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Should You Buy a 2017 27" 5K iMac in 2023?
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- Опубликовано: 5 авг 2024
- Should You Buy a 2017 27" 5K iMac in 2023? In this video we talk about why you may buy a 2017 iMac when you can get a much newer iMac in 2023. If you are Interested in older 5K iMacs like the 2017 model then watch this video.
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The 2017 27" 5K iMac (Base) is one of the best computers you can buy even today. In this video we discuss why we love this iMac and what makes it so good even a number of years later. The 2017 27" iMac has so many great features built into it and we discuss these features. So if you are in the market for a older iMac then watch this video as well as our next video that will cover performance.
Thanks for watching. If you make a purchase using one of the links above, a small portion of the sale could go to help support the channel. Thank you.
Topics in this video: 2017 27" 5K iMac, Apple 27" iMac, 5K iMac, should you buy 2017 iMac, Should you buy 5K iMac, best iMac to buy, 2017 iMac overview, 2017 iMac in 2023?, Best used iMacs to buy, used iMac buyers guide, Top used iMacs to buy, 5K iMacs any good, why buy an older 5K iMac, Are 5K iMac good in 2023.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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
Thanks great video Ulrich
Thanks for watching and the feedback.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
I bought this Mac on offer up for 100 dollars absolutely love this Mac
Yes for 100 that's a steal.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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
Thanks!
Thank you for watching the channel.
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.
I absolutely love my 2015 iMac - 27 inch 5k, 32 GB RAM, 3 TB Fusion Drive.
They are nice systems for sure.
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.
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.
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 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.
Great pc🙌🔥
They are nice systems for sure.
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 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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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 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 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.
Hey brother, what is that exact ssd external drive you are using in this vid? I have the exact imac. Also, will this imac perform well with a music software called logic pro? Thank you in advance.
I used the OWC Mercury Elite Pro mini for the enclosure pair with a 2.5" Samsung SSD drive. Been working for years now.
Currently looking at a 2017 that has a 1tb fusion drive...what's your opinion on the fusion drives and how hard is it to upgrade the hard drives? Thanks!
They are OK and I would see how you like it. They can be snappy for some things but you may want to boot off an external SSD or open it up and add an SSD to make it much quicker. If you get a good price they are great systems overall.
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'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.
at the moment i work with an macbook pro M1 and iam really happy with the performance while editing 4K without buffering in finalcutpro. you think i can do same editing with these I7 model from 2017??? cause i would love to have an 27inch screen for editing. your vlog is 10 month old , i hope you can give me an answer. thanks.
With enough ram (easy to upgrade) I would say yes. I still edit on my 2017 iMac now. But if you can find a deal on the 2020 5K iMac that is a better choice to be sure.
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.
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.
question for the 2017 model, it uses the lga 1151 socket (compatible up to 9th gen intel cpus) so would it be capable of being upgraded to a newer cpu or are there firmware locks?
It might be but I have not done any work like that before so I'm not an expert in that.
First of all, thank you for this beautiful video and content. There is a subject I am curious about. I hope you can help me. I already have a m1 macook. I need a secondary monitor. I am thinking of buying a 2017 model 27'' imac. Both in terms of thunderbolt 3 and 5k retina. I don't need the camera or sound quality to be better. I just need a better and bigger display. What do you think? Do you think I should look at other models or series?
Hello Musa, I don't think you can use the 2017 as a secondary monitor easily without something like Luna display which has some lag. So I'm not sure if buying the imac will solve your secondary monitor issue.
@@craigneidel Thank you. But some information states that the imac can be used as a secondary display. Which generation onwards do you think this might apply to? Isn't this possible with just usb-c without Luna display?
@@musaklcaslan4986 I think only 2014 or earlier without Luna display. But I know 2015 and newer can't easily be second screens.
Looking forward to the next video as I am overdue for a desktop replacement and need to run Lightroom and perform light video editing. Thanks!
Thank for watching.
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 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 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 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?
