Purely by coincidence, while I was standing there in line someone brought out from the back a 27 inch iMac, presumably in for repairs, and handed it over the counter to the iMac owner, telling him that the iMac couldn't be fixed. The guy was, understandably, pretty sad about the situation. I asked the iMac owner what the problem was with the computer. He said that the video card had failed. [Note that the computer store had already removed the internal hard drive when he first brought the computer in to the store a few days previously, so his data--he was a video developer--was safe and secure in his hands.]
    I told the iMac owner I was in the store right now looking for a used i7 for a 2010 iMac, and asked him if his iMac was a 2010, and if it had an i7. He said yes, and I asked him if he wanted to sell it. He said sure, since it was of no use to him now. Neither of us knew what it was worth, so I said, Look, I only need the CPU, and offered him $20 (Canadian). He said OK, and asked me if I wanted to buy the RAM also, 4x4GB=16GB. I asked him how much, he didn't know, but the computer store employee said $80 for the RAM was reasonable, and added that $20 for the CPU was an OK price. I didn't have the cash on me, so we both walked a few blocks to my bank and I paid him $100.
    I got home, the 2010 iMac was already apart, waiting for me to install the SSD. I disassembled the new iMac I had just bought, intending to take out the i7. After I got it apart, I realized that the new iMac was not a 2010 Mac at all, but rather a 2011. "Damn" I thought, now I have an iMac with a fried video card. But at least I bought the 16GB RAM at a reasonable price for used RAM.
    Then I got to thinking, wondering how much it would cost to replace the fried video card. I checked eBay, and WOW!!! it was $900 Canadian for a new video card for a 2010 iMac. Unfortunately that was at least ten times more than I wanted to pay. I started scrolling through eBay, looking at prices for video cards and came upon an ad claiming to fix a video card for a 2010 iMac for $119, 3-5 days turnaround, 90 day guarantee. (You had to remove the video card yourself, and mail it to the vendor). That seemed like a pretty good deal, so I emailed the eBay vendor to see if this also applied to a 2011 iMac. "Sure, no problem with a 2011 iMac", the vendor said.
    A little while later I started thinking again, how could someone "fix" a fried video card, guaranteed, with a turnaround of less than a week? How can you "fix" a video card, with ten zillion connections?
    All of a sudden, some neglected, long forgotten sectors in the back of my brain fired, and then it struck me; I googled "iMac 27 inch video card oven".
    The following RUclips video turned up:
    ruclips.net/video/9vPM41ZmLos/видео.html
    It's a long video, but essentially a really nice, believable guy named Evan, from Greece I think, explains in some detail how he fixed a failed video card on his 2011 iMac by putting it in the oven for 8 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius (405 degrees F.). It seemed ridiculous, but since I had both iMacs apart, I thought WTF, I've got nothing to lose, why not give it a try?
    So I got started. I must admit though, after a lot of painstaking work disassembling the logic board, and then extracting the video card, I felt pretty stupid for a few minutes when I got to the point of actually putting the video card in the oven.
    After installing an SSD I had lying around and completely re-assembling the 2011 iMac (nearly a full and very grueling day!), and starting it up, I waited for twenty or thirty seconds...
    And then, I couldn't believe it. The friggin' iMac started right up and the video card was, magically, no longer fried!!!
    That was nearly a year and a half ago, and it's still going, and I haven't seen any issues whatsoever with the video card or anything else. In fact, I'm writing this on my salvaged 2011 iMac right now. I have since installed a 250GB SSD with velcro tape under the optical drive, replaced the original internal hard drive with a 2TB drive, attached a second monitor, a 30 inch Cinema Display, upgraded the RAM to 24GB, and installed macOS High Sierra 10.13. I have a bunch of Mac Pros, MacBook Pros, MacBook Airs, iMacs, etc., of various vintages, plus more than a couple of older PCs, and according to Geekbench 4, this is the fastest computer I currently own, even beating both of my 8 core Mac Pros with dual Xeon processors.
    Except that the GPU diode runs quite hot (according to Macs Fan Control nearly 80 degrees Ceisius, yikes!!!), my new $20 2011 27 inch iMac seems to be performing admirably.
    Oh yeah, and I eventually found and upgraded the i3 to a compatible i7 ($119 from a local used computer dealer) in my first 2010 iMac, installed an SSD and a 2TB internal drive. The 2010 iMac was also successfully tested with 24GB of RAM.
    I'm kind of delighted with all this. As you can probably tell.

    • @saira2326
      @saira2326 5 лет назад +51

      I hate myself for clicking read more 💀

    • @averymortimer
      @averymortimer 4 года назад +7

      Same story here! Same youtube video and everything, figured what's the worst that could happen, since my mac was unusable, so I followed Evan's instructions, and to my amazement, it worked! I have actually done it three times over the course of several years, and it still works! That being said, I'd still love to replace it with something more reliable like Luke mentioned in this video.

