iFixit

Apple finally added an SD card slot to the iMac. This may be one of the most inexpensive features Apple could have added, but should prove very useful. Now we can throw away all our USB SD readers!

Just one T8 screw secures the slot to the case. The chip is labeled GL137A.

Removing the Infrared (IR) sensor needed to use the Apple remote.

In the second picture we are removing the central wiring harness and lifting out the logic board.

This computer has more linear feet of wire than any iMac we've ever taken apart.

Speakers! Big speakers.

We tested the sound before we disassembled it, and were quite impressed. Apple has super-sized the iMac's audio in proportion to the increased screen size.

While the speakers are in the bottom corners of the iMac, Apple has wisely placed the microphone at the top (near the iSight). That should make it possible to use the internal audio setup for video chats.

With the logic board removed, we gain access to a couple of more fans.

We removed their screws and rotated each fan out of the computer.

I can has heat dissipation? To keep the iMac cool and happy, Apple's included six temperature sensors, three fans, and two gigantic heat sinks.

View high resolution shots of the front and back.

To put the massive size of the heat sinks in perspective, check out the relative size of the USB ports on the bottom left of the board.

Notice the PRAM battery on the logic board (circular silver disc) for storing date and time when the power is disconnected. When changing the battery be careful to not to force the plastic top that holds the battery into place.

The processor is socketed, but there's a "Warranty void if removed" sticker above one of the heat sink's screws.

Our 3.06 GHz E7600 Core 2 Duo processor is a LGA 775 Socket T CPU. There are some Core 2 Quad chips that use the same socket, but we don't know if they would work. The i5 and i7 quad-cores included in the high-end 27" iMac use a different socket, LGA 1156 Socket H.

Removing the GPU daughterboard.

Our low-end 27" model ships with an ATI Radeon HD 4670 graphics processor packing 256MB of GDDR3 memory.

The sheer quantity of labels on the back of the graphic card daughterboard is overwhelming. What were they thinking?

(It's obvious that Apple's engineers didn't design that daughterboard. It's a standard card used in a number of products.)

Is this an antenna leading into the back Apple logo? We think it is...wonder why?

The Apple logo is no longer just for looks, it now has a job to do. Earlier aluminum iMacs had an aluminum front and a plastic back. In contrast, this iMac features an all-aluminum enclosure, which is great for looks, but terrible for Wi-Fi. The Apple logo is the only plastic area on the back of the iMac, and Apple has integrated an AirPort antenna into that space.

After such a tedious teardown, you can't blame us for just piling everything up into one ginormous heap of parts.

However, curse our guilty conscience, being the nice and awesome professionals we are, we felt an urge and a slight sense of responsibility to do it right.

The final layout picture for all to see. Enjoy!

If you're feeling this teardown wasn't enough to satisfy your craving, indulge yourself in the Magic Mouse teardown, courtesy of your friendly neighborhood iFixit.