I have only just bought one 2 weeks ago. Specs - 4.2 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7, Radeon Pro 575 4 GB. 24 GB 2400 MHz DDR4, 1.03TB Fusion Drive. Running Ventura and connected (using RDP) to my 15 inch retina MacBook Pro from 2014 (now running Windows 10 Pro in Bootcamp) which is out in the shed running CNC machine and a laser. I recently has a genius replace the keyboard and trackpad assembly so it is all good on my five node mesh network. My iMac came with a very cheap keyboard and mouse (now in the trash) and I bought an Apple extended keyboard and already had a Magic Trackpad so my total outlay was around £800 ($1042) and it is a superb machine. Given the cost of the Studio 5k screen, I secured a great deal with this 5k 2017 iMac. If it runs as long as my 9 year old MacBook Pro, with the same degree of usability that system has today, I will be very happy. Highly recommended system. 😁
Thanks for sharing your setup. Yes, they are still nice machines. You can also boot off an external SSD one day to speed it up even more.
@@craigneidel Thanks for the response.
I have my eye on a 2TB MVNe PCIe 3 SSD but too many other things to get first. (CNC is a very large black hole for cash)
@@user-es2ju9np9s thanks and good luck again
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.
I have it with Sonoma installed. It just works fine
Thanks for info. They are great machines.
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.
Is this a good choice for making Music? Recording and making Beats?
🙏
I think so but make sure SSD and 16 gb ram.
Excellent vid!
Still worth it today (sonoma OS), 32GB , 512gb ssd, 27" 5k display? $370.
Thanks. Yes for that price for sure.
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.
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
Real👏🏻
Thanks for watching.
Imac 2017, is the M2.ssd faster when built inside, or is the speed the same when external?
the fastest external I know has 7 GB/S (Imac 2017 thunderbolt supports up to 40 GB/S)
You will get slightly better speeds internally then with an enclosure due to overhead.
Hi
I have a main iMac 2020 and a secondary iMac 2017 (both 27 inch)m I bought thunderbolt 3 to thunderbolt 3 cable, try with command and F2 key and is not working, Can you give me some advice how to set up second iMac to use it as a second monitor? Thanks
I don't think you can use any iMac over the 2013 as a second screen. You might need something like Luna Display for that to work.
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.
HELP NEEDED 🙏 Can I use this model as a second monitor for my Mackbook air as well as my windows laptop?
Thank you!!!
Not really unless you are using Open Core Legacy Patcher to upgrade to a newer OS. They you can use it as a second screen with a connection between both. I did a video on this but for the 24" iMac if you wanted to watch that.
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 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
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.
Hello there Craig! 😊 I was thinking of getting myself a used iMac for illustration and digital painting work since I always wished to have one but haven't got the budget (I previously had a 2012 Macbook Pro and I now own a 12,9" iPad that would be awesome to use with Apple's Sidecar). I've seen so many models and prices, read reviews on why I should and should not buy a used iMac, that I feel overwhelmed and indecisive. I also have a windows laptop and could just buy a Benq monitor... But I don't really know which option would be better... If I splurge 400eur in a nice new monitor or buy a used and old iMac. Could you please help me? I saw an ad for a 2019 21.5" iMac with a 6-core i5 3ghz, 8gb ram ddr4, 1tb fusion drive and radeon pro 560x 4gb vram for 700eur (being one of the best deals in relation to price-model year). Is it worth it? Will I feel the need to upgrade it thus spending a lot more money than I wished to? Am I better off just buying a damn 25" Benq DesignVue monitor and use it with my laptop? I just don't want to be that idiot who ends up spending a lot in a used iMac whereas I could've just bought the new iMac. I hope you can help me! I'm from Portugal, btw. Thank you very much
Thanks for watching. To tell you the truth, it's really hard to recommend one thing or the other. I would say that a 2017 iMac is good if you can get it around $700. Or a 2020 iMac, but those are going to cost more. But I would go with the 5K screen versus the 21.5 inch and make sure it has an SSD. In the end, I feel that you might consider looking at the M2 Mac mini for $599 and then buying a $300 4K monitor and you might be the happiest. It all comes down to cost and if you can purchase it's 27 in iMac for under 700 bucks. It's a great deal and a great screen, but just remember that the OS won't last as long as the Mac mini. If you can get your hands on an iMac and just try it, that's a good option. Finally, another option is the 24-in iMac that you can get used usually for around a thousand bucks.