    • @Twigzmusic
      @Twigzmusic 4 года назад +4

      @Stewart Seidel you have a lot of spare time

    • @tigerchillyable
      @tigerchillyable 4 года назад +10

      Can't believe I read all that... Good read though

    • @calgarycowboy2
      @calgarycowboy2 4 года назад +11

      The cooking process melts the solder on the chip legs and remakes all the leg joints. I have done a couple of video cards and take your time applying fresh chip paste. Works a charm, heat from the old HD is the cause, installing SSD eliminates that issue.

  • @lukemiani
    @lukemiani  5 лет назад +387

    If you make it all the way to the bit at the end, you are a true screamer

    • @stephensonmatthew7
      @stephensonmatthew7 5 лет назад +4

      Luke Miani hey Luke, can you do a demo of how to use VoiceOver on MacOS and iOS?

    • @allansh828
      @allansh828 5 лет назад +2

      4:40 Does the game have forced double buffer vsync? If frame rate bounces between 30-60, that's usually the case.

    • @ryanswatson
      @ryanswatson 5 лет назад +5

      Your girlfriend was a screamer

    • @natthan7
      @natthan7 5 лет назад +3

      I just got one of this for free! I bought it for $250 and the seller did a shitty packaging as well so fedex shattered the glass aaaand I got a full refund. I'll wait until your next video before getting my hands inside.

    • @cody3026
      @cody3026 5 лет назад +1

      Luke Miani I watched the whole vid because I have the same iMac!

  • @NoahRubinCoding
    @NoahRubinCoding 5 лет назад +30

    I’m excited to work on this iMac!

  • @soulbruth
    @soulbruth 5 лет назад +13

    Purchased in 2011, I have the 27-inch, 3.4 GHz Core i7 with 32GB Ram iMac.
    I have upgraded the internal drive to 1TB SSD, I replaced the built-in optical drive with a built-in Blu-Ray optical slot-drive and Apple replaced the GPU as part of the GPU replacement programme many many years ago.
    I also use Target Display Mode with my MBP so can use the iMac as a second monitor and I have the Belkin Thunderbolt Express Dock providing USB 3 ports. I don’t game but I code, run multiple server VM’s, watch/record TV using Elgato, run my work VDI and other UrAvgConsumer stuff.
    This is a good looking, rock solid iMac that has out lasted many of my friends desktops/laptops over the years. One of my best tech purchases ever..

    • @andrewmazzoli4904
      @andrewmazzoli4904 5 лет назад

      Same machine...it’s a beast....I wonder if we can replace the GPU ?? To a nivida card would be nice

    • @luxembourger
      @luxembourger 4 года назад

      @@andrewmazzoli4904 Yes, and you can flash the BIOS of the NVIDIA pretty easily now. ruclips.net/video/vt0GvUfDK8o/видео.html&ab_channel=MacintoshMen

  • @LuisJavierOcampoAraoz
    @LuisJavierOcampoAraoz 5 лет назад +22

    Luke, If you can, please do a step by step videos for the upgrade process.

  • @Redbulpro
    @Redbulpro 5 лет назад +10

    Again a great video man! Keep the great work up!!

  • @TechWithSean
    @TechWithSean 5 лет назад +15

    It’s always 30 or 60fps because of vsync being enabled in the graphics options. If the GPU can’t display 60fps, vsync drops to 30 instead of displaying torn frames. 👍

  • @micahgriffiths
    @micahgriffiths 5 лет назад +14

    Firewatch background and synthwave music. Wise choices

  • @GetJesse
    @GetJesse 5 лет назад +103

    The 60/30 FPS is because you have VSync on.

    • @SEVENTEENPOINT1
      @SEVENTEENPOINT1 3 года назад +4

      Specifically double buffered. One buffer at 30 and another at 60.

  • @fangtooth4471
    @fangtooth4471 4 года назад +7

    Had these in college library. I’m an artist so I ran through plenty of programs. It was as smooth as a dolphin. I miss it :(

  • @Crixxtachi868
    @Crixxtachi868 5 лет назад +2

    this kinda content is definitely why i follow you.
    Looking forward to the upgrades. will probably buy one once first upgrade video comes out

  • @ic3778
    @ic3778 5 лет назад +8

    I actually used this video to find my mid-2011 imac 21.5", which so happened to be from the same company that you bought yours from and they did a great job on the packing but I didn't get that card that you got. But I did actually get a ripped up garbage bag in my box, lol. No lie. I laughed cause it looks exactly like the one that you got. Also the cord smells brand new and it works great. So thanks for the advice and this is the first time that I actually took someone's advice on buying anything from the internet and not ever seeing what I was buying before I did and it worked out great. So I'll keep watching what you post (great info by the way) and thanks for your insight on the computer. Truly helpful.

    • @imok6613
      @imok6613 2 года назад

      Hi, what’s the website?

