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Can a mid 2010 imac 21.5 inch with an upgraded i7-860s processor run 32 GB of RAM? There is a lot of conflicting information about this on the internet and in apple discussions. Any info would be much appreciated.
Here are other pertinent discussions. The answer to this question has been marked as "Solved" a few times in the community, but the answer is unclear to someone seeking it through the current documentation available.
Re: iMac Mid 2010 i3 can carry on 32GB Ram in 1600Mhz?
What is the max possible memory in imac11,2
Can the Late 2009 27" iMac handle 32GB of RAM? | MacRumors Forums
rkaufmann87 wrote:
No.
I only did the first 2 modules, hence the 24GB, but I can confirm the larger modules will work after CPU upgrade.
Thanks for responding rkaufman. In this ifixit example, Upgrade iMac Intel Core i3 CPU to Core i7 - iFixit, this user is able to run 32gb in a machine with a supposed actual 16gb max, after upgrading to i7 from i3. Would this not be the case for the 21.5 inch ? What is the limiting factor?
chriskleinknecht wrote:
Can a mid 2010 imac 21.5 inch with an upgraded i7-860s processor run 32 GB of RAM? There is a lot of conflicting information about this on the internet and in apple discussions. Any info would be much appreciated.
There are some differences between the 21.5" and 27" 2010 iMacs, the motherboard of the 27" has an extra internal SATA port for an additional optional SSD drive. The memory limitation might not be due only to the processor, but the motherboard's ability to transfer data between the CPU and RAM. Can you clarify that the 21.5" iMac you mentioned has already been upgraded to an i7, or is this a hypothetical CPU upgrade you are talking about, if you discover that you can increase the RAM limit as a result of this hypothetical (though maybe impossible) CPU upgrade?
You may find that some info about the 27" model is not going to be relevant to the 21.5" models. Another feature unique to the 2010 27" models is Target Display mode, for example. If you have already performed the CPU upgrade in the 21.5" iMac, then your experience has surpassed most of the community here. I don't think trying out the increased max RAM in the upgraded CPU iMac will hurt anything other than your wallet, check return policies before purchasing RAM, and buy from OWC. It may work, it might not, it may boot but only be able to address the max RAM as originally specfied. I guess you are exploring new territory here. Good luck. I have both a 21.5" and a 27" 2010 iMac and would be very interested in the results of your CPU and RAM upgrade experiences in the 21.5". Thanks for posing the question here.
You might try to contact the author of that iFixIt article, they may know more info about if the CPU upgrade applies to only the 27" or not.
Have you swapped out the original hard drive for an SSD? That really makes those older iMacs boot and launch apps faster than ever. OWC sells DIY kits that include the thermal sensor for the drive, you probably already have found the similar info from iFixIt.
If you don't mind, can you tell us when you've completed the conversion what the total cost was?
No.
Upgrading the CPU in that machine isn't sanctioned or supported by Apple at all.
I think my suspicions are correct, and I will post proof of success here for future users seeking an answer. Not sure why these high level users are being so curt to someone seeking an answer.
Thanks for the thoughtful answer Glen! I have already completed the upgrade to i7-860s. I'll report the RAM results in a few days and post a screen shot of "About" section for proof 🙂
I have swapped out the SSD. I havnt gotten around to the RAM upgrade yet, but here is the i7
[Image Edited by Host to Remove Serial Number]
Congratulations.
How much have you spent on the new CPU and RAM?
About 200$. I got the imac itself for $200. So basically $400 for an first gen i7 machine with 24gb of ram. I already had a spare SSD and caddy.
Okay.
Can a mid 2010 imac 21.5 inch with an upgraded i7-860s processor run 32 GB of RAM?