@@craigneidel Hello Craig! Thanks for the quick answer :) I also found a 27" 5k iMac for 900eur but doesn't have an SSD (only fusion drive). I feel like a 27" iMac would be really great but I don't have a lot of desk space.. and actually haven't found that great of a deal (only a 2013 iMac for 600 eur which will be too old to run sidecar). I'll consider the Mac Mini! It's just that I wished to have an iMac screen. Really, all the deals I've told you about are from our portuguese version of craigslist to put it in a way you understand. We don't have a lot of online stores with great deals such as USA has. And if I order from USA, that means a lot of shipping. Also, where could I find a 24" imac for 1000? We don't have that kind of a jem here ahah Size wise it would be perfect! You see, in my country our money buys less, a good new monitor would never cost me just 300 dollars. Are there any websites I should try? Even if that means I end up spending a bit in shipping fares? And if I end up buying a used iMac, should I look for a i7, an SSD and 16gb ram minimum? Thanks again!
Yes, I'm not sure all the US stores will ship out there so that could be an issue. There are places like this - eshop.macsales.com/configure-my-mac/imac and other places like Woot, Amazon refurbished, and tons on eBay stores that you can order as long as they are good stores. Just not sure if you can get them out there. If you do end up getting an iMac, a i5 or i7 is fine as long as you have the SSD and 16 GB Ram. If you get a 27" then just add the ram yourself as it's cheaper in most cases.
@@craigneidel Thanks for all the tips, Craig! You've helped me :)
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.
Can you upgrade iMac 2017 to 5k screen and what upgrades would I need to enhance my RUclips editing
I'm not sure what you are asking? 2017 27" is a 5K screen.
My biggest question right now is if I should upgrade my 2017 27" 5K imac to the 2020 27" 5K one - as its the last model with Intel Chip for gaming.
Anyone here with that upgrade done? To compare I bought my 2017 one with the AMD 580 with 8gb graphics card, and wonder if the 5500TX 8GB card in the 2020 model I saw for sale in my town would be much of an upgrade. How does the 5500TX compare? How does the 5700?
Based on the CPU etc. it should be a nice upgrade but based on the Graphics card it's a bit closer. The AMD580 has a score of 8869 on the videocardbenchmark.net and the 5500TX has a score of 9157. So you can see the benchmarks are not that much different when compared strictly based on benchmarks (they don't always tell the tale though).
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.
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 RUclips 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 RUclips 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 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.
What about picking up a still brand new 2020 27 inch imac for $1300? There a few of them at various retail stores online. Would that be a good or bad deal? Would a 2017 refurbished one for the $700+ still be the better deal?
I know others will say don't do that but I think the 2020s are great systems with the 5K screens and computers included. The 2020 will get quite a bit more years of OS support (3) so it depends on how long you want to keep it. If you get the 2017 you can use if for a few years and sell it or use Open Core to install a newer OS in a few years.
Yeah, I've been seeing these 2020 27inch iMacs online that are still new, in box, never used going for $1299 with 8gb ram and 256 SSD and i5 core and up to $1950 for a 512 SSD and better graphics card. And am wondering if it being still new in the box is worth it over a 2017 model like yours? There's always that appeal of having something brand new, but will it be that much better of an experience than a used refurbished one. I guess it would still come with Apple's warranty and you can still get Applecare for it as well. I've always wanted one of these 27inch 5k's and my super long in the tooth 2007 21inch Imac seems to be finally dying. Just trying to figure out which way to go.
Agree with you. iMac 2017 - 2020 is the best overall iMac's for now.
Yes they are great systems for sure
Hello if you wouldn't mined give me your opinion, im using a 2019 27" imac upgraded ram to 72 GB i5 radeon 5300 4gb, i noticed sometimes it pauses, i was thinking of getting a
2017 Imac I7 32 GB ram, radeon 580 8GB. thanks
I'm not sure why you would go backwards from a 2019 to a 2017. Not sure that would be a great idea.
Great Video Thanks - I have an Imac 27 that im running on an external NVME for both Windows and OS. THe only issue I have is the NVME will not let me up-grade the IOS withough really slowing it down. Has anyone else had this issue ?
Yes, it appears that when you upgrade to Venture it can slow down boot times etc. Not sure why yet but the computer still runs great but some boot times appear to go up. I'm not sure if you mean that or the entire computer.