  • @bencrandall5514
    @bencrandall5514 4 года назад +10

    Watching this on my mid 2011 iMac I just got FO FREE! I can't believe how well these computers hold up

  • @MikeDancy
    @MikeDancy 5 лет назад

    I have a 2011 27" i5-2600 iMac sitting at my shop. I was debating about using it to run FCPx instead of my late 2013 macbook pro i7 15". What do you think? Should I run a i5-2nd gen for FCPx? or just keep using my MBP? My issue with the MCP is that there aren't enough ports on it.

  • @holton345
    @holton345 4 года назад +1

    I have a mid-2011 27" iMac and have yet to upgrade anything. It is currently running High Sierra. It takes a long time to fully boot. I look forward to watching your series on this computer. Thanks for posting. Liked, subbed and commented. Happy 2020!

  • @keyhoodie6586
    @keyhoodie6586 5 лет назад +50

    I just bought one for $20. It was missing a hard drive, memory, and the glass that sits in from of the screen. I’m about to upgrade the HD with a SSD and the memory. Thanks for the video.

    • @Ror55555
      @Ror55555 3 года назад +4

      Sounds like a good deal if you get some replacement glass

    • @jaxcyl1-t4b
      @jaxcyl1-t4b Год назад

      sounds likes a super good deal, hell, i'd pay 50$ for that. 20$ SSD, 38$ Ram, 50$ glass. Not too bad man!

  • @monsieuresse
    @monsieuresse 5 лет назад +10

    I'm really looking forward to see how you upgrade the graphics to something metal compatible without losing the boot screen, brightness control and target display mode. Also, very interested in a fully functional Bluetooth 4 upgrade along with apple watch unlock and without the need to hack the system after every upadate. Psyched!

  • @MattHalpain
    @MattHalpain 5 лет назад

    11:58 as you open the packaging I bust out laughing and the ripped in half white plastic bag used for packaging is hilarious !

  • @exceldonkey
    @exceldonkey 5 лет назад +1

    Where do you get your minimalist landscape wallpapers for your Macs?

  • @sugnasugna
    @sugnasugna 5 лет назад +30

    I still use this model iMac every day.

    • @mortalitey
      @mortalitey 2 года назад

      whats the model? 😭

  • @jdeth6373
    @jdeth6373 4 года назад +9

    Still rocking my 2011 27in iMac!

  • @georgesenda1952
    @georgesenda1952 5 лет назад

    All of my older macs are in need of repair. My newest one is a late 2010 21 inch Imac. I need something newer. What would you recommend ?

  • @dorianvoka5591
    @dorianvoka5591 4 года назад +19

    Watching this on my 2011 21 inch iMac, in usage since 2011. 24/7 - a beast

    • @toastedtarts4044
      @toastedtarts4044 3 года назад +1

      Were there ever any problems?

    • @dorianvoka5591
      @dorianvoka5591 3 года назад

      @@toastedtarts4044 No, just the hard disk made some high frequency noices, which is totally fine for a hdd that runs for 10 years almost every day

    • @toastedtarts4044
      @toastedtarts4044 3 года назад

      @@dorianvoka5591 oh okay that’s good. It sounds like a durable machine

    • @AWildBard
      @AWildBard 3 года назад

      me too
      well, I don't use it 24/7
      but have a 21.5 inch mid 2011 imac

    • @midge4571
      @midge4571 3 года назад

      @@AWildBard does it still work? I’m about to buy one ☝️

  • @jeroxfin8613
    @jeroxfin8613 5 лет назад +8

    First computer in my life, it was pretty amazing in its time.

  • @Megabean
    @Megabean 5 лет назад +3

    I had the 2011 21.1 inch as a teenager and it was so amazing. I never loved a computer as much as that iMac.

    • @skip741x3
      @skip741x3 4 года назад

      2011 21.1 inch here as well...upgraded myself to i7, 16gb and ssd... also love it, its just so freakin nice to use.. doesnt feel dated and doesnt feel slow..

  • @jessenobles26
    @jessenobles26 5 лет назад

    Great video, can’t wait for the build series. I have a 21.5 myself and want to do as many upgrades as possible. Keep up the good work man! 😀👍

  • @atrisharma1184
    @atrisharma1184 5 лет назад +1

    New to your channel and now subscribed because I love economical content like this.

  • @terrywarnold
    @terrywarnold Год назад +2

    Found this video doing some research for this model of iMac. I was able to get one for $50 and the only issue was the fact that the previous owner had accidentally erased the partitions off the hard drive and didn't know how to fix it. Rebooted into recovery mode, reinstalled the macOS, and i was fixed.

  • @a323bmer
    @a323bmer 5 лет назад +11

    Great video; I have two of these 2011 iMacs. Upgraded both to 16 Gig RAM, one with an SSD, and the other with a FireCuda SSHD and both run great. Great value since you also get a 27" 2.5K display.

    • @jackspring7709
      @jackspring7709 2 года назад +2

      Just a quick note: you can upgrade the iMac 2011 to 32GB RAM: officially Apple says 16GB is the limit, but no, it can take 32GB.

