Can I upgrade the USB in my iMac to USB 3.0?

To my knowledge, no.

Barry

Hi,

iMacs don't have any slots for installing PCI-E cards in them.

To see the insides of a 27" iMac http://www.ifixit.com/blog/blog/2009/10/22/27-imac-teardown/

Sorry

Stefan

Where do I look in my Hardware Overview to see if I have USB 2.0 or 3.0?

Under the Apple > About This Mac > Mome Info... > System Report > USB is the path.

Yes, I got that far, but I only see devices listed, no version numbers.

USB High-Speed Bus

Hub

BRCM2046 Hub

Bluetooth USB Host Controller

Internal Memory Card Reader

USB High-Speed Bus

Hub

G-DRIVE

IR Receiver

Built-in iSight

Lower in the display is version information. But what am I really looking for? Under USB High-Speed Bus, then under Hub, I have a version 0.03. That can't be it. Under BRCM2046 Hub, I have a version 1.00. Can that really be it. Maybe the more germaine question is when did USB 3.0 come out? And when did Apple start putting it into iMacs.

The answer is very simple, this would be a hardware upgrade which is not possible on your machine. iMacs can have RAM upgraded but that's about it, your machine would require a completely new main logic board that has USB 3.0 on it, these do not exist for the vintage iMac you have. Therefore no, USB 2.0 cannot be upgraded to USB 3.0 on your machine.

USB 3.0 has not been introduced yet on iMacs. The first machines to have it will be the 2012 iMacs that have not been released yet.

Very helpful. Thanks

For those who have iMacs with the Thunderbolt connection ports. You can use one of these device to use USB 3.

http://www.belkin.com/us/thunderbolt

http://www.matrox.com/docking_station/en/ds1/

Thank you!

Thank you 😉 very helpful, never used thunderbolt port, until now (5 yrs later ) 😁

There is also this option as well:

http://www.sonnettech.com/product/usb3esatahunderboltadapter.html

Provides a USB3 port (you can add a USB3 hub for more connections)

and an eSATA port for connecting HDD with that interface.