#Best ssd for imac 2011 install#
External drives aren't awful with these, but they're not great, and considering how easy the upgrade is I don't see an external boot drive as being worth it if you're trying to improve the speed of the iMac. Professional grade SSD that delivers even higher performance for audio & video production, photography, & more. Ultimately, it is possible to upgrade the hard drive in these 21.5-Inch and 27-Inch Aluminum iMac models or upgrade or install a secondary SSD in the 'Mid-2011' 21.5-Inch models and 'Mid-2010' and 'Mid-2011' 27-Inch models, but opening the case is a challenge and it is definitely not for those without significant upgrade experience. It also makes a massive difference compared to using an SSD through USB on this iMac - they're limited to USB 2. By Karen Haslam Editor, Macworld 7:37 am PDT Table of Contents 1. It's really that simple to work on one of these iMacs.Īnd a bit of a personal note: I did this upgrade in my own 2011 27" iMac, and it made a massive difference compared to the stock hard drive. Here are the best SSD drives for your Mac. Just reconnect the cables, lean it back into the iMac, and screw it in. Putting the screen back on isn't hard either - it just sits in place. The glass is only held on with magnets, so you don't need any sort of cutting tools or adhesive strips. As long as you don't try to rip the screen off without unplugging the cables you'll be fine. Storage info for each iMac details on speed, dimensions, and hard drive and SSD interface specifics is listed below along with common identifiers suitable to identify a iMac in order to determine which hard drives and SSDs are compatible.
#Best ssd for imac 2011 mac#
The 2011 iMac is the last one that is super easy to open. Mac Specs > By Capability > Mac Storage Upgrades > iMac Models. You mention wanting extra storage, so I suspect this option might be good for you. If you want to use the SSD in addition to the HDD you don't need a bracket - the HDD will stay in place. Use the OWC drive if you want, but they're rather pricey compared to other drives, and they don't have the best reputation.Īlong with that you'll need a temperature sensor (the OWC one is fine, their drives are just way overpriced), and if you want to completely replace the original hard drive you'll need a 2.5" drive bracket. I personally recommend the Crucial MX500 series, and they've come down in price recently too from what I've noticed. Get yourself a cheaper SSD and you can save a good amount of money, and you won't lose any performance. Putting an SSD inside your iMac is a great way to speed it up, but I wouldn't get that drive.