    • @TheWaqaspuri
      @TheWaqaspuri 2 года назад

      @@jackspring7709 I have upgraded to 12GB, it shows a big difference after that, being able to run Adobe CC easily on that, along with Final Cut Pro. I have 512MB AMD Graphic Memory, Is there a option to share my RAM with Graphics Memory?

    • @jackspring7709
      @jackspring7709 2 года назад

      @@TheWaqaspuri Nice one. The RAM upgrades always make a huge difference. I'm afraid I don't know if there's an option to share RAM with graphics memory, sorry.

    • @faithfultrader6340
      @faithfultrader6340 Год назад

      Is still j? I am wondering if I should get the 2011 model now

    • @peppapig-ph2mt
      @peppapig-ph2mt Год назад

      @@faithfultrader6340 the 2011 is still amazing, I use mine everyday on the latest MacOS for heavy audio & video work.

  • @nemonobody0943
    @nemonobody0943 5 лет назад

    Nice video! I'm looking forward to what you can really bring out of it with upgrades

  • @ianwlouw
    @ianwlouw 5 лет назад +1

    I only got rid of mine yesterday, it was a great machine and served me so well. I did change a few things i had 20GB ram and also an SSD drive, which made the machine screaming fast.

  • @RockyColaFizz
    @RockyColaFizz 5 лет назад +5

    I agree. I have this exact iMac with the i7 BTO and I upgraded it to 16GB ram. Also I had the original BTO 256GB SSD, but it was slow as it was only SATA 2. I upgraded it with a 1TB SSD Sata 3 drive, and this thing just continues to be rock solid. It's going on being almost 8 years old.

  • @allansh828
    @allansh828 5 лет назад +15

    What's the best CPU and GPU you can put in this thing? Does it have target display mode?

    • @LukasSkate2
      @LukasSkate2 5 лет назад +1

      Target display: yes
      CPU: i7 2600

    • @dnovom
      @dnovom 5 лет назад +1

      GermanReview Thunderbolt target display mode works only with other thunderbolt devices.....

    • @batsonelectronics
      @batsonelectronics 5 лет назад +2

      Can also use it as a TB display from your laptop with a TB1 to TB1 cable.

    • @KingCornWallis
      @KingCornWallis 5 лет назад

      The best GPU you can put in is the GTX 1080.

    • @themarcosaguila1
      @themarcosaguila1 5 лет назад

      KingCornWallis really?

  • @artist9356
    @artist9356 5 лет назад

    Lovely video! Ive been using this mac for the past 7 years no complaints! Upgraded my ram and graphics card, and storage to ssd!

  • @TechWithSean
    @TechWithSean 5 лет назад

    I use a late 2013 iMac daily for graphic design and video too. Works great. HDD was slow but I now run the OS from a 1TB usb 3.0 external SSD. I also added 16gb ram so it has 24gb.

  • @matthewfennell5466
    @matthewfennell5466 5 лет назад +5

    Can you do a video on how to shop “for parts” Mac mini’s?

  • @netcruzer
    @netcruzer 5 лет назад +3

    Agree the 2011 is in a SWEET SPOT for value vs performance and upgradeability. I've opened mine up, added an SSD (without removing optical or stock HDD), added RAM, and added a Thunderbolt 2 to USB3 external device. It works very well. BUT, with modern HEVC and 4K video the quad core 2nd gen i5 CPU struggles hard. My 2015 MacBook Air outperforms there...

    • @AzizIzgin
      @AzizIzgin 5 лет назад +1

      Hi, I have the exact same model with the i5 cpu, I find it very slow, I've only upgraded the memory to 20gb(have the original one and 2 extra from owc), So my guess it is the internal hdd that slows me down...? Do you have any recommendation of where I could by the ssd? Also, the Thunderbolt 2 you mentioned is quite interesting. Maybe you've done some digging in that area... , it is either this or buying a new one. Thanks for sharing. Regards from Sweden

  • @AikaForever
    @AikaForever 5 лет назад

    Your vidoes are really helpful. Great job! Keep it up

  • @midnightrider379
    @midnightrider379 5 лет назад +1

    Can’t wait for the build. I have a 2009 20 inch iMac I bought off eBay a few years ago for $120. Was also hoping you were going to go over the ports.

  • @catseyexi
    @catseyexi 5 лет назад +5

    i just picked one of these up myself, upgraded the ram to 12gb. really curious to see what you can do about the graphics and getting it to support metal

    • @faithfultrader6340
      @faithfultrader6340 Год назад

      Is it still working? I am wondering if I should get the 2011 model nos

  • @JoeyLovesTrains
    @JoeyLovesTrains 5 лет назад +3

    There's an Apple software limit of the fps of the screen, when I run Cinebench, OpenGL test I get exactly 60fps everytime

  • @Ausknutz
    @Ausknutz 2 года назад +1

    You said they were great back in 2018. Here I am in 2022 watching your video on a late 2009 iMac 21.5". I only upgraded the RAM, the rest is stock (mine came with a 7200rpm HDD)

  • @mugget
    @mugget 5 лет назад +1

    Nice! I have a 2010 27" iMac, already upgraded to 16GB RAM and SSD boot drive years ago - great upgrades. Never knew that CPU and graphics upgrades were possible... might keep this old machine for a bit longer!

