I’m still not sure what the problem is, but I suspect that it has something to do with the power supply. I’ve googled all the key phrases related to SSDs and Macs but the answers have been vague. I had a moment of panic when the brand new drive could not be detected on my iMac, my Macbook Air and a Windows laptop. This way, I can catch any problems before embarking on the complex task of taking the iMac apart. TL DR - 5-year warranty vs 3-years for other brands (and most other Samsung models).īefore opening up the iMac, I decided to clone the contents of my HDD onto the SSD with the help of an external USB-SATA adaptor from my Seagate GoFlex external hard drive (you may do this with a SATA HDD enclosure too). It doesn’t hurt that the 850 EVO has a longer expected lifespan. My decision to use Samsung SSD was based on reviews from people who’ve successfully installed it in an iMac, and the comparisons with other brands I’ve read about. Every cent counts - it helps keep my site running!) (If you intend to upgrade your iMac, I would really love it if you purchased the upgrade kit or SSD by clicking on the referral links above. The SSD I used was the Samsung 850 EVO (500GB) Don’t make the same mistakes I made - you don’t have to guess the shape and size of the bits - the bits are engraved on the side with their respective names (T10, T6, etc). The spring-loaded case rotates the bit holder into an upright position as it opens.
BEST SSD FOR IMAC 2011 DRIVER
The 26 bit driver set was also a pleasant surprise. The suction cups, as you would learn from the linked tutorial, is for removing the glass screen to access the guts of the iMac. The contents of the kit are much nicer than I expected, it even comes with a nice little zip-up pouch with the iFixit logo. I started by ordering this DIY kit from iFixit. I scrutinised this set of instructions from iFixit for days while waiting for the parts I ordered to arrive, and had the embedded Youtube video tutorial playing on a separate screen while installing the SSD - it took me less than an hour to complete it. If you have ever put together Lego bricks from instructions, you can do this too. This is not a tutorial, it’s an account of what I did.
BEST SSD FOR IMAC 2011 INSTALL
If you’ve got a 2011 (or newer) iMac and you’re wondering if you can install the SSD on your own, the answer is probably “yes”. My knowledge of hardware is only limited to: