Kaby Lake Apple iMacs have upgradeable CPUs and RAM

[HEXUS]

They are the first iMacs since 2012 to offer such expansion / upgrade facilities.

Read more.

[krazy_olie]

Ow valuable are CPU upgrades these days when chipsets don't stick around?

[b0redom]

This isn't strictly true though is it? Opening up the Mac and removing all the heatsinks etc will void your warranty, and whilst the CPU and RAM aren't soldered on, the process for getting to them isn't exactly easy.

Finally, this has only been confirmed for the 21.5" model, and none of the articles I've seen have suggested what other CPUs are compatible, either in terms of actual functionality or thermal envelope.

[DaMoot]

Chances are you'll find Apple has that laptop motherboard locked down to only a couple of processor models. Apple runs their systems very hot to help with planned obsolescence and failure (gotta make sure you replace that hardware every 1-2 years! ), so I doubt they'd particularly want you sticking a CPU in there that the already taxed cooler can handle (voided warranty or not). Or worse yet, put a slightly more efficient CPU in to bring operating temps down and let things run longer.

[DevDrake]

Wow, what a invention, what a news! (not like you can do that in PC from beginning)
I wonder when they plan to patent this stuff.

I guess they made it so they will have less unsold boards in the stock - as the same board will be sold in few configurations, or just upgraded overtime.

Not for me.

[Biscuit]

Only reason this will have been done is to reduce manufacturing costs in some way

[Rubarb]

who the hell cares?.... Apple <gets some phlem up and phew!>.

[b0redom]

Chances are you'll find Apple has that laptop motherboard locked down to only a couple of processor models. Apple runs their systems very hot to help with planned obsolescence and failure (gotta make sure you replace that hardware every 1-2 years! ), so I doubt they'd particularly want you sticking a CPU in there that the already taxed cooler can handle (voided warranty or not). Or worse yet, put a slightly more efficient CPU in to bring operating temps down and let things run longer.

Well yeah, it's not a standard motherboard obviously. As for running their systems very hot. Have you ever actually had any Apple kit? I've got a 2013 iMac which still handles everything I chuck at it. OK, I don't game at uber high resolution with all the eye candy on, but that's hardly replacing it every year. My laptop (which admittedly needs replacing badly) is a Macbook Pro from 2009.

In fact I'd actually say I upgrade less now I've moved from PCs to Apple gear.

That being said, I'm struggling to justify a new Macbook Pro. It's way better for me than either Windows or Linux for my use case, £3k is still a hefty chunk of change....

[Rubarb]

Chances are you'll find Apple has that laptop motherboard locked down to only a couple of processor models. Apple runs their systems very hot to help with planned obsolescence and failure (gotta make sure you replace that hardware every 1-2 years! ), so I doubt they'd particularly want you sticking a CPU in there that the already taxed cooler can handle (voided warranty or not). Or worse yet, put a slightly more efficient CPU in to bring operating temps down and let things run longer.

Well yeah, it's not a standard motherboard obviously. As for running their systems very hot. Have you ever actually had any Apple kit? I've got a 2013 iMac which still handles everything I chuck at it. OK, I don't game at uber high resolution with all the eye candy on, but that's hardly replacing it every year. My laptop (which admittedly needs replacing badly) is a Macbook Pro from 2009.

In fact I'd actually say I upgrade less now I've moved from PCs to Apple gear.

That being said, I'm struggling to justify a new Macbook Pro. It's way better for me than either Windows or Linux for my use case, £3k is still a hefty chunk of change....

Only an absolute prat would spend 3k on a laptop without searching brands and spec, they dont includewindows or linux but rater hardware.

<shakes head> typical apple user

[Spreadie]

Kaby Lake Apple iMacs have upgradeable CPUs and RAM

Ooh, just like a real computer.

[azrael-]

Next thing you know, you'll be able to swap the battery on an iPhone yourself. Glorious days ahead!

[Aisalem]

I though the previous MACs also got "upgradeable" parts, you just needed rework station for that, so only tools has changed.

[b0redom]

Only an absolute prat would spend 3k on a laptop without searching brands and spec, they dont includewindows or linux but rater hardware.[sic]

<shakes head> typical apple user

Wow that's a major assumption right there.

Specs aren't everything - it's all about the user experience. Here's an example:

My major client at the moment is doing devops and automation. You can't run ansible on Windows (well you can, but it's unsupported and requires a pretty horrific hack to do it). So I could use Linux right? The Windows powershell/cmd prompt aren't really conducive to cut and paste.

I also want to ensure that if something appears on a Windows server I'm deploying to it is exactly as provided to me - if they discover malware etc I don't want it to be my fault. Although I can be 99.99% sure with decent antivirus etc, with a Mac I can be 100% sure. I've never seen malware/virus which will execute on both OSX AND Windows.

Unfortunately most customers also require documents and contracts in Office format. Whilst OpenOffice etc are OK, they're not 100% compatible and I've come a cropper a couple of times transforming documents between the two.

Sure I could buy a high end business laptop, and install Windows with Linux in a VM or vice versa, but I'm not convinced that would be significantly cheaper. I'm also very time poor and need something which just works without faffing around.

Whilst I know the image you probably have of an Apple user is a hipster or someone who has no idea what they're doing. I think you'd be surprised by the reality. I'm seeing more and more of my peers (technical architects/consultants/senior devops guys) moving to OSX.

All that being said though, Apple have shot themselves in the foot by hiking up the price so much last time. I don't really see a use case for the LED function strip, and removing the magsafe and port debacle is frustraing. At £500 less it though it would be a no brainer for me.

[Sunderas]

Only reason this will have been done is to reduce manufacturing costs in some way

Yup. Or to make sure they breakdown just after your warranty is gone...

[preter_s]

Is this Apple sponsored click bait? A 3 out of 10 score by iFixit & yet your headline is so misleading - "Kaby Lake Apple iMacs have upgradeable CPUs and RAM"?

Especially when the said CPU and RAM are buried under the motherboard? There's a high chance damage will be caused getting to them!

This is a headline to mislead and misinform! Shame on you, Hexus, for promoting such crap!

[peterb]

Well yeah, it's not a standard motherboard obviously. As for running their systems very hot. Have you ever actually had any Apple kit? I've got a 2013 iMac which still handles everything I chuck at it. OK, I don't game at uber high resolution with all the eye candy on, but that's hardly replacing it every year. My laptop (which admittedly needs replacing badly) is a Macbook Pro from 2009.

In fact I'd actually say I upgrade less now I've moved from PCs to Apple gear.

That being said, I'm struggling to justify a new Macbook Pro. It's way better for me than either Windows or Linux for my use case, £3k is still a hefty chunk of change....

Yes, I find life a lot easier since ditching windows - Windows 10 was the last straw. Try looking at the refurbished kit - like you, I have no need for the led strip, but I got a previous verson Macbook pro at a good discount.