  • @harrybautista473
    @harrybautista473 5 лет назад +8

    Do you remember to turn offo V-Sync in settings when benchmarking? Usually the reason why framerates get capped at 60 or 30fps. Great video! Considering one for a budget setup

    • @christopherpaluch7216
      @christopherpaluch7216 2 года назад

      Nothing like a Mac user to not know what triple buffer v-sync is

  • @Trustedcoins
    @Trustedcoins 5 лет назад +16

    Steve Jobs I think was still around and he was what made apple great and kept from soldering things

  • @adamburke4738
    @adamburke4738 3 года назад

    How do you use a late 2011 iMac 21.5 inch as an external display for a MacBook Pro 2020 13 inch? Everywhere I look, they keep saying about a Mini DisplayPort and not Thunderbolt even though it's basically the same connection. Is it the Thunderbolt port doubling as a Mini DisplayPort? And can I use adapters to connect one of the many HDMI cables I have between the iMac and MacBook? I'm literally confused by all this.

  • @JLFranc000
    @JLFranc000 Год назад +1

    Awesome video, I bought that exact iMac back in 2011, I loved it, but now it sits in the corner ofy bedroom, I have a 13" MacBook pro , but since watching this video, I had no ideas of all the upgrades I can do to this iMac, ty so much for that bit of info !👍✌️

  • @OskarBravo
    @OskarBravo 5 лет назад +4

    Very intrigued to see where this goes. The fact it's using an MXM GPU is pretty damn interesting!

  • @ridwanmaulana6480
    @ridwanmaulana6480 5 лет назад +67

    That iMac is pretty much worth the price. Nice

  • @gordonsumner2085
    @gordonsumner2085 4 года назад +2

    Getting ready to rock my 2010 in similar fashion

  • @connorjfinucan
    @connorjfinucan 5 лет назад +1

    I love this I have the same iMac but 21 inch that we got in 2012 and upgrading it is definitely going to be an option for me

  • @DanEvansn
    @DanEvansn 5 лет назад +5

    wow even the thumbnail looks like those from Dave2D.. good job Lu

  • @hughbatchelor8599
    @hughbatchelor8599 5 лет назад +10

    You were lucky to get that in one piece and undamaged. Amazing. Look forward to the upgrade videos. Cheers.

  • @gerards4843
    @gerards4843 5 лет назад +1

    I have one Luke and was wondering how you got on with the upgrade as I am interested in changing my Graphics card & adding additional memory. Would be good to hear back.

  • @Tessou
    @Tessou 4 года назад

    I bought this same build earlier this year and it really is a tremendous value for the money. All I did was put in 16GB RAM and a 1TB SSD, with a dual boot of Windows 8.1 to run a few games that complain about metal in High Sierra.

  • @owenready7043
    @owenready7043 5 лет назад +10

    How about a top of the line late 2009 iMac 27" 2.8 GHz?

    • @encinobalboa
      @encinobalboa 3 года назад

      Got one. Good machine. Standard GPU is only 512GB and is getting old. GPU from M2011 is direct swap with minimal cutting of plastic to clear larger heat pipes. It runs High Sierra almost as well as my M2011 i7 3.4 GHz and for everyday computing, you will not notice much difference. With the upgraded GPU, It will play 2.5k 60 fps video with ease. Mine came with 32GB so upgrade is possible over published maximum. Still running 7.2k mechanical drive and it is actually pretty good. SSD will perk it up.

  • @WarriorsPhoto
    @WarriorsPhoto 5 лет назад +12

    Luke, I would like to donate that DVD to hard drive caddy to you and your channel. I had one in an iMac like yours several months ago. That iMac is gone and I have some parts left over. Let me know, of a P.O. Box address that you accept mail at. I will gladly send it out later this week.
    Thank you for all the great videos on old Apple products. Hopefully, you decide to make all the changes you are discussing in this video. Those era of iMacs have so many upgrade possibilities. I hope to see you complete them. Including replace that 6970M with a modern GTX 8/9xx series GPU for it.

  • @heidi7985
    @heidi7985 5 лет назад

    I just got one of these from a friend. I really wanted something to draw with/connect a graphics tablet. How does the screen hold up in that regard?

  • @DxSOR2513
    @DxSOR2513 5 лет назад

    i have a late 2009 imac 27 inch and i believe its got a bad graphics card. Should this be an easy fix? Can it be upgraded or am i stuck buying a used one of the same model?

