Steps 1–24: iMac Intel 27" Teardown
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Step 17
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.
Step 18
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.
Step 19
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.
Step 20
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.
Step 21
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.
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.
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.
Step 22
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.)
Step 23
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.
Step 24
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.
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"feat of wire"? That's quite feat!
A nice deconstruction as always.
Hahaha step 23 had me in stitches... the Apple logo now serves as a secret antenna for wifi.
How sly of Apple.
Just a thought... My Unibody Macbook Pro has a fairly enclosed design where is the wifi antenna inside?
I think its a shame that Apple have neglected the stunning internal design of the early iMac G5s!... they were a work of art inside.
But now... theres all this cable and clutter... I wouldnt mind if they made the imac less tapered on the back (it'd still be the thinnest and most stunning all-in-one) if they would make better cooling and repairing easier with the internals better laid out.
IMHO.
Still love the new iMac tho!
If it's anything like the original Macbook Pros, which I used to be a technician for, they wrapped the antennae cables around the edges of the screen. Since those screens are now 100% glass, I wouldn't be surprised if they left the wires there since it's the only part of the system not made of aluminum!
just curious, after pulling this baby apart, how would you rate its value on a parts basis?
In the iFixit teardown of the unibody MBP, they mention that the wireless antenna is located in the black plastic display hinge.
Yes, seriously!
http://files.macbidouille.com/mbv2/news/...
A swansong for the G5, I guess ;)
Equally gorgeous on the inside, a Black PCB, very classy.
That's quite some ventilation though, can't imagine what the 4850 would use in the way of copperware...
Yes, it is/was a beauty to behold, but that was largely due to the fact that there were several "user installable" parts. For example, midplane board, hard drive, RAM, etc. Funny thing is that people still needed help simply installing RAM! Apple rethought this strategy, because subsequent iMac models did away with this clean internal design (and so many user-installable parts).
well, im sorry that you feel that way, mac was the best personal computer, of the 1980's and early 1990's and i do agree that the technology is ususally a step behind the standard, and a higher price than what it's worth, but "Mac Zealots" is kind of an overstatement, sure some people like macs, some people love macs, and some people hate macs, but for my self, i am a PC, and a Mac, I've been doing PC work since the 486, but the mac always has and still has an advantage over a PC, (My Core 2 Quad PC would out-perform any mac mini, any day) but PC's have something macs will never have, (open development, expandability, most 3rd party hardware and software, and for the longest time, a standard CPU archetecture) and macs have something PC's will never have (a rock solid, and secure OS, a sleek style, look, and computing power higher than that of an equaly speced pc)
[quote|macs have something PC's will never have (a rock solid, and secure OS, a sleek style, look, and computing power higher than that of an equaly speced pc)[/quote]
The term PC does not mean windows bud. You forgot about linux, mainly, Ubuntu. Rock solid OS, OPEN SOURCE software that is community maintained, and the speed to run circles around any mac of equal spec, all with a flexibility and low price of building a PC one part at a time. YOU can choose exactly what goes in it.
@Chris - the intent of my post was to take the pi$$ out of what appeared (to me) to be Mac flame-bait from. "Mac zealot" was a self-depricating reference to steal Joe C's "thunder" if/when using said term himself.
The point is that life is not as black and white as "I'm a Mac"/"I'm a PC"--as Joe C insightfully points out in his later post re: "PC" definition. Apple's and Microsoft's ad campaigns try to stoke this outmoded argument. We know how common it is for people to work on Windows PC at the office and Macs at home.
But "PC" statistically refers to Windows PCs (given the slight market share Linux has).
(Reasonably) technically savvy users reading/posting to this site should be somewhat aware of how versatile, lightweight and supported different flavors of Linux can be--compared to Macs and/or Windows PCs.
Nevermind . . . this a waste of everyone's time. Sorry for the trivial distraction. Thanks Joe C. Happy New Year.
Is it possible to drop in a quad core later? I am thinking about getting this one and dropping in the quad later when I have the money.
You mean this thing has a generic-sized portable graphics card that can be swapped with something else? Brilliant. Should have shipped with a 1GB card at least.
I really hope so. The graphics card it the only thing that is stopping me from getting one right now!
There's not that much difference in price between the two - I think you're better off getting it from day 1.
Great work Guys, and done with lightning speed just after the release. Hats off and looking out for The Apple Tablet That Will Rule Them All, grin
Is there any mini-DisplayPort "chip" controller? I mean what differer at Mother Board, in order to not allow video-in at the 21.5" iMac. I really want to now!!! What is the specification and model of the mDP? Is it mDP 1.0 or 1.2? Is it compatible to the HDMI 1.4, yet?
Does the 21.5 inch model also use a socketed CPU? I have a low-power quad core (Q9550S) waiting for a worthy home...
No. This iMac uses a different socket than the i5 or i7. If you want a quadcore iMac, just buy one ;)
What's the chipset used in the Core2Duo logic board?
There are quad core chips out there that are not i5s or i7s. I am just as curious what is the socket type, if it is a LGA 755 type I could see the potential to put in a Q9550S.
I so want to drop in a Q9550 into my new iMac. If it weren't for that warranty voiding sticker.. Anyone want to try? In theory it should work. Works in my Hackintosh just fine.
Can we put a extreme i7 in the quad core model??? and how about a ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4870 X2 in place of the existing 4850 card??
OK so duh on the processor so let change that to 2.93ghz i7 and the 4870 x2 video card
Come on guys, show us what's under the heatsinks, that would be great, i want to upgrade my cpu, but i want to see it first
Oh, a wonderful idea! I'd love to see the iFixit folks give this a try and report on the change in performance. Then they could sell us the proper CPU and provide the instructions for accomplishing the task.
Does anyone know if there are any mainboard (off the video card) graphics chips (e.g., scaler), or are the DisplayPort signals routed directly from the GPU to the LCD panel and DisplayPort connector?
it's possible to remove graphic card and replace it with the same but 512mb vram?
I'd be interested to know if you can replace it with a better one. You say these are generic parts? Where can we get them? Or are they only available to manufacturers?
Please add pictures with the heatsinks removed both for the GPU and the Logic Board
So is that still a laptop card, or like the proc, are we getting desktop class cards now?
I agree! You never take the heatsinks off! Come on!
What's the name of that supposedly standardized slot? I've only ever seen Apple use it; I recall it was the same in the previous two revisions as well.
AXIOM (ATI) respectively MXM (NVIDIA). IF Apple uses that (do they?)
I don't get it. On this model you can change the graphic card?
so is it possible to replace graphic card in any 27 inch imac?
i was rly sad when i have seen that 512mb card in i7 model