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Model A1419 / Late 2012 / 2.9 & 3.2 GHz Core i5 or 3.4 GHz Core i7 Processor, ID iMac13,2

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I need to upgrade my iMac 13,2 - 2.9 GHz i5 & 1TB HDD.

I'm trying to research the correct gear to buy. I was hoping to upgrade the CPU and HDD and if necessary add a PCIe SSD.

I'm currently waiting on a reply from Intel as I've read that the only CPU I can go up to is an i7 3770s, which isn't made anymore (an IVY).

I was hoping to put in a 1TB EVO 850 Samsung SSD, which I've read is good to fit into my model.

I was also hoping to put in a Samsung PCIe SSD but have read on another one of these answers that they don't fit. I've looked at macsales.com and others that have the OWC that apparently works with my model but the speed on them compared to the Samsung aren't great. Are they worth putting in?

I'm a music producer (by no means a computer freak) using Ableton live with a decent amount of plug ins and my iMac just seems to take ages doing tasks now with all the software etc I have on it. I dont really have the money to go out and buy the latest iMac with upgrades costing 4K or whatever they are.

Any help would be awesome.

Thank you.

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The best you can go up to: iMac 27" 3.4 GHz i7 (Late 2012)

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Sorry you are limited to what Apple used in this series for CPU's the best you could go with is a 3.4 GHz i7-3770 which is a 22 nm Quad Core (Ivy Bridge).

As far as SSD's: This system has only two drive ports a 3.5" SATA III (6.0 Gb/s) HDD and a custom Apple PCIe blade interface.

I would recommend first populating the PCIe socket if you are already replacing the CPU. Your choices here are very limited to either a real Apple SSD or one of the two 3rd parties that make the custom SSD. If you can locate an Apple 4 lane (x4) PCIe NMVe that would be ideal as the 3rd parties SSD's are only two lanes (x2). Of course the larger the better!

As far as the 3.5" SATA drive I would leave it as a 3.5" HDD or go with a SSHD. But if you really need to go SSD then a 2.5" Samsung 850 EVO is more than you need here. You will need to address the size difference between the 2.5" SSD and the frame which is expecting a 3.5" drive and you'll need to also get an external thermal sensor as the original Apple drive is a custom drive with access to the internal sensor inside for SMC to manage the systems cooling.

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Thanks for the great answer Dan. Cheers.

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antony_harrison will be eternally grateful.
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