  • @JSRMedia
    @JSRMedia 5 лет назад +3

    0:50 I used to have a dual iMac setup

  • @killiansklassics
    @killiansklassics 5 лет назад +3

    Watching this on my 2012 (almost maxed out) 27 inch iMac
    GTX 680mx and i5 3470 with 24GB RAM

  • @Bmiguelpaiva
    @Bmiguelpaiva 2 года назад +1

    I’m looking to buy one of this “vintage” Mac’s, until the slim one’s, and after a few days searching for information, your vídeo is the best one !

  • @ridik4267
    @ridik4267 4 года назад +1

    i Hvae the mid 2011 21.5 and its still working great. im wondering what os to run now to see if it will improve it just a little more any thoughts?

  • @goaltf4yourself268
    @goaltf4yourself268 5 лет назад +12

    I dunno how you can make saying "screamer" sound cool. When I try to say it I end up sounding like an old guy.

  • @actorgenie
    @actorgenie 3 года назад +10

    My 2011 iMac 27 inch just stopped! It won’t turn on in my “[macdaddy]“ says if the hard drive is or was pretty close to being finished. Is there anything I can do to resurrect this machine? I really like it. Thanks

    • @jojoherrmann7800
      @jojoherrmann7800 3 года назад

      Have you analized what could be the problem? Do you have the chime or anything on the screen? You could open your iMac up and there should be 4 LED Indikators. The one who doesn't light up is the hardware you have to replace. Like a example the 4th LED indikates if the Mac is communicating with the Display. If not light up. You have to replace the display or the ribbon cable. All depends on your technical knowledge

    • @ianblakemore4681
      @ianblakemore4681 3 года назад

      Sounds just like mine has gone won't switch on at all, checked it out and found the power supply unit has gone and the motherboard. When I looked over the wiring I found exposed wiring on the temp sensor shorting to the metal surround of the screen and various screws missing (Thanks Charlie Brown). So I will be looking at Lukes upgrades with interest.
      If you are lucky Eugenia it will be the power supply only which you can purchase on e-bay refurbished with a warranty, and then find someone reliable to install it but get it checked over first by someone like Luke who knows what he/she is doing.

  • @mochipereira7633
    @mochipereira7633 3 года назад

    I have a Mid 2011 iMac and 2012 Macbook Pro, but only want to keep one to upgrade, etc. Which one should I keep to upgrade at least the memory for now?

  • @noahrichards553
    @noahrichards553 5 лет назад +1

    I had a mid 2011 as well. Mine had 24 gb ram 2gb amd graphics card i7 3.4 ghz and the 2tb hdd. I loved it!

  • @brycejames2127
    @brycejames2127 5 лет назад +4

    We sell these for 699. CAD. Great longevity and upgradable. 👍

  • @OrangePony75
    @OrangePony75 4 года назад +4

    Watching this on my mid-2011 21.5" iMac, about to getting a SDD.

    • @truthwinseverytime8805
      @truthwinseverytime8805 4 года назад +1

      I have the same model. I added 2 - 4GB RAM sticks for a total of 16GB. An SSD would be nice and I will probably do it later this year.

    • @luxembourger
      @luxembourger 4 года назад +1

      I put 32GB of RAM in it works great.

  • @J1Z06
    @J1Z06 3 года назад

    I just upgraded the ram on My mid 2011 21.5" imac from 4 gigs to 8. It's a nice improvement! Smoother, takes less time for things to load,etc. Would going to 16gigs improve things any? would I notice it? Thanks!

  • @Maxfli82
    @Maxfli82 5 лет назад +1

    I had one of those for 3 years. Full loaded. It had the optional SSD and i7 processor and that thing was very fast. Sold it because I wanted retina and usb 3.0

  • @aironwhite6533
    @aironwhite6533 5 лет назад +5

    I have a 2011 imac 21.5 in with 32 gb memory

  • @lstan444
    @lstan444 5 лет назад +4

    Your the man, I don't know why other people haven't figured out that the 2011 iMac is great for price.

  • @pauloterenzi
    @pauloterenzi 4 года назад +1

    Hi Luke. Congratulations for your channel and thank you for sharing your knowledge with us, I have a question: I have a 2011 21.5 iMac. Can I replace the original i5-2400s cpu for a Xeon E3-1290 one as both use the LGA 1155 socket? Do you think it is possible? Thank you!

  • @MrSlick145
    @MrSlick145 5 лет назад +1

    I fitted that i7 in my 21.5 inch iMac when I did a ssd conversion. I’m currently fitting a x3740 Xeon in my 27inch 2010 iMac with a ssd and a new 2tb Seagate barracuda as I purchased it cheap because the had was about dead.

  • @paradoxessence4872
    @paradoxessence4872 4 года назад +13

    Watching this on my 19th century steam engine.

    • @isaacbenson1631
      @isaacbenson1631 4 года назад +1

      Oh cool bro I’m watching this on my WW2 enigma decoder

  • @natefrigoletto2982
    @natefrigoletto2982 5 лет назад +3

    I have the 21.5 inch mid 2011 iMac. Im gonna get a kit to upgrade the ram and add. It'll run for a lot longer then. I also want to put better graphics to play games on windows via Bootcamp

    • @SweBeach2023
      @SweBeach2023 5 лет назад

      Don't think you can upgrade the GPU on the 21 inch model.