@Craig Neidel Will a mint, hardly used 2016 (late 2015 model) i5 1TB Fusion Drive 27" iMac be good enough for internet browsing, youtube and MS Office Word, Excel, Powerpoint etc? RAM has been upgraded to 24 GB. Thanks in advance for your reply.
I think it would be good enough for that. While the Fusion drive isn't an SSD, it's got a small SSD part in it. If it was just a normal HDD then I would say no since the drive is what makes a difference but I think with the Fusion drive it's fine. Just make sure it's a very good price.
@@craigneidel Thank you very much for your reply. I have a 2022 Dell XPS 13 9305 at the moment which has Intel i5, 8 GB of RAM and 256 SSD Hard Drive. Will the iMac 27" described above be any slower than what I have at the moment in the uses I have for it? Also, will it run a second monitor? The main reason for the change will be for the 5K high resolution screen and also to get used to the MAC OS as I may be starting a job soon that uses Macs. The OS on this iMac is Monterey which will not be updated now.
Ok, thanks and good luck with everything. It's hard to know if one is slower then the other and I would just be guessing since I don't have the Dell here to test. You can run a second screen on the iMac.
@@craigneidel Thank you. I just need to get used to the Apple Operating System having used and enjoyed Windows for years.
Yes, it take a little time but after that I'm sure you will like it.
I need a new mouse and keyboard for my Late 2013 iMac 27-inch. what kind can i get? thanks
I would get a refurbished Apple keyboard if you can swing it. They just work great with the iMacs.
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
I think my main concern would be security updates. The 2017 model probably won’t get the next Mac OS version which means only 2 more years of security patches.
For sure, but that is why this would be a 2-3 year computer and then sell to somebody who can use open core to patch to newest OS. It would only cost about $200 over the next 2 years after you sell it. Just a thought and it's not for everyone for sure.
@@craigneidel I get security updates on my Late 2012 iMac. Replaced the fusion drive with a 5TB drive and made it fusion too. Newer cameras made me upgrade to the iMac Pro. The old machine works great and is pretty snappy with up 24Mp RAW cameras.
@@Sergei__v thanks for the info
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.
Why ssd and not standard for regular using and what version of office to buy with it?
Mine came with Fusion Drive so I boot off external SSD on mine. Fusion is OK but just don't get one with HDD.
I have this computer too, but there will come a point in time where you can't hack your way into running the latest MacOS. It will eventually only be able to run on Mac silicone. One of the reasons i want to upgrade, is also mac silicone can do things in MacOS that intel macs can't. Like natively run ios apps, or copying text from images. Lastly I am looking to upgrade, because something like the Mac studio will blow the doors off this machine for the things that i do on a daily basis, like compile code and video editing, cutting times down on exports is key for me, especially rendering insta360 footage from 360 to flat video, man that is the biggest time consumer in my workflow, and the hopes of running Topaz AI, i wont even attempt that on an intel mac. That being said, the reason i haven't upgraded yet, is like you said, it is still a work horse that is plenty capable, and the screen is just as good as the pro display, with a better webcam.
Yes, they are still good but there are also much faster options. The screen is hard to leave thought without spending the $1600 on the Studio Display to replace it. It sounds like you do some professional work and might be making money from the computer. If that is the case then I would upgrade but for most people who just do home stuff this system is pretty good and will get them into the beauty of the Mac 5K environment for cheap. Just the experience of content consumption is worth the $500 in my opinion. Thanks for watching.
@@craigneidel Yes, i do make money with my computer, but the upgrade is still very expensive. $4-5K expensive. I wish these imac monitors could be used as a second monitor, that would save a lot of money right there. They basically are studio displays, and even have a better webcam in them, resolution isn't as high in the imac webcam, but they still look a lot better. Thanks for the video.
@@OneTakeSunday I agree for sure. If the Imac could be used as second monitor, they would be incredible values for sure. Not sure why Apple doesn't do that but I think I know why. Apple just being Apple. Thanks again for watching.
Just bought an iMac 27” -2020, i7 3,8GHz, 8GB Radeon. Like new, only used around 10h according to the seller, I gave 1250$.👍
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...
I am already going to buy the iMac 27 inch
The 2020s are at a good price now.
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.
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 RUclips.
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.
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 RUclips Channel like me and then you need to buy more then you should :). Anyhow I do agree that too many RUclips 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.
Craig Neidel Thanks Much !