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I've seen some things floating around about the iMac 21.5 inch models' graphics cards being soldered to the board. Then I saw this guide: https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iMac+Intel+21.5-Inch+EMC+2428+GPU+Card+Replacement/5980 and some people are saying that it's upgradable. If it is upgradable, would there be a list for recommended gpus and such?
iMac 21.5″, macOS 10.13
'Can' depends on your personal ability.
The 2011 uses MXM laptop-style GPU cards (not soldered) that can be removed, replaced, and with enough luck/skill upgraded. However that is perhaps the single most difficult/complex upgrade ever successfully done to an iMac.
If you can't afford to buy a new computer if you accidentally break this one I would strongly suggest you not make the attempt.
'Can' depends on your personal ability.
The 2011 uses MXM laptop-style GPU cards (not soldered) that can be removed, replaced, and with enough luck/skill upgraded. However that is perhaps the single most difficult/complex upgrade ever successfully done to an iMac.
If you can't afford to buy a new computer if you accidentally break this one I would strongly suggest you not make the attempt.
The problem is finding a MXM card that has a Mac ROM. A Windows card with get you nowhere.
Used/pulled iMac GFX cards that have enough VRAM to be more effective than the original are very expensive, about 4-5X the value of a used 2011 iMac.
Also there are NO pulled compatible cards that support Metal graphics, the requirement that Mojave and higher OS versions must have.
I've seen some things floating around about the iMac 21.5 inch models' graphics cards being soldered to the board.
Those "floaters" are too general. Starting with the 2012 iMacs, the gfx hardware is integral with and soldered to the logic board and is not upgradable. The 201l is still slotted but a pain to access.
I won't tell you to buy a new computer—I trust that you are capable of making your own decisions from data provided.
What are you doing that you believe the GPU is the bottleneck.
Unless you've already maxed out the RAM and swapped out the hard drive for an SSD, installing a new GPU doesn't seem like it's going to do a whole lot for you.
You can only use the GPUs that were originally available in a 2011 iMac, you cannot use anything else. If you want to continue using a 2011, that is totally up to you however you will need to search for either used or old stock GPUs that will work. I had a 2011 until last year and recently replaced it, nice machine but they are simply now 11 years old and technology has left them behind. They are now 3 generations of Mac OS removed, meaning they cannot upgrade to Mojave, Catalina or Big Sur so the longer you keep it the more of a corner you are painting yourself into.
If you cannot afford a new Mac (btw Apple offers free financing to qualified buyers) there are multiple alternatives available to you included Apple refurbished Macs or buying a used Mac from a reputable reseller such as Macofalltrades.com or macsales.com. If I were in your shoes I'd seriously look at the new Mac Mini, all you would need is a new display ($130 estimate) and you are in business. The MM starts with the new M1 chip starts at $699 so for less than $900 you can have a brand new Mac that is worlds better than your 2011.
+1 to the M1 mini suggestion.
eGPU: These are not currently supported with M1 macs (one of the few M1 flaws). eGpus aren't Apple supported with 2011 iMacs either, but it is possible to use one with a 2011 iMacs using third party software. However eGPU enclosures are kinda of expensive, running one over Thunderbolt 1 adds a performance penalty, and they require an external display for best results. If you are buying an external display anyway why not get an M1 mini?
Graphics cards: Don't get a GTX 765M. Those are MXM-B cards which are too big and power hungry for a 21.5". Granted the 765 is on the low end for TDP, but that is still an unnecessary risk/complication to ridiculously risky/complicated upgrade. A 21.5" wants an MXM-A GPU that has custom iMac firmware flashed (an iMac friendly vbios is required for the internal display to work). In 2019-2020 a couple amateurs wrote custom mac vbios files for the Quadro K1100M, and K2100M, so those are basically the only alternatives to an Apple card. Naturally those cards are now expensive, and being old and used at high risk of arriving dead on arrival.
So do yourself a favor and get the M1 mini (or a new iMac). Spending a couple hundred £ to squeeze extra VRAM into a 2011 iMac that will be obsolete in 2-3 years is not a good long term investment and could backfire spectacularly if you make any mistakes or cut corners on your research.
and, please don't go out and say that I need a new computer. I dont have much money right now and i like the computer that I have.
Why do you want to upgrade the graphics card? That won't let you run Big Sur.
mostly its the giant bottleneck that i want to decrease
thank you
I've heard some things about the GTX 765m, is that the best choice or are there some superior cards that i could use?
if so, how would i go about getting a good price for something in the uk? everything seems rather expensive.
you see, a mac mini 2020 costs £510 in the united states but £699 in the uk
Okay, so for about $1100 USD you have a nice solution, still not bad!
The US price does NOT include any taxes. Taxes are added on at the time of the sale.
just as an alternative if i can't find a graphics card which will be at a suitable price, would it be possible to get a sort of old egpu enclosure that might work?
Can you upgrade the graphics card in a 21.5 inch Mid-2011 iMac?