    • @jm036
      @jm036 5 лет назад

      @@SweBeach2023 Yeah you can. Quadro K2000M from a Dell Precision is a good choice. GTX 765M from a Dell/Alienware is a good choice as well.

  • @myusrn
    @myusrn 4 года назад

    Is an iMac mid 2011 [ iMac12,2 ] with its old 2nd generation i5 cpu still usable performance provided you swap the hdd to ssd and upgrade ram to 8gb?

  • @ESCOBREEZY
    @ESCOBREEZY 5 лет назад +1

    I have the exact iMac. Patiently waiting for your upgrades****

  • @alexmavrogenis1155
    @alexmavrogenis1155 5 лет назад +3

    I own a late 2009 iMac 27, 8 April 2010, I changed the hard drive for a Crucial SSD 1tb, 8 gb memory, it runs under 10.11, 8 el capitan and is like the first day when I bought it, or better...... I bough it for 1420 € and today I would not pay what Apple is asking for the new ones it starts at 2.400 €......

  • @cpthuggyface2011
    @cpthuggyface2011 5 лет назад +14

    I managed to save a 2011 iMac from the dumpster. The original owners thought it was broken because it wouldn't start. It DID start but it wouldn't let me format the hard drive through the terminal. So I used a windows disc to wipe it and now it runs great.

    • @hunterdodson8324
      @hunterdodson8324 5 лет назад

      CptHuggyFace yeah I thrown my 2008 iMac it gave me the gray screen of death once I tried to update it

  • @chunweihsu3157
    @chunweihsu3157 2 года назад +1

    Dear Luke, is worth to do same thing in 2022 for mid 2011 iMac like you? thanks.

  • @NeoRav3
    @NeoRav3 4 года назад

    Hi. I currently have MacBook Pro 15 late 2013 i7 16GB of RAM and NVidia 750M. I deals with video editing. I wonder if changing to the iMac 2011 you show here makes sense. Will I feel any differences? And how does its screen match the screen of the MacBook?

  • @Raj-ul9my
    @Raj-ul9my 5 лет назад +8

    I have this one, i love it, its still fast and was the final one with a cd/dvd drive

    • @Rudenbehr
      @Rudenbehr 4 года назад

      You don’t need an optical drive anymore. You only need it bc you refuse to update

    • @thematey3592
      @thematey3592 4 года назад

      I agree with you. I have 100's of movie DVD and is so easy to pop one in the Mac

  • @rh1649
    @rh1649 5 лет назад +26

    Be carefull! The mid 2011 models are very famous for theire defective graphiccard problems (white screen of death). U cant find a new graphiccard for this model because its to old and the second hands cost about 300-400$..also its rly annoying to replace this Card because u have to take out the whole mainboard. And official repair stores for Apple cant Repair that for u because 2011 is not supported from Apple! And Its not rly worth because the „new“ Card could die in the next few month.. thats why i sold mine. U better do some research in the Internet before u buy this model.
    Ps:sry for my Bad englisch :)
    But anyway ure Video is rly good quality!

    • @Kingzatchbell
      @Kingzatchbell 4 года назад

      @UppiliRa what's dos?

    • @Ricardorochamusic
      @Ricardorochamusic 3 года назад

      ​@UppiliRa did you find any problem with 32gb ram? Apple states that it can only handle 4x4 ram (16gb total).

  • @johncarleton2324
    @johncarleton2324 5 лет назад

    I love your channel and have been with you since 10k

  • @mikegord
    @mikegord 4 года назад

    My nephew gave me a later 2009 21" iMac a couple of years ago. 10 years later still working - a bit slow booting. Adding 8GB of ram (12Gb total) and booting from SSD HD in a USB enclosure has revived the machine. Not as slow booting (still slower than my Lenovo T420 - 20 to 30 seconds) but much better than before. A beautiful machine even today. Great screen.

  • @SaGruenwdt
    @SaGruenwdt 5 лет назад +7

    When you upgrade the graphic card you will loose the ability to change screen brightness und the boot menu will be gone! you need to flash 3rd party graphic cards.

  • @DylanChng
    @DylanChng 5 лет назад +16

    2012's Apple products are the best.
    - last of the non-retina unibody macbook pro
    - USB 3.0 introduction
    - MacBook retina introduction
    - Quad core Mac Mini

    • @lukemiani
      @lukemiani  5 лет назад +11

      2012 was a great year for Apple

    • @casillasmichael
      @casillasmichael 5 лет назад +1

      From what i can tell the one in the video has USB 2.0, not 3.0 but you can get a thunderbolt dock with a 3.0 port that will circumvent that limitation.

