What would be the max spec CPU you could upgrade to in this machine? obviously, you would need to follow the same socket type, but in a few years from now I would in fact like to upgrade my CPU when the 8 core i7 starts to waver.
Thanks in advance.
It isn't soldered, but your choices are limited to officially supported 2020 iMac CPUs: the mother board doesn't have bios information for anything else. A 10-core I9-10910 upgrade is the only upgrade option over the i7 even theoretically possible. Such an upgrade is also high-risk high-skill very-unsupported and not-recommended.
If you are concerned that you will eventually need/want the 10-core i9 it is better to go ahead and pay for Apple to configure that chip for you at time of purchase.
It isn't soldered, but your choices are limited to officially supported 2020 iMac CPUs: the mother board doesn't have bios information for anything else. A 10-core I9-10910 upgrade is the only upgrade option over the i7 even theoretically possible. Such an upgrade is also high-risk high-skill very-unsupported and not-recommended.
If you are concerned that you will eventually need/want the 10-core i9 it is better to go ahead and pay for Apple to configure that chip for you at time of purchase.
Garden_of_Eden, the CPUs are not upgradable down the road. You would need to purchase a new computer if you want a new CPU. My purchase decision on my 2020 27" iMac was the 3.8GHz 8-core i7 with the 5700XT graphics card. I plan on rendering videos with this computer and from the Youtube videos (Max Tech) I watched with comparisons of performance this combination seemed to be the best option to me. I purchased with the 8GB of RAM from Apple and upgraded to 40GB after purchase.
Also a few years from now I would expect all Apple's Macs to be Apple Silicon based.
I hope this helps.
Paul
Thanks, everyone, but padams35 hit the nail on the head, this is what I was looking for exactly !
as I bought the i7 8 core, I was hopeful that there would be a i9 10 core available a few years from now to buy off someone and then upgrade my iMac !
yesterday I bought the iMac with the 8 core i7, I thought long and hard over the 10 core I9, but I couldn't say the extra $500 was worth it...now, however in say 2-3 years from now, the 10 core i9 looks like a really good upgrade to look out for !!
was just wondering "what" i could upgrade into. seems like that 10 core is only option but that's awesome thanks for the help guys !!
Knowing that the new iMacs are around the corner, and going to be Apple arm based computers, I couldn't say I was keen to get myself one of those, even though the redesign, screen, and overall update look amazing (early renders) I'm not going to trust Apple day one on that new tech, id like to see those chips and GPUs in say 1-2 years, that will have me excited, for now, intel and the Radeon pro 5700 xt will suffice .
thanks for your input!!
It's not possible anyone can say what CPUs will be available "a few years from now".
iMac 2020 CPU upgrade question
