iFixit Tears Down New iMacs, Finds Soldered CPU on 21.5" Model

iFixit has already disassembled the new iMacs that were released yesterday. The teardown didn't reveal too many changes from the previous version, though there are a few new features worth mentioning.

Both the 21.5-inch and 27-inch models include the new 802.11ac wireless standard, while the 27-inch model includes the new PCIe-based flash storage that was originally introduced in the MacBook Air back in June.

iMac Teardown
The 21.5-inch model has a few differences from its larger sibling, according to iFixit. It now includes a new empty PCIe SSD slot so users can upgrade the base model iMac to the Fusion Drive combination HDD/SDD drive that Apple introduced last year. In last year's 21.5-inch model, Apple did not include an empty PCIe slot on the logic board.

More disappointing, for users who like to upgrade their machines, is the fact that the CPU is soldered directly to the logic board, making an upgrade nearly impossible. iFixit gave the 21.5-inch model a 2 out of 10 for repairability, largely because of the soldered processor.

The 27-inch model received a 5 out of 10. The largest issue with upgrading the iMac is getting the glass and LCD panel out of the machine, making repairs impossible for all but the most determined do-it-yourselfers.

Popular Stories

New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18

20 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18.2

Monday December 16, 2024 8:55 am PST by
Apple released iOS 18.2 in the second week of December, bringing the second round of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update brings several major advancements to Apple's AI integration, including completely new image generation tools and a range of Visual Intelligence-based enhancements. Apple has added a handful of new non-AI related feature controls as...
apple tv 4k yellow bg feature

New Apple TV Rumored to Launch Next Year With These Features

Tuesday December 17, 2024 9:02 am PST by
The current Apple TV 4K was released more than two years ago, so the streaming device is becoming due for a hardware upgrade soon. Fortunately, it was recently rumored that a new Apple TV will launch at some point next year. Below, we recap rumors about the next-generation Apple TV. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman last week reported that Apple has been working on its own combined Wi-Fi and...
iphone 16 apple intelligence

Apple Drops Plans for iPhone Hardware Subscription Service

Wednesday December 18, 2024 11:39 am PST by
Apple is no longer planning to launch a hardware subscription service that would let customers "subscribe" to get a new iPhone each year, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman first shared rumors about Apple's work on a hardware subscription service back in 2022, and at the time, he said that Apple wanted to develop a simple system that would allow customers to pay a monthly fee to gain...
iPhone 17 Pro Dual Tone Feature 1

iPhone 17 Pro Rumored to Stick With 'Triangular' Camera Design

Wednesday December 18, 2024 2:36 am PST by
Contrary to recent reports, the iPhone 17 Pro will not feature a horizontal camera layout, according to the leaker known as "Instant Digital." In a new post on Weibo, the leaker said that a source has confirmed that while the appearance of the back of the iPhone 17 Pro has indeed changed, the layout of the three cameras is "still triangular," rather than the "horizontal bar spread on the...
elevation lab airtag battery

Your AirTag's Battery Will Last for Up to 10 Years With Elevation Lab's New TimeCapsule Enclosure

Wednesday December 18, 2024 10:05 am PST by
Elevation Lab today announced the launch of TimeCapsule, an innovative and simple solution for increasing the battery life of Apple's AirTag. Priced at $20, TimeCapsule is an AirTag enclosure that houses two AA batteries that offer 14x more battery capacity than the CR2032 battery that the AirTag runs on. It works by attaching the AirTag's upper housing to the built-in custom contact in the...
Apple TV 4K hero 221018 feature

Here is Everything New for the Apple TV in the tvOS 18.3 Update So Far

Tuesday December 17, 2024 6:25 am PST by
Apple on Monday seeded the first tvOS 18.3 beta to developers for testing. The update will likely be released in January. So far, there are only minor changes for the Apple TV, with one new feature and a few code changes discovered. Below, we outline what is new in tvOS 18.3 so far. Robot Vacuum Support in Home App First, tvOS 18.3 will add robot vacuum support to the Home app on the...
blackmagic vision pro

Blackmagic Debuts $30K 3D Camera for Capturing Video for Vision Pro

Monday December 16, 2024 4:17 pm PST by
Blackmagic today announced that its URSA Cine Immersive camera is now available for pre-order, with deliveries set to start late in the first quarter of 2025. Blackmagic says that this is the world's first commercial camera system designed to capture 3D content for the Vision Pro. The URSA Cine Immersive camera was first introduced in June, but it has not been available for purchase until...
iPhone 17 Slim Feature

'iPhone 17 Air' With 'Major' Design Changes and 19-Inch MacBook Detailed in New Report

Sunday December 15, 2024 9:47 am PST by
Apple is planning a series of "major design" and "format changes" for iPhones over the next few years, according to The Wall Street Journal's Aaron Tilley and Yang Jie. The paywalled report published today corroborated the widely-rumored "iPhone 17 Air" with an "ultrathin" design that is thinner than current iPhone models. The report did not mention a specific measurement, but previous...

Top Rated Comments

RobertD63 Avatar
147 months ago
I don't remember it ever being feasible to swap or change CPUs?
Score: 43 Votes (Like | Disagree)
newdeal Avatar
147 months ago
I may want to consider buying a new iMac soon. Not because I like these models but because the old ones with the optical drive might be leaving the refurb store soon as more of these nonsensically thin models are released. I don't care if I use the optical drive often, I want it there because its a desktop and I don't care if it is thin or light
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
newdeal Avatar
147 months ago
I don't remember it ever being feasible to swap or change CPUs?

yeah the soldered cpu really makes no difference to anybody imo. Not sure who would buy an iMac, open it up, get dust between the glass and the screen to change out the cpu.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CoMoMacUser Avatar
147 months ago
its a desktop and I don't care if it is thin or light

Agreed. My early 2008 iMac is thick as a brick compared to the new models, but I don't care. As for weight, the only time I move it is when I'm dusting my desk, and it's no big deal to lift.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
PracticalMac Avatar
147 months ago
What happened to the Easy to Fix Macs?

It used to be easy to fix, sometimes very easy to fix, even easier then PC's of time.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
voyagerd Avatar
147 months ago
All Iris Pro desktop SKUs are soldered.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)