    • @bobtheelectrician6692
      @bobtheelectrician6692 5 лет назад +1

      @@casillasmichael That $400 is quickly being accessorized by $$$ stuff that will only have a very limited useful life. I sold my 2009 iMac and bought a MacMini 2012 i7 with SSD and a new 27" HP QHD screen for about $400 net. I think I got the better deal since I won't have to delicately pop an iMac screen in a clean room to do any internal upgrades other than RAM. USB 3, which is the more universal modern standard, is built in. Don't miss the DVD drive and the possibility of inserting an SD card into that slot by mistake at all. No longer have to worry about replacing the whole shebang at once, since chassis and screen are separete and upgradable on their own.

    • @bobtheelectrician6692
      @bobtheelectrician6692 5 лет назад

      @@SteveCanon453 In fact, my set-up is quite cozy. The mini sits on an inverted plastic storage basket, so there's lots of ventilation all around including underneath. This is capped, Russian doll style, with another bigger upside down basket that supports my 5 year old i7 Dell laptop that is used as a Plex server and Handbrake video processor. That one could really fry your thigh when working all out, but the fan rarely kicks in due to the design of my "rack".

    • @bobtheelectrician6692
      @bobtheelectrician6692 5 лет назад +1

      @@SteveCanon453 The mini/laptop stack was probably the last of the line for Apple and me. Thus the bet hedging and migration to the independent screen & USB 3.0 peripherals for the time being. Have some apps that only ran on Mac OS 10.6 or Win 7 32 bit (older versions of Adobe that I can run in my sleep, automobile open-source diagnostics for some older cars) but those are being phased out.
      Apple and Microsoft have always seemed to me to embody the left brain/right brain dichotomy, and I was more firmly planted in the Apple camp since the 1980's Lisa, so it's not just a question of $$$. Many folks spend $$$ for iPhone while I am happy with a refurb android with 90% of the features for less than a quarter the price.
      Now that Apple is taking a harder line (everything soldered, seamless install the new OS on only what could be ordered directly from the factory), yes, time to rethink. Even if they flopped with Windows phone and the brazen fact that way over 50% of their corporate clients still run Windows 7 rather than 10, eventually Microsoft will get it right(er) so that we don't needlessly have to relearn where all the easter eggs have been lost.

  • @Themindofreyrey
    @Themindofreyrey 5 лет назад

    I have this iMac 🖥, it’s current stuck on a black screen when I turn it on. I hear the chime but the black screen doesn’t go away. Any ideas? All the reset buttons don’t work.

  • @billedwardson2562
    @billedwardson2562 Год назад +1

    I know this is old but I recently bought this imac with an i5 and I am struggling with getting any decent modern Mac OS to work on it. I gave up and put Ubuntu 20.05 on it. I’d rather have actual Mac on it but nothing worked. Safari, chrome. Do you have any recent thoughts on this? Thanks for the video.

  • @MikaelNitscheDrums
    @MikaelNitscheDrums 5 лет назад +5

    Bought one of these for about $700 last year. RAM had been upgraded to 20GB and added a 128GB system SSD. It's really perfect for my needs in music production and light video editing.

    • @beatsitscrystprod5423
      @beatsitscrystprod5423 5 лет назад

      Mikael Nitsche nice to know you don’t need to break the bank for music production on Mac

    • @stone9485
      @stone9485 2 года назад

      Hay glad to hear. I have a chance to pick one up for 350 bucks but I am concerned about what’s the newest operating system I can run is I upgraded my MacBook Pro 2013 to Catalina and lost garage band

  • @martinezlopez4699
    @martinezlopez4699 5 лет назад +3

    hey screamer, where do I find the 2nd Part. Kinda got me …;-))

  • @rmelcher03
    @rmelcher03 4 года назад

    Still rocking a 2010 27" iMac haha, love this damn thing. Replaced i3 for x3480 Xeon quad core, new SSD, and 20gig total of ram. I have a feeling I'll be using this computer another 2-3 years! Thanks for sharing your video!

  • @holycrapghosttv
    @holycrapghosttv 3 года назад

    Question do you think the imac 2011 still worth buying in 2021.iam looking for a computer just to edit videos for youtube thats all.will this be a great computer in this year 2021 and what prise would you consider a great buy ?

  • @7D16SCHOOL
    @7D16SCHOOL 5 лет назад +5

    A like from Russia!
    Nicely made.

  • @weiwenwwe2066
    @weiwenwwe2066 5 лет назад +3

    I wish I have one of these 😔

  • @JosephMoralesFeliciano
    @JosephMoralesFeliciano 5 лет назад

    Hey Luke, I saw you’re video on the Imac and decided to take a look! It turns out I loved it! I have the same one but let me know where you got yours at for the price!!! Also, I am looking into upgrading so be specific and detailed when u do the upcoming vids on that process!!!

  • @rorysheehan2970
    @rorysheehan2970 3 года назад

    is it worth upgrading a mid 2011 imac 21.5 cpu from i5 to i7? i fee like it is worth upgrading to a metal gpu, for use of mojave and also the ram, and changing from hd to ssd. But will i be getting that much more performance out